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Mr. Welch has drawn a living, breathing picture of the Italian. It faithfully depicts the joys and sorrows of the foreigner’s meeting with his wife. The great charm of Mr. Welch at this point is his naturalness. You leave the theatre with the vision of the low caste, ignorant, loving husband and father, whose existence is his family, and it is a memory not easily erased.
Mr. Welch is the typical “Dago” of the streets, who has left his family at home, coming to America, slaving and starving in order that they might join him. After working for $9 weekly, and saving $60, the Italian sends it to his wife, and the scene opens in the well set immigrant station at Ellis Island, New York Bay, where the Italian is impatiently waiting for his wife and baby in the room where the “pen” from the steerage passengers is located.
"The piece is crowded with pathos, with a sprinkling of comedy. The meeting between man and wife is full of sustained interest, and was finely handled by Mr. Welch. He evidenced a wealth of power in this for which no Hebrew part essayed in the past by him afforded the opportunity, and he realized the common Italian in looks and action. Lapsing into a suggestion of the Hebrew dialect spoiled his Italian accent at times.
The custom official was easily and well played. No programs were ready at the theatre on Monday evening, and the names of the cast could not be obtained. “At Ellis Island” is a decided hit and something new for vaudeville, giving the Italian character as a story instead of an incidental."
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Variety 5:2 (05/11/1907)