Blackface comedian. Although he didn’t go very strong with this afternoon’s audience he has a lot of mighty bright stuff and I rather I rather look for him to make a hit tonight. It seemed that his material was rather subtle for our matinee crowd of today. 20 min. in one, 2 shows.
These girls opened with a song which didn’t amount to a great deal but which they carried very successfully on the strength of their pleasing manner. They are good looking and well dressed. At the finish they introduced a dance of about five minutes, which made the hit of the show, up to that point. It is about as good a three a day act as we get and strong enough to go on any time up to three o’clock or 8:45. 12 min. in one, 2 shows.
It is wonderful how their old act “After School” holds on. The audience seem to like them first rate, still I should be afraid to play them here again unless they had a new sketch. 21 minutes, full stage, 2 shows.
Banjoist. This young lady has a pleasing personality and I thought last year that she was going to turn out a pretty good act but she seems to have gone backwards. I don’t like her playing as well as last season, and she is making an effort to play music which is beyond her. 10 min. in one, 2 shows.
This is one of the best of the three a day turns. The man is a splendid dancer, high kicker, and has rather a good comedy personality. They were very well accepted indeed. 19 min. open in 2, close in one, three shows.
Blackface comedians. These fellows don’t amount to much until the very finish when they give about three minutes of pretty good eccentric dancing. The jokes that they told I heard fully thirty years ago. 15 min. in 1, 3 shows.
Two men, one whiteface; the other, blackface. One, an exceptionally good singer; the other has a good voice also. The comedian is exceedingly funny and while all of their stuff is not new, they work it over in such fashion as to make it go very strongly. They were a decided hit, in a very hard spot. 20 min. in 1, 2 shows.
Two men suspend by their teeth on the wire, a woman while she does various tricks. Well-known act, decided novelty, and always goes well; prettily staged, also. 10 min. full stage, 2 shows.
This singing act is not as good as the others of the same kind which we have had before. However, as it doesn’t get as much salary, one cannot find much fault. The Prima Donna’s voice shows wear, decidedly, but the act is all right to play about 8 or 8.15. They sing selections from “Ill Trovatore” and “Faust”; open to full stage, closing in 2, 12 min. & 2 shows.
I don’t believe I like this act as well as I used to. Like most colored entertainers, after they get a little bit of standing, they want to do the “neat” work more suited to white people and in that way, lose the darkey personality. At the points where they did the comedy work it was exceedingly well accepted. “Straight” work let down a little bit.” Finished to good applause, however, and can do no harm in any bill, if not depended on too much. 18min. open in 2, close in 1, 2 shows.
