2 shows, 11 min, full stage. 16 young men in an exhibition of fancy drilling and wall scaling. While they work quicker than the Streator’s Zouaves, whom we played a few years ago, their maneuvers are not so catchy for stage purposes. The act was punctuated by applause all the way through, and which increased during the wall scaling. There was no great hurrah over it, however, such as has been reported from other houses. Perhaps we are a better judge of such things, may amore [sic] blasé.
2 shows, 22 min, open full stage, close in 1. First time here for this couple, who were given too difficult a place in the bill for them to negotiate. Mr. Sloan makes up like Louis Mann, while Miss Wallace, who is a handsome woman, dresses with excellent taste. The sketch in which they appear, ‘The Plumber,’ is not nearly so good as many others that could be named in vaudeville, and Mr. Sloan does not show up so strongly in vaudeville as he did in musical comedies. Miss Wallace never had a voice that reached beyond the chorus and her solo in this sketch is a frost. They will be given an easier place in the bill this evening, and for the balance of the week but from the standpoint of ‘making good’ their salaries, they hardly come up to expectations.
2 shows, 16 min in 1. This team of German dialect comedians and parody singers had much new dialogue which did not seem to strike the audience as being so funny as on the occasion of their last engagement, though it did me personally. The finished strong with their burlesque operetta, and we look for them to go as well as ever during the balance of the week.
3 shows, 20 min, open in 1, close full stage. Two men and a woman, the males making up in imitation of Hall & Staley, and utilizing the material of the latter’s sketch, with a few alterations. They are not clever, however, and the woman is a stick. For this house the act is only good enough to open the show with.
2 shows, 15 min, full stage. A decided novelty for vaudeville; an act that should be a hit with both young and old. There is a special stage setting, representing a toy store at Christmastime with lots of toys and a large tree, conspicuously displayed. The girls is made up a French doll, one of the men as a tin solider and the other man as a jack-in-the-box, popping up when the girl releases the lid. There is some capital acrobatic work done by DeWitt and Burns, who also introduces their well known perch specialty. The girl is rather pretty, and does some neat and grateful dancing. The act should go he circuit and it will be a lucky house that has it Christmas week.
2 shows, 12 min full stage. These people were making their American debut and can truthfully be said to have scored one of the hits of the show. There are two men and a woman, the later not having much else to do but look good, which she certainly does, and help dress the stage. One of the men makes up as a eccentric comedian, while Gillet works straight. The stage setting is supposed to represent the interior of a small barber shop, the backing and sides being of rich blue velvet, with large mirrors hung at intervals. The comedian seemed to score the strongest with his funny business his afternoon, though Gillet did some remarkable feats of hand balancing. The finish is an upright stand by Gillet, supporting his body on the index finger of one hand, on the center spear of a bunch of candelabra, the latter being lighted up. It is an affective act and a novelette, and should made a hit everywhere.
2 shows, 14 min, full stage. Five young ladies, good looking and above the average in height, dresses in bright costumes of their native country pleasing singers and graceful dancers. Everything they did this afternoon was encored and deservedly so, for it is one of the most attractive turns of the kind we have had here for a long time. The act is materially helped out by a beautiful stage setting, which was seen to much better advantage on our stage than at the Square.
3 shows, 19 min, full stage. Man, woman and small boy in a sketch called ‘Jinks the Insurance Agent.’ It is very crude material and the adults are rather poor actors, but the juvenile had considerable ability for his years and carried the thing along. It is alright as a time filler.
2 shows, 10 min, full stage. One of the most picturesque ‘sight’ acts that have ever been seen in the varieties. As a drawing attraction I consider it worth three acts like the Nightons, for, while their feats of strength are not so good, viewed from the athletic standpoint, the work of the performers is much more attractive to look at, and the unison movement, when all four are working together, is wonderful. It will make a big hit and can be repeated at any time.
3 shows, 16 min, in 1. Comedy conversationalists and parody singers, first time here. They work is imitation of Fields and Ward, but fall short. Some of their material was a trifle objectionable, and I had to ask them to eliminate several words that are tabooed on this circuit, and likewise an impertinent references to the President of the United States, which is never tolerated here. In other respects the act was all right, much of their talk being funny and the parodies decidedly clever.
