Lawrence Crane
The Irish Magician. Lawrence is about the same as he always is. He does a pretty fair sort of a turn of magic and has a running fire of small talk that keeps the audience interested. 19 minutes in one.
Kennedy and Rooney
2 shows, 13 min. open full stage, close in 1. Singing and dancing act, with a little trick piano playing by the man. It is a very good little act but lacks the grace and finish of the Gleasons.
Hayseed Trio
3 shows, 22 min. open full stage, close in 1. One of the poorest opening acts we have had for a long time. There is nothing particularly objectionable about it, the dialogue being simply inane. A couple of songs were well received, although wretchedly rendered. I have cut the act down to 15 minutes, in which form it will probably pull through for the balance of the week. The title certainly fits the act.
Mazuz and Mazett
GNH. A man and a woman in a comedy acrobatic act. From an acrobatic standpoint the act is not changed much from what it was when last we played it. They have changed around, however, so as to introduce a little talking and give the woman an opportunity to appear in a dress in the last half of the act. They went very nicely this afternoon, and I think on the whole there is a little improvement. 15 minutes, full stage.
Moore and Littlefield
GRR. A man and a woman in an eccentric specialty entitled “Change your Act.” I don’t think the woman is nearly as clever as Miss Hight, his former partner. Still, she introduced a very clever contortion dance in the act which brightens it up considerably, and I doubt if the audience can see much change. The act went very strong this afternoon. 25 minutes, open full stage and close in one.
James Horne and Co
YYH. Consisting of Mr. Horne, another man, and two women, in a sketch called “An Awful Fix,” which is one of the old Boston Museum farces. It is very well played indeed, but Mr. Horne did not seem to reach the audience until the last ten minutes of the act, when they apparently began to comprehend the motive and he went first rate to the finish when they got a good curtain call. 32 minutes full stage.
Rixford Bros
GHR. Acrobatic act. These people have now introduced an element of comedy into their work which I think makes it more interesting. They are now, as they have always been, very clever acrobats, and in their present act two of them work straight and the other makes up as a silly “kid”. It is a very clever act. 10 minutes full stage.
Nelli Beaumont
AR. This is one of the original Beaumont Sisters who was so well known in the Broadway production. She has just returned from Europe and has a specialty which is a representation of the English coster girl. Coster singing is not especially well appreciated in this country, but the woman sings the songs very well indeed, and does a little dance at the finish which carries her off all right. While she did not go very strong this afternoon, I have an idea that she will do much better with the night audience. 13 min. in one.
Edgar Bixley and Co
GHR. Two men and one woman in one of those non-describable acts which it is a pretty difficult matter to classify successfully. There were undoubtedly the hit of the bill this afternoon, but there is not an ounce of really artistic ability in the whole three. They reach their audience entirely through their strenuous method of working, but that they do reach them there is no gain-saying. The act was booked for one week only here in New York as I had never seen it, and while personally I am pretty well satisfied that it will be a strong act all over the circuit, I would a little rather have the others see it during the week before deciding. 20 minutes full stage. Can close in one easily if necessary.
Shannon and Brown
GRR. Two men in a German comedy talking act. They are not nearly as good as the old team of Carlin and Brown, but they please fairy well and by good, hard work their bar-room scene managed to finish up very acceptably indeed. 15 minutes in one.