“A Game of Con”: -27 min. F.S. 2 shows. On at 8:48. John is certainly the real goods in a good act. It is dealing with an Irish contractor who has been “out for a night” and the next morning is led to believe that he has committed all sorts of foolish and scandalous things by a man who brings him home and who is the accomplice of the adventuress in the case. Between them they manage to fleece their victim leaving him to believe that they have been his good Samaritan. There is abundant fun throughout, and Kelly himself is irresistible. The finish was strong. There is no doubt about the success of the sketch with our audiences. Think Kelly is drawing money to the house, and will continue to do so.
3 shows, 10 min. in one—This man is an artist in his way, but we have never been able to see him in this house since he began working in white face. When he did his old act in blackface and sung and talked, he went quite strong, but today he was practically a frost, and only did 6 minutes in the afternoon show. I am going to read the riot act to him, and if he will not give us what we want, will cut him out.
SR 2. In a Chinese sketch entitled, “A Little Tragedy at Tien Tsien.” Mr. Loraine is supported by two other gentlemen and two ladies, and the act is considerably of a novelty in every way. It is presented with the best scenic effects that I have ever seen on any of our stages, it being a distinctively Chinese interior, and the scene itself gets in when the curtain goes up on account of its beauty and its elaborate nature. There is not very much to the act until the last five minutes, when Loraine is on the stage himself, and that pat of it is about as thrilling and intense as anything we have had in the way of the dramatic; the preceding lines, of course, being necessary to tell the story. I do not know whether the act will be in vaudeville next season or not, but if it should, with the change of one man in the cast, I could heartily recommend it for the entire circuit. It held the attention of the audience very closely and got four or five strong curtain bows at the finish. 26 minutes, full stage.
SRR 2. In the sketch entitled “His Japanese Wife.” There is no use in talking, Miss Bergere is an artiste, and I think that so far as she is personally concerned, her offering this afternoon was fully as artistic and dainty a bit of work as we have ever had on our stage. The supporting company is not as good as it might be, but as she is the central figure through it all it is not especially noticeable. She made a big hit and received two or three strong hearty curtain calls. 29 minutes, full stage.
20 mins. C.D.F. in 3. Close in one. Always a big hit here. They sang “Big Indian Chief” that was written by them for the Mask & Wig Club of the University of Pennsylvania. They will draw trade from the University followers this week.
2 shows, 20 min, full stage. Presenting their Irish character sketch, “The Old Neighborhood,” which went better than it has ever done before in this house. Finished strong and can probably be set down as the hit of the show.
2 shows, 23 min, full stage. Presenting for the second time here their dramatic playlet, ‘The Yellow Dragon,’ which we gave a splendid special stage setting of a Chinese pattern. The audience followed the action of the piece with intense interest and at the close they received three curtain calls.
2 shows, 23 min, full stage. Presenting for the first time here a new one-act play called ‘The Yellow Dragon,’ which is claimed to be founded on an actual incident in the late Chinese uprising. It was capitally stage[sic], and splendidly acted by the principals and their support, and held the undivided attention of the audience from start to finish. It is a mixture of comedy and melodrama, and is decidedly an acquisition to vaudeville.
