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As matters progressed, it looked as
if the audience would be spared the inevitable
imitations; but no. Just before the diving
the star came before the drop and announced
that something had happened back stage and
ahe would while away the time by a few Imitations.
She asked the audience to mention
the actors to be impersonated, whereupon one
wag yelled "Abie Kabibbie" and another "Caruso."
So she gave Eddie Foy. Georgie Cohan,
Jack Norworth. Eddie Leonard and Sousa,
followed by her trap drumming stunt in the
pit. Then came the tank bit, which consisted
of the girls falling and Jumping into it,
culminating with the throwing of the fat stage
carpenter into the water. Miss Hoffmann
didn't participate in this portion of the "entertainment"
other than to bow several times
when it was completed.
It is significant that when
the Hoffmann card was put out on both sides
of the stage there was not a single hand to
applaud. The act flopped woefully whenever
the girls attempted to vocalize. Some are
dancers, but others appeared to be worse than
amateurs.
The entire second half is taken up by Gertrude
Hoffmann and her troupe of untrained
chorus maidens. The entire act, consuming nearly
an hour, created the general impression of untidiness,
parts of it were good, the whole
affair not blending and seemingly not fully
rehearsed.
Source:
Variety 46:2 (03/09/1917)