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On its novelty alone this act will be able to get by in the smaller big time houses. Its principal weak point is the size of the woman who does the suggestion of an oriental dance at the opening of the act. If this was handled by a petite or more alluring type of woman it would improve the turn to a great extent. While the act possesses novelty the opening is such as to fail to hold the interest of the audience when the act is down in the closing position. The trio work in a special boxed-in set with the dance being done practically in one, before the special curtains that announce that behind them lays the haunted house and with the added advice to keep out. While the dance is in progress a souse in white evening clothes makes his appearance and when the dancer disappears into the forbidden house he tries to follow. Then the curtains are lifted disclosing a typical black art chamber with a cabinet. Red blinder lights are used shining into the face of those in the audience. The souse is left to his own troubles once in the black art chamber. While objects appear and disappear from seemingly nowhere and finally the Devil shows on the scene and manipulates the cutting off of the head with the sword and the replacing on it trick and then a number of feats of disappearance that are cleverly worked out. As there has not been a regular magician on the circuit in a long while and there is an element of novelty in this offering it will do for once around the small big timers.
Source:
Variety, 53:8 (01/24/1919)