HR 3 – With his collection of card tricks; some of the things that he does are a little sort of the marvelous, and it has always seemed to me that he never seemed to get all out of them that he ought to do. However, he went quite strong with the audience, and it is a first-class act. 19 minutes in one.
Magician and card manipulator and a very good one. 12 Min. in One.
Magician. 15 minutes, Full stage. Doing his new act here. Handsome plush drapings, good material and altogether a very good offering.
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.
Magician. AR. This fellow is about as clever as any of the small magicians whom we play, but I think he is absolutely the worst talker that I ever saw. His voice is very low indeed, and he does not seem to have the big gift of gab, which all artists in his line should have, developed to any extent whatever. His work, however, is really clever, but he will never be anything but an opening act I am afraid. 17 minutes full stage and close in one. Could do the whole act in one if necessary.
A new method of introducing old magic. The scene is a bake shop, two attendants a man and woman dressed in baker’s garb. The man got away with his stuff very well but the woman considerably handicapped the act owing to her unsightly appearance. All right as openers.
Two men in a combination of magic and comedy. Ziska doing the magic and King appearing as his awkward assistant. Ziska has played the circuit before. He is quite a clever magician and the comedy introduced by King, while not especially brilliant, is not offensive, and, as the act is new, it is particularly acceptable. 20 minutes, full stage. Could lose in one if necessary.
A man and a woman in a little act called “Magic in the Kitchen,” in which both performers are made up as kitchen domestics and incidentally introduce a few simple tricks in magic, using the kitchen utensils. It is a harmless little act and is all right for three-a-day. 16 minutes full stage. Can close if necessary.
For the first time I have been able to get a line on this man’s act, and I can easily understand… Keith booked it. I think it is unquestionably the most attractive magic act that I have ever seen. As it has already been in the other two houses on the circuit it is needless to say that everything he does is novel and original. So far as this house is concerned, he has made a strong impression. Everything that he did was received with strong applause. In my opinion, the only thing that is needed to make it one of the greatest acts in this country is just the method of presentation which Mr. Keith had in mind when he booked the act; that is, that it be done in a thoroughly Oriental fashion from start to finish. The name “Howard Thurston” should be thrown aside entirely, and he should be given some Asiatic title that would be attractive. He should make up in a thoroughly Oriental manner, both as to face and costume, and sink his identity entirely. If he will do this and change one or two small details, it seems to me that he will be able to make almost as good a hit as any artist in his line that has ever appeared in this country. As it is, every act that he did this afternoon was received with a hearty round of applause. As the other houses have said, he is extremely slow in his work and does not put a great deal of life or animation into anything he does, but is her were in an Oriental makeup this fault would not be as nearly apparent and would be accepted as an eccentricity. 16 minutes, full stage.
F.S. special. Assistants, 2 men, 1 woman. Time 22. A series of very clever bits of magic, but nothing unusually spectacular or new except the scenery. The exhibition is a little disappointing, if much has been expected.
