It was Bob Calvert and Tony Shayne who were spotted next to closing. Theirs is a straight singing routine, the men duetting throughout, with a dash of action inserted here and there. With “Oriental Chinatown” they got into stride and followed up well enough with “Minnie-Ha-Ha.” The men jazzed up “Manyana Land” for a closer and could have encored.
Texas Guinan followed, singing “Sweetheart” from the musical show of that name, and getting over handily. The bevy of women picture folk were then lined up before the foots, while Granlund introduced each in turn after the fashion of a “pick-out” number.
The Misses Dennis took up the entertainment and sailed through with their harmony and four songs, pleasing mightily. Doing 13 minutes just about made it right. A sweet act that can’t miss with the girls’ appearance and voices to back it up.
Ruby Norton closed the first half singing four songs and easily could have provided another, but close to call it enough, demonstrating that there is still such a thing as discretion left with some acts, though they are few and far between these days. Miss Norton initiated with a short selection from “Butterfly,” then went into a number that bordered in the popular, following which a Spanish bit was offered. She called it “finis” with her alma mater – the song that she has never failed to put over – “Gianina Mia.”
Maude Allen, a big stately woman, walked on and sang several ballads in a good voice accompanied by a man at the piano. She got good applause.
Then Trixie Friganza, on to a reception, on to a reception, into her new catalog of songs. She has cut out the full stage Camille bit and now closes with the floor-rolls on her Indian rug, Mandeli and his partner came in and worked this up for her and dragged her off on the rug to a scream. Still by far the best stuff Trixie has had in years. She now credits Al Von Tilzer together with Neville Fleeson. Last time it was Harry Breen who probably wrote the Redskin lyric. Miss Friganza need have no qualms about taking this program of good-natured foolishness into the east – it is to her order every minute. A solid hit here.
Maude Earle and Co. in “The Vocal Verdict,” big time quality, was the headliner and the outstanding hits. She opens in “one” with a prolog, then goes to full stage, with a white wigged judge sitting at his bench in cutout of a special set, and she is put on trial. She sings five selections of which “Macushla” and the flute number scored best. Miss Earle makes five very pretty changes.
[Baird and Burns] made way for Hirschon’s Song Birds, one man and three women all in Swiss attire, the man playing a zither and the women yodeling. The act being easily encouraged, went through several numbers. Good for Chautauqua.
Powers and Saunders, two girls with sweet voices, opened with a simple but altogether pleasing singing turn. The contralto has a particularly effective method of delivering pop number enunciating clearly and giving to each song the requisite expression. An air of refinement with which the girls characterize their singing, adds much to the general impression created by their voices. They did better than good, opening the show.
10 Mins.; One. Miss Williams is of nice appearance, has a few gowns and a little voice. Sunday she was so frightfully nervous it would be hardly fair to judge her work. After she overcomes her nervousness she should do for an early spot on the small time.
