CHAPTER VII

THE VAUDEVILLE TWO-ACT


The word "two-act" is used to describe any act played by two
people. It has nothing to do with the number of scenes or acts
of a drama. When two people present a "turn," it is called a
two-act. It is a booking-office term--a word made necessary by
the exigencies of vaudeville commerce.

If the manager of a theatre requires an acrobatic act to fill his
bill and balance his show he often inquires for an acrobatic
two-act. It may matter little to him whether the act plays in One
or Full Stage--he wants an acrobatic act, and one presented by two
people. If he requires any other kind of two-people-act, he
specifies the kind of two-act of which he is in need.

On the other hand, if a performer asks an author to write a
vaudeville two-act, an act of a certain definite character is
usually meant and understood. For, among writers, the vaudeville
two-act--or "act in One" as it is often called--has come to mean
a talking act presented by two persons; furthermore, a talking act
that has certain well-defined characteristics.

1. What a Vaudeville Two-Act Is