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The act was twenty-six minutes long on the full stage.
In this sketch, a group of white tourists engages a tour guide to take them through San Francisco’s Chinatown. The background changes to a street in Chinatown. Twelve ponies stand behind four Chinese actors who sing an old newsboy quartet number in Scotch highland costume. The men also dance with the white chorus girls. A Chinese boy and girl then do “a rather interesting ‘Turkey Trot'”.
"Roll dem Bones"
"Vaudeville traditions confine Chinamen to parts of what might be called monkey comedy." The fact that these men, who are not allowed to vote and do not have American citizen ship, are allowed to dance and "cavort" with twelve white chorus girls is appalling. The Turkey Trot number was the only worthwhile part of the act. "Mr. Williams made occasional errors of judgement, but he was never guilty of so gross a violation of good taste as 'The Night Follies of San Francisco.' Placed after the intermission, the act died without even a rattle."
Source:
Variety 28:4 (27/09/1912)