“Cartwright, You’re All Right.” 3 people. Act is very draggy at the start and needs a lot done to it before it will get by on the big time. Story is good and quite amusing and there is no question of the act, even in its present shape, pleasing on the small time. Our audiences have become so used to more pretentious stuff that this act had a rather tough time of it today. Fcy in 3. Time 20 min.
Russian dancer. Pleasing appearing young woman who sings, plays the mandolin and xylophone and does a Russian dance. Act should really be played in one and a half to get full benefit. In this spot she more than makes good and offers an act that is pleasing throughout. Could go down #4 were it not for bringing her dancing and Richards together. Plush drop in 1. Time 15 min.
Bag-Punching Act. Harry Seeback has added his wife to the act since last season. She makes a neat stage appearance, sings a song and does a little of the bag-punching. Seeback is certainly a master at his particular trade and he has an opening act that should please on any bill. Own drop in 3. Time 13 min.
15 people. This is a one-act version of Cohan’s three act musical comedy, produced by Arthur Klein and J.M. Welsh, the latter general manager of the Cohan and Harris enterprises. Vaudeville, in this act, has a musical comedy that will be a headline novelty in any house in the country. It is full of comedy, the songs are catchy, the girls are pretty and the dancing by Rosie Green is a feature in itself. For 35 minutes this afternoon the act had the audience screaming with laughter at the ludicrous mixups. The cast is good, with possibly one exception—the man playing Benjamin Curtis. I do not know whether it was nervousness over first performance by Wm. F. Ryan, who plays the part, does not get his lines over intelligently. As the act depends for its success upon rapidity of action I think it would be well for the owners of the act to make a change in this character as soon as possible. Own set in 3. Time 35.
Clever Colored Comedians. One of the best colored teams I have ever played. The men are clean-cut, with fine personalities and get and get their stuff over in good shape. They have a splendid routine of patter and song and Fiddler’s impersonations are excellent. I want to commend this team for the excellent manner in which they read lines. They display more intelligence in their work than is usually found in colored teams. Olio drop in 1. Time 18 min.
European Whirlwind Dancers. One man and four girls in one of the fastest acrobatic dancing acts I have ever seen. One of the girls is a little heavy in her movements, and, in consequence, her work is rather clumsy. The rest of the act is so fast that this defect almost gets by unnoticed. Act is prettily costumed but the underdressing is a conglomerate riot of color that should be changed. Act made a big hit with today’s audience. Own set in 4. Time 12 min.
In “The Defaulter.” Robards was our heavy man during the summer stock season. At his entrance this afternoon he received a round of applause that seemed to last a full minute. “The Defaulter” is a dramatic sketch by Dudley Clements, the scene being laid in a bank. The cashier of the bank is a defaulter and is in the bank late at night attempting to cover up his defalcations. Finding it impossible to do so he enters the vault and shoots himself. A moment later a burglar enters the bank and discovers the suicide, whom he recognises as a boyhood acquaintance. In an attempt to make it appear that the cashier has been murdered and the bank looted, the burglar starts in to wreck the office and destroy the books. A plain-clothes man has seen him enter the bank and as the burglar attempts to escape he is shot. Both characters are played by Mr. Robards, an exceedingly quick change being made from the cashier to the burglar. The story is gripping and Mr. Robards gives a masterly performance of both characters. The act should prove a strong dramatic feature of any bill but should be surrounded on both sides with sure-fire comedy. Five curtain calls were awarded at the finish of the act. Own set in 3. Time 15 min.
Parody Singer. Dugan is now working in blackface. Personally I liked his messenger boy act better than his present offering. His material is rather old but the audience seemed to take to it in good shape and he got a great many laughs throughout the act and had to come back for another parody at the finish. It is distinctively a small time act for an early spot on the bill. Street in 1. Time 15 min.
With Pauline Perry & Co. 9 people. A new girl novelty with an original book, lyrics and music and featuring Pauline Perry, late prima-donna in “The Merry Widow” and “The Climax.” Act in its present form is just a little slow and one of the girls should be changed. The originality of the act and the splendid singing of Miss Perry should make the act a novelty on any bill after it has been smoothed out a little. The musical numbers went over in good shape today and act took three curtain calls. By the end of the week the act should be in splendid shape. Own set in 3. Time 27 min.
“The English Boy and the Yankee Girl.” This act has been playing the smaller time and has been making good. They have a singing and talking act that is just a little different than the others and they got by in this spot in good shape. The bathing number finish got a number of good laughs and took the team off to a round of applause. Not a pretentious act but just a pleasing offering for this spot. Olio drop in 1. Time 12 min.
