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They are all wearing some sort of picturesque polyglot garb, a cross between Italian and Gypsy wearing apparel.
The members are composed of the family of Dick Bell, the Mexican circus man. The act was made early in the season, played the Pantages Circuit and eventually taken over by the Orpheum Circuit at Frisco. It stopped at the Majestic in Chicago before finally arriving in New York.
There are five men and four women in the act. They begin their act by playing the xylophones of the Mexican marimba type. They follow this with “Il Trovatore” on mandolins, one playing the violin. Until this point the act is rather conventional. Then the Mexican girl and her male companion do a castanet dance that almost lifts the audience out of its seats. Next is “Lucia” played on xylophones, sleigh, hand and pipe bells, followed by another dance by the man and girl. They conclude the act with another xylophone piece, performing a medley of “Star Spangled Banner,” “Dixie” and others.
The Mexican girl, assisted by the man, offers something new in the dancing line. While not necessarily sensational, it is unique. The main attractiveness is the verve and spirit with which she goes through the routine. The act should be reduced from 32 to 20 minutes of fast work in order to be sensational on any program.
Source:
Variety 22:6 (04/15/1911)