Seven juveniles, who offer a routine of songs and gags, none of which are especially worth while. The talking end of the act drags, and the ensemble singing is not very good. The finishing number to some extent brought them out of the depths and the finish was just about get-by. Audience didn’t seem to care much for them. 16 min. in 2, close in 1.
This act made good to the fullest extent. The woman is lively and quite clever in her work while the Pickaninnies are exceptionally talented. One of them is an unctuous a comedienne as I have ever seen and one of the hits of the show. 15 min. in one.
GYH-2 – Miss La Rue has a couple of very funny “coon” kids, and she has arranged her act so that they are the feature of it, which is a very wise move on her part as she could hardly carry an act alone. As it is, the act goes very strongly indeed, and they took two or three curtain calls. 16 minutes in one.
This act would be classed as good. No doubt it pleases the audience, but from a managerial standpoint, I don’t think all that is in them is gotten out of it. The Picks are allowed to do too much of their own idea of comedy whereas if some one would keep after them a little closer and get a good deal of the rick work that “Bill Jones” used to do for Gassman, the act would be converted from a good act into a holler. The act is not coached properly.
I consider this one of the best pickanniny acts in the country. She has four little “coons”, two made up as boys and two as girls. They are all good singers and dancers and the act is full of life from start to finish. 14 minutes in one.
12 mins-Open in 1-Kitchen in 2; elapse in one – Josephine’s act is not up to the standard. Her appearance was almost disgusting to a refined taste, and before she had worked four minutes she was sweaty, slimey and sloppy, owning probably to her black make-up. She had two new pickannies who could not work. We have buried the act in the show and docked her salary twenty five ($25) dollars.
Miss Gassman was hampered considerably on account of only being able to use one of her pickaninnies, as we were unable to get a permit for the youngest one. The act went very well, however, and can be classed as good. 12 minutes in one.
12 min. in 1. Cannot sing any better than before, but she went a little slow this afternoon due to the fact that her best Pick was missing, and the substitute not having had time to be worked properly. She expects the old one back by the end of the week.
On at 3.41, 27 min, full stage. Playing “Cissie’s Dream”, the best pantomimic sketch that vaudeville has ever known or probably ever will know, for I think we will never see Walton’s equal as a pantomimist. I do not think that Mr. Walton has given quite the same attention to detail that he did last year, but his personal work puts the act on a plane by itself. I do not consider either his dude doll or his was doll as good as the members of his last season’s cast. I feel that the act will make good everywhere, however, and it is worth its money as prices are this season.
12 min. in 1. 2 shows. On at 9:00. Well known. Four picks, two boys and two girls, making four changes of costume, first the coon swell, Thoreador, “Heinies” and plantation-ickaninnies. Miss Thurber’s work is lost in the rollicking fun of the picks who were certainly a hit, winning constant applause and working up to a whirlwind finish.
