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“A Strenuous Proposal”: 39 min. F.S. 2 shows. For all its brilliancy in spots, its excellent acting, and the intelligence of the two of the four people who take the leading parts, this sketch was not the unqualified success that we expected. In the first place, the theme is rather repulsive. It is a story of a man, who, in order to win back a girl he has lost, condescends to impersonate a rival in the state of intoxication so as to disgust his former fiancée. Drunk acts never did go well with our audiences, and there was a danger of its being overdone. However, it was carefully restrained, but it did not carry the weight which such artistic work by strong people should carry home to any audience. There were several laughs through the sketch and the close was fairly strong, with a recall. IT may go better tonight. Both Miss Strelitz and Miss Hinkle are very pretty women and dress becomingly. The finish of the act is supposed to be full of excitement, but it is very fakey. It is certainly disappointing that we cannot see such clever people in a much better feature. However, it may be said in extenuation that this is the first appearance of this sketch on any stage, and consequently not polished down as it will be later. Gillingwater realizes this himself, and proposes to cut out about seven minutes of the time and also to give it a more logical and stronger finish.
Source:
University of Iowa, Keith-Albee Vaudeville Collection, Manager Reports, 30 April 1906 – 4 February 1907