The act went fully as well as last week, and, as a relief from the ordinary song and dance monologue and sketch, seems it can certainly be classed as very good. There can be no question but that the salary for this act is a big one, but the turn satisfies thoroughly, and I feel that the element of novelty makes it a very acceptable proposition. 15 minutes in full stage.
Two men and a woman in a musical comedy act. They have a way of introducing their musical numbers in their comedy which gives it the appearance of being impromptu, and on account the act has an appearance of novelty which is refreshing. They have one or two bits too that are really novel, among them being the placing of pieces of glass arranged something after the style of a xylophone, only being suspended perpendicularly which makes very pretty music and got our audience extremely well this afternoon. It is a very good act throughout. 20 minutes opening in full stage, and closing in five minutes in one.
This is the Irene Franklin whom we used to play when she was a child. She is now a full grown woman and presents a very nice stage appearance. She has several songs that are new to our audience and, while she does not make a pronounced hit, she does a good act and is especially acceptable from the fact that she is a new face. 10 minutes in one.
A man and a woman in a comedy sketch entitled “The Unexpected.” The sketch deals with a horse race theme and is exceedingly cleverly worked. I think that Davis is about the most conscientious worker who was ever put on a dramatic sketch in this house. The lines and situations are both funny and he makes the best of his opportunity. The woman while not quite as good as the man still gives him very able support, and the act can be classed as a mighty good one throughout. 20 minutes, full stage.
Man and woman in a little country sketch entitled “Detained on Business.” In this particular case the woman is very much better than the man. She is really quite a clever little actress. The man, although not at all bad, is just a little bit wishy-washy in a way and does not show near as much ability. The situations of the act, however, carry it all right and they got quite a lot of laughs. It is an acceptable offer in an early place on the bill. 17 minutes, full stage.
This act was put on to take the place of Gilbert Saroney, who cancelled. She has a rather light voice, but handles it fairly well and is one of those attractive appearing sort of women who always manage to pull through even if they don’t do quite as well. She does impersonation of several different actresses, and concluded with an imitation of Anna Held, singing a drinking song which goes very nicely and enables her to leave the stage on good terms with her audience. It is a dull sort of act and can be classed as fairly good. 12 minutes in one.
Two men in a straight acrobatic act. The act is fairly a good one. The main difficulty with it being that it lacks finish. They do some very good hand balancing, and their general work is all first class, and if they had the grace of the European performer they could easily occupy a much better place in the bill than they ever can under present conditions. 7 minutes, full stage.
This team of colored people consisting of man and woman is very much on the order of all the colored acts we play. The workman dresses pretty nicely and they are very good dancers, although there is hardly as much comedy in their act as in the majority of these colored teams. It can be classed as a good act. 12 minutes in one.
A man and woman in a comedy act entitled “Back to the Woods.” They utilize the old idea of a couple doing a trial act at a vaudeville theatre who are hampered by the stage hands striking the scenes and otherwise interfering with their specialties. They have a very strong act and went very strong here this afternoon. 23 min. open full stage for about 5 minutes, and the balance of act is done in one.
Banjo solos and monologue performers. Billy is about the last of the old-time negro minstrels, but he seems to hold his own very well indeed and keeps well up to the times. He went very good this afternoon and I look for him to go even better with a night audience. 20 minutes in one.
