CDF, 25 min. Another novelty here and really in trial here to-day. We billed it as a one act musical comedy, and while it is fashioned after many of the musical comedies that drop of at this town, it did not arouse the interest we expected. The company consists of four pretty, clever and flip girls. Their flipness is traceable no doubt to previous appearances with burlesque companies and in burlesque houses where this sort of stuff is approved. The four girls sing well, dance well and of good appearances, will be valuable in work of this sort in a very short time, that is when a little of the flipness has disappeared. The one male member Chas. DeLaud, proved himself at a loss today – with an unctuous comedian playing his role, the act would have been considerable more successful. The act closed to very fair applause and I would say that with a little more practice, it will be classed as a good act. 2 shows.
Drapery in one, 11 min. Young man and woman, neatly dressed, who open in song. The man is a fair singer but the woman’s ability in this line is hurt by the fact that she is a trifle tongue-tied. With respect to many good dancers that have been here since we opened last September, I firmly believe that Cunningham’s dancing is better than that done by any one here in all that time. To my mind he is on a par with John Ford and one or two others and he closed to-day to tremendous applause. In fact it might be said that the act received better applause than any other so far. 3 shows.
CDF, 21 min. Two man and a woman, one man Irish make-up. The sketch made up for laugh making purposes alone, and while there is little sense to it, it served its purposes alone, and while there is little sense to it, it served its purpose well this afternoon, gaining many laughs and keeping the audience interested and amused and enabled them to close to very fair applause. Is merely a conventional comedy sketch. 3 shows.
CDF, 21 min, 6 min in one. A comedy sketch by four men, three in eccentric makeup, and here on trial to-day. It was evident that there was little or no preparation for the class of stuff they were to offer and as it was put some-what roughly it did not make much of an impression. One of the men, Marshall, possesses considerable ability as a comedian, but the sketch really fails by the bad work of the first tenor. Gets by well in this position but would not stand a better one. 3 shows.
Own set in 3, 24 minutes. Man & woman in an eccentric sketch with no plot or reason therefore, based on the Bowery life. While it does not seem possible to excuse the writing of such a sketch, it need only be said that they received no small reception on their appearance here to-day, and were able to arouse laughter which was almost continuous throughout the sketch and carried them off to very good applause. While the act is somewhat coarse and not up to what we generally expect of people in this position, viewed from the view-point of the amusement maker, they got by very strongly. Crimmins does some German dialect work very well, but the lady amounts to nothing except as to her elongated and slender figure, which fits very well into the part. They took Howard & Bland’s place to-day, that pair not showing up. 2 shows.
Wood in 4, 14 min, Introduces a number of bears and monkeys. The act certainly has not improved of late, and appeared to-day as if none of the animals were trained and schooled to their work. They can hardly hold down this position at the close of the bill and closed only to fair applause.
Drop in one, 17 min. Glenroy received a slight reception, really the first reception of the day and he comes out in a makeup different from what he has previously shown. Good impression at first made by him was carried well through to the end. Glenroy, fortunately has an entire new line of stuff, and also fortunately has cut out epitaphs, introducing many familiar names in this town. His act gained much laughter and enabled him to close to very good applause. 2 shows.
This pair, O’Rourke & Burnette are known all over the circuit by the clever dancing they have done for many years. While they are not singers they earned good applause in this line by the introduction of their male off-spring, a boy of ten or twelve years of age, the possessor of a good, strong singing voice, which immediately stamped their act as very good in the opinion of to-days audience. Their dancing thereafter was better received and closing with some clever dancing by the boy, the trio made their exit to almost tremendous applause, earning at least two recalls, and it is safe to say that no act on the bill to-day was more heartily applauded. This addition of the boy, improves the value of the act 50%, if not more. 3 shows.
Garden in 4, 11 min. One straight, the other eccentric makeup. Pair do some clever acrobatic work. Some of their tumbling and jumping being of he kind that easily approved. Reno, who plays the comedy part, has an excellent idea of the comedy points what would land but his idea of the proper way to land them is a little bit hazy. However, to-day they gained applause throughout the whole of the act placed in this position for many weeks past. If they are new to this work and with this act, any improvement they can work in at all will make it a strong act, well worth booking. 3 shows.
Drop in one. 13 min. Two local young people, boy and girl, 12 and 14 years of age, neat appearance and well dressed. Their previous experiences in amateur entertainments about town added no value, they being very nervous for a good part of the act. Neither of them can sing to any extent but their dancing carried them through nicely and they earned good applause after each of their songs and very fair applause at close. Are rather weak at this point and can get by here. 3 shows.
