Eva Arnold came on and did themselves credit. Jack, a handsome juvenile with a pair of extraordinary pipes and feet, did all he could to cheer the audience from their sleepy apathy. Miss Arnold, a sweet songbird, made a futile effort to out her songs over to make ’em like it. They would have done more with a better spot and surely deserve it.
11 Mins.; One. The Morrissey Brothers are two dress suited young men, mostly dancers, although they attempt recitative singing, telling how they are in demand by the vaudeville managers. The public is more interested otherwise. In the opening spot they seemed to feel they were above the position and so spoiled whatever they did have. One of the boys has some ability as a dancer, while his partner can finger the ivories a bit. Will do on the small time.
Quaker Village Follies, three girls and a man, with a very pretty set closed. The man sings several songs, having fair voice, while the girls sings, dance and make three changes in very pretty costumes. The act would have done better spotted three. Where the name “Quaker Village Follies” comes in is for the audience to find out, probably a random shot at Greenwich Village.
14 Mins.: One (3); Full Stage (special Set) (11). Gene Hodgkins and Irene Hammond, described as “A Yankee Boy and an English Girl,” do a combination piano and modern dancing act, in a pure white set that is extremely slightly the set occurs after an opening in “one,” when the couple sing a song. It would seem a useless procedure to start the turn in “one” with that set in reserve. During the full stage portion a picture drop is employed to throw a representation of the Blazing White Way on the screen, with the electrics doing the different dance steps. It afterwards shows the dancers before the camera doing the maxixe. They are supposed to come down a short flight of steps, burst through the paper and continue the dance themselves upon the stage. Monday night the drop didn’t take care of itself. A large hole was torn in the top and this ruined the effect of a rather clever stage idea. The couple do a fox trot to a song, the music of which is popular about for the fox dance. In getting away from the familiar two-act and “society dancers” while still remaining both, the act has brought its most value. With the opening in “one” out and both ends of the act proper made more pronounced, Mr. Hodgkins and Miss Hammond should become popular in vaudeville. They have the necessaries.
Billy Duval and Merle Symonds had no difficulty at all in making the deuce spot a pleasure. Miss Merle was a trifle indistinct in her enunciation of the opening song, but is to be admired for her agility in dancing, as her partner evokes admiration for his nonchalant manner. Miss Merle had a little too much color for a too white brow, and appeared at a disadvantage for inability to make up. A fault easily remedied. The “Extra Dry” act in third spot showed plenty of class, speed, effective dancing and costuming, which is very pleasing to the eye. The lady playing the school ma’am scored an individual hit with her drunk scene, walking off with a well deserved hand. The turn moved with precision, spirit and a tempo, well sustained throughout, finishing to a dozen curtains, while the last song was encored to its rise and descent.
Hite, Reflow and Loehr opened the last show at the Rialto with songs, dances and little piano playing. The woman member, charming and well costumed, danced all over the rostrum, ably assisted by one of the male members. The piano player, who can sing and dance, won applause. The act with a little overhauling would be ready for the two-a-day.
Jerome and Newell in “A Chinese Bazaar” opened the show as a couple of Chinks. They start with a little song, then a little clarinet and one-string fiddle, then a dance, then into full stage for a fast finishing triple bar work.
Kranz and LaSalle opened after intermission and got them early with “Typical Tipperary” and “When Their Ain’t No Jazz.” The dancing of La Salle at the finish, however, remains the strongest part of the turn. A comedy song title “Every Day Is Yom Kippur for Mrs. Swiney” should be eliminated. Another act pulled in this week at another big time house and it received in apathetic manner. In an Irish neighborhood they might resent it.
Newell and Most were third, moved up from opening after intermission. It is a neat song and dance idea, but why the act has to close in “one” is a mystery. A pretty special drop in “one and a half” is discarded for the finish before the house olio. A new finish would put this team in a position to demand spots and billings, as they are a clever duo and exceptionally good dancers. The girl has plenty of personality and the boy is a neat smooth opposite.
Robert Emmett Keane, as a single, immaculately tailored and booking not a day older than he did the first time he raised his voice to Broadway, depended largely on stories of the late war, some of which he has been telling for several seasons and two finishing recitations, each used as an encore. The first was a mild thing about a wounded Scotch returned soldier, better done than it deserved. This got a hand and brought him back for a Kipling “Young British Soldier,” with some liberties taken in some of the lines where Kip is too on the level for “polite” vaudeville. It scored and Keane retired with very decent takings.
