British Pathe

Full title reads: "A little tact" by Naunton Wayne. Filmed at the London Pavilion."

High angle of Naunton Wayne standing right at the front of the stage (in front of the orchestra pit even) speaking to the theatre audience. We can see the first row of the audience. All men, all smoking, all...

Full title reads: "A little tact" by Naunton Wayne. Filmed at the London Pavilion."

High angle of Naunton Wayne standing right at the front of the stage (in front of the orchestra pit even) speaking to the theatre audience. We can see the first row of the audience. All men, all smoking, all looking stony faced. Naunton is a rather upper class character with a very posh voice. He does a comedy performance based around the subject of tact and tactlessness. The audience gently laugh at a few of his jokes - he doesn't seem to be going down too well.

The jokes seem to revolve around the cleanliness of a King. Naunton puts a cigarette into a holder. Panning shot of the audience. One of the men in the audience spends the whole time with his hand up to his face - looks to me like he doesn't want to be filmed. He has his body turned away from the camera.

Camera pans from Naunton to show the theatre audience - a very unusual shot for this era. Interestingly, there is at least one member of the audience holding a programme over his face so as not to be filmed. There are a few women scattered around in the audience but it is mostly men. Camera pans back to Naunton.

"Another form of acquiring tact, is to be partner to an athletic dancing expert. Nobody could be tactless with the possibility of your partner letting go in the middle of a wild, wild whirl! (Berinoff and Charlot)." Various shots of the acrobatic dancing due are intercut with more shots of the audience. At one stage the male dancer throws his partner down onto the stage, she falls in the splits and slides along the ground - watch out for splinters! He pulls her up again and she does some rather scary contortions. Dance ends with the woman throwing her legs around her partner's neck and he then spins around with her clasping on. A rather nice Apache style dance.

"And whilst on dancing - we glanced at the Sixteen Pavilion Angels in a fast-stepping interlude - (to the music of Harry Roy and his R.K. Olians.)"

Dancing girls in fantastic outfits - they wear flesh coloured body stockings with appliquéd fig leaves over their breasts and nether regions! It really looks rather risqué! Good shots from various angles showing the girls to best advantage. Includes low angle shots and C/Us of their feet. Presumably their costumes are supposed to represent Eve and her fig leaves in the Garden of Eden! Ace.

Note: unfortunately the negative is very scratched throughout Naunton's act.