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A noticeable portion of the “Belles” is the cleanliness of the dressing, even at this late date. The costumes all appear new, are tasteful in design, and the girls inside work with spirit. There are thirteen altogether. All are dressed in wild Western attire when Hattie Mills sings “Idaho,” but Miss Mills looks fit to attend a ball in her evening dress, and that spoils the picture – also the song.
Wilbur's voice is heard to the best advantage in “Nellie McShane.” His voice is ever so much better than that song, but there are others sung by him, particularly “Bugaboo” at the close of the entertainment, which should have been giving an earlier position.
As an old maid, Harry LaMarr secures laughs all the time, and is playing legitimately a character usually made boisterous. “The New Scholar,” Wilbur's olio act, is liked, and Black and McCone have a knockabout act, sure of laughs, with McCone continually taking chances on personal injuries through his difficult falls.
The means adopted to secure comedy effects throughout the show are not commendable for originality, “fly paper” and a “con game” being prominent. At one point some extreme slapstick is indulged in on the person of Mr. LaMarr, and this could be reduced to a less deliberate style of pounding.. The “Boston Belles” is a good working show, better taken as a whole than any at the Murray Hill for some time.
Source:
Variety 4:2 (04/13/1907)