[New Act] Sketch, 16 mins; One and full stage. A comedy playlet the should hold its own on the circuit, due to Walter Poulter’s efforts though his support may be put down as negligible. Assisted by a girl, as his supposed ward, and a man as he fiancé, though an unsuspected crook until the finish the act shaped up with enough comedy in it to keep its head above water. It did nicely at the close.
[New Act] Songs, 12 mins; ones. Margaret Merle scored as the individual favorite of the evening singing four songs, one, a ballad that they simply “ate up” on the Roof.
Possessing a nice voice, with average good looks, Miss Merle, opening after intermission, seemed to find the going much easier than others on the bill.
Trovato, the eccentric violinist, headlining, departed his usual hit, but even he was not spared by the gallery gods, although he turned their razzing to good purpose with his fiddling imitations. As an act Trovato is a funny proposition, but it is this very puzzling eccentricity, otherwise “showmanship” that impresses. Entering fittingly, very a la “nance,” he earns for himself a cross between a derisive and pitiful giggle (although an audience may not translate their emotions in so many words), but at the same times commands an interest, which, fortified as he is by headline billing, turns the sympathy again in his favor. For the rest, Trovato holds his instrument a la cello and grinds out rag and classic which ofttimes strikes raspingly on the ear, but cannot be dismissed as poor instrumentalization. It is not.
Ronair and Ward, No. 2 after intermission, fared considerably well with their crosstalk in “two” over a rural hedge, in which the couple recognize themselves as former neighbors, and engage in pleasant familiarities and reminiscences to the delight of their audience.
Jim and Betty Morgan rolled up a score with the latter’s singing and the musical efforts of the former. The old Colonial applause in cadence was missing, but the whistling was there at the end, with the encore playing an overgrown uke and a clarinet by the team starting it all over again. This little family affair has framed itself an act with the versatility of the boy apparent through his playing of three instruments and his wife delivering four numbers capably – the “Romeo and Juliet” lyric being manifest through its “catch lines. “over” before the jazz finish and that simply sent ‘em in stronger.
The Exposition Four showed a tendency to overdo and lingered a trifle too long for their own good. That the boys are “there” as a quartet and for straight singing there can be no question, but their efforts at comedy are lacking and the elimination of two of the encores would have been more is the way of discretion.
Mlle Nana, scheduled to start the evening’s entertainment, failed to appear and was replaced by Bohn and Bohn, a man and woman, applying a hand-to-hand routine that sufficed for them, while playing the smaller houses recently, and which allowed them to pass nicely as an initial bit. Only doing six minutes, the couple did no stalling and made a few twists, by the girl, stand out.
Bosseye Clifford started the show, but didn’t make the house forget the downpour outside. Her posings showed her pouring water from vases in no less than four different vases in no less than four different vases. She sure wears a classy union suit and shows more of it than ever.
Dick Duffey and Hazel Mann found a ready market for their very neat and brightly dialogued “Via Telephone,” offered in No. 3 spot. This turn isn’t designed for a comedy punch. But there is plenty of humor. Both the players are neat workers. Neither can sing, but they don’t make any serious efforts at that and their turn gets a standard rating.
The show was classy but quiet. Comedy was missed until Harry and Emma Sharrock brought on their sparkling personalities and happy dispositions to open intermission. From their entrance down to the old-fashioned hit they registered, the house was all smiles. Maybe an extra laugh came when Miss Sharrock parked her feet on the “ballyhoo box” which has a broken board and cracked loudly.
