Carletta

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10 min. F.S. This is without exception the best contortionist act I ever saw.  It deserves one of the best spots on the bill, because it comes near being a feature act which would stand strong billing.  Carlotta first appears in the form of a dragon with flaming jaws, brilliant scales.  He is lying on the top of a colossal tree-stump at the rising of the curtain and it is some moments before the audience wakes up to the fact that it is not some sort of weird “prop” animal instead of a human being in this weirdest of all make ups.  Carletta proceeds to tie himself into knots then disappears into one enormous knob-hole of the tree and out another with slippery lizard-like motion then suddenly liberates himself from the shell  and appears in a very stunning costume, fitting the entire body like a glove.  HE then proceeds with some contortion work that is simply wonderful and brings strong applause.  As an encore act he crawls through the bars of a large propchair and went off with a splendid hand.  I have seen no end of contortion acts, but for skill and general presentation Carletta leads them all.
Source:
Keith-Albee managers' report book, February 4-September 9, 1907