Blackface dancers and comedians. Coakley is to my mind as good a step dancer as there is in the business and McBride almost as bad as Coakley is good. Their comedy is rather weak. The act may be rated as good for the salary it gets but should not hold down the place I am obliged to give them in this show. 20 min. in one, 2 shows.
Contralto. Miss Bloodgood has a very good voice and knows how to use it but is unfortunate in her selections which is usually the case with her. At any event I consider she gets about fifty dollars too much salary, to say the least. 9 min. in one, 2 shows.
In a sequel to their previous sketch “Adam the Second” which they call “The Pirate King”. This sketch is not in any sense to be compared with their previous offering. There are some bright spots in it but few and as a whole the act is very heavy and overpaid. 20 min. full stage, 2 shows.
Banjo jugglers and straight banjo players. I prevailed upon them to cover up the sign on their stand and they did their regular act here which is an exceptionally good one. They are also entitled to a vote of thanks for not playing “Poet and Peasant” or “William Tell Overtures” which every banjo or xylophone player we have had in the last year have attempted. 17 min. open in two, close in one, 2 shows.
Travesty sketch team who are doing a sketch the first half, which they had last year, with a new finish in one, being a burlesque tragic affair similar to that done by Ross & Fenton, and got more laughs out of the audience than the better known team ever did in this house. I call it a mighty good act for the three a day section. 16 min. open in three, about one-half the act in one at the close, 3 shows.
Slight of hand performer, and an exceptionally good one. His manipulations of coins, cards and billiard balls are about as good as anything of the kind that we have had. I would prefer him to Nelson Downs who gets much more money. 13 min. in one, 3 shows.
In a sketch called “The Stenographer”, the man playing a German. This is rather a tame affair and is acceptable only from the standpoint that there are a couple of new faces and have something a little bit out of the ordinary although their work is rather poorly done. 14 min. open in 3, can close in one, 2 shows.
This is a very pretty and novel act. The wardrobe is attractive and so are the girls and they do some really meritorious work, in the way of singing, dancing, and travesty, but I must go on record of saying that the act gets about $150 too much money etiher from the standpoint of making good (considering quality) or cost to themselves. 25 min. full stage, 2 shows.
Juggler. This man does a good act but after some of the great ones that we have had, he just gets by. He complained of being ill this morning and that may have to some extent interfered with his work. 14 min. in three, 2 shows.
Mr. Bond is giving a modernized version of “Lend Me Five Shillings”, reduced to about 25 min. for vaudeville purposes. This was its first presentation today and through quite crude in spots, it got a good many laughs and seemed to please the audience. I am not particularly taken with his support but there is no doubt but that he will put the act into shape before the week is out and make it thoroughly acceptable. I am only sorry that he didn’t do it before in some other place than Providence, as I will not get the full value of it. 25 min. in 3, 2 shows.
