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23 Mins.; Three (Special Set). Five people in the act, the two comedians in blackface. Of the other three members, one is a man, who is the interlocutor, and two women, in white face (names unmentioned on the program). The scene is a dining car. As the act opens and closes, a panoramic effect is worked and may be seen through the car windows, indicating passing landscape. Two blackface men explain as their reason for being there that they are stranded minstrels working their way back to St. Louis as waiters. The remainder of the group are described as a part of touring minstrel show. The interlocutor is the manager, and he needs two end men. Then they get down to business, which is singing, dancing and telling jokes. The latter are not bad at all; the comedy by the two men is neither forced nor overdone; the singing seemed to be very well liked, particularly that by the trio of men (when the audience howled for more); the women get into the action with one solo and one duet, and the act passed along to a very good reception Tuesday night on the Roof. It could be speeded up; 23 minutes means a long time; but there’s no question that the roof audience liked this turn. It was down second from closing. Some electrical effects are used for lighting purposes, and the main scheme of presentation removes it from the stereotyped semi-circle.
Source:
Variety, Volume XXXVI no. 5, October 3, 1914