This act was described by Boston last week and to my mind the young man is very clever. He didn’t seem to reach the crowd this afternoon due, I think, to the fact, that the audience are not familiar with characters he impersonates. 12 min, in one, 2 shows.
In the sketch entitled ‘The Doctor.’Mr. Craig is undoubtedly the best of the dramatic actors in the Vaudeville field. The play contains many laughs but is not at all over the heads of the audience. Went very strongly today. On Friday he is going to give me a special number. His wing scene from Catherine & Petrucic, which I am going to work up as a special for that night. 22 min, in 3, 2 shows.
Impersonator. This man gives us an act very much like that of Charles Leonard Fletcher, but there is probably not as much comedy in it as in the Fletcher act but on the whole I like this better. He has a very nice personality and his impersonations are most artistic and more so than those of Fletchers. I consider him a valuable addition to the list of acts in one and he is strong enough to occupy a more important position on the bill should it be necessary to place him there. 17 min, in one, 3 shows.
Mr. Bond is certainly a clever comedian. He has more unction than any man I have seen in some time. The man that plays with him is acceptable but the women are rank especially the one that plays the Irish character part which would, in the hands of a capable woman, be made to stand out very strongly, however the act made good with the audience although it is not a scream, by any means. 23 min, in three, 2 shows.
This lady was rather a disappointment to me and decidedly so to the audience. She has good execution but there is not much purity to her tones and her selections were poorly chosen and she has the manner of an amateur. I was very sorry to be obliged to exchange places with her and Dorothy Kent but it was unavoidable.
Man and woman juggling act which is fairly good from a three-a-day standpoint. They look neat and do their work cleanly, were they first or second on the bill they would be all right but hardly strong enough for 4th place which I was obliged to give them as they are better than the preceeding [sic] acts. 10 min, full stage, 3 shows.
(also in Pawtucket). This is the Lovenberg Sisters, who have for a third party in the act Willie Seagrist, who replaces the girl dancer who accompanied them last year. The act is markedly improved. Seagrist is a very good acrobat and does some very clever work in that line. The act before seemed to need just something of this kind to liven it up, and Seagrist’s work is in a semi-comical vein made up as Mephistopheles, the girls appearing as Faust and Marguerite. They use the same scenic effects, and the music is an important feature of it. To obtain the best results, they should by all means have the orchestra, to bring out the musical effects, which, as I have said, is a very important feature of the ac. 14 min, full stage, 2 shows.
This girl was one of the surprises on the bill. She made an unqualified hit in a very difficult position, and must be rated as very good. She has a marked personality and a great deal of unction, tells short stories in an easy jovial manner, which pleased the audience at once, and sings a couple of songs in a thoroughly competent way. 14 min in one, 2 shows.
In a sketch called ‘The Prize Biscuit.’ Miss Radcliffe is the wife of Malcolm Williams who has been the leading man of the Stock company here for three seasons past, and there was naturally a great deal of curiosity to see her work as she had never played in this theatre. The big house this afternoon and the advance sale demonstrates that no mistake was made in booking her. I should certainly advise Philadelphia to play her a week at the Bijou, if not the other houses, and by working on Malcolm Williams reputation think she will draw more than her salary. The sketch is as good as the average little plays of that kind that we get. I prefer it to anything that Lillian Burkhart has ever given us, and considering it is its first presentation it went remarkably good. Mr. Wiegel does a capital bit of work as the English Baron who attempts to make biscuits in the kitchen; and after being played a few times I believe the sketch shall be quite strong. I will report on it again later in the week. 24 min, in three, 2 shows.
I wish to add to my report of yesterday, further criticism of Miss Minnie Radcliffe’s (Mrs. Malcolm Williams) act, as judged by the audience and opinion of some of the people whom I have met. I should hardly advise it for the circuit, but I think that it would get some money at the Bijou in Philadelphia, in view of Malcolm Williams’ reputation there and billing the lady as Mrs. Malcolm Williams, as we have done very strongly here. It is not a bad act in any sense, but it is hardly worth the money which they would probably want to get out of it, except in the specific case of Philadelphia and Providence.
This act opens very tamely indeed and to my mind is being overpaid. In these days when the standard set for high grade musical acts include real musical artists, men like Smith cannot keep pace. The act is saved by the Harp’s playing and singing which goes extremely well and their Bells with which they conclude their act. 22 min, open in three close in 1.
