Mary Hampton and Co.

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With such novelties as this in the sketch line why so many dead ones? Here indeed is an act in which the audience are entirely at fault, at least the ones that saw it yesterday afternoon. It was a little bit too fast for them. The majority thought there were looking at a serious melodrama most of the time. The next time this goes around it will go just twice as good. There is one glaring error which I am surprised has not been noticed, that is, the violin solo right in the middle. It is put in so as to give Miss Hampton time to change but the introduction of this specialty nearly killed the entire action of the piece. It is of no earthly use and marrs what otherwise is a very bright piece. I have modified the solo somewhat but hope by the end of the week to eliminate the entire thing and in its place introduce some real lively stage business. I can’t for the life of me see how this sketch could have gone along with this glaring error being allowed to run so long. Possibly it has not been over the circuit, if it has I should like other opinions of it.
Source:
University of Iowa, Keith-Albee Vaudeville Collection, Manager Reports, 2 September 1902-3 September 1903