23 min. “The Little Shepherd of Bargain Row.” This one-act playlet is the condensation of the three-act play by the same title and taken from the novel of the same name. It is rather talky in construction and lacks action, depending entirely upon the principal character of a girl stenographer and the epigrams and slang phrases she uses in bringing happiness out of a business romance. It held fairly good attention here and was given a liberal hand of applause at the finish.
Rural sketch, 13 minutes, full stage, special set. There are moments during the action of the piece when many persons laughed, seemingly amused of the “comedy?” Personally, I was at a loss to discern any. If sitting upon a pan of moist dough, and upon arising having a mass adhere to one’s anatomy constitutes comedy, then I’ll take tragedy. Throughout the “sketch” the lady busies herself in making biscuits, while the man fondles a hunk of dough, and for a finish they pull of the sob stuff with the melodion [sic] and sing a song a two or two about the farm in good old Sunday School fashion. After viewing the affair one wonders at the vast army of idle and unemployed; why should any one be loafing?
Sketch, 3 men, 16 min. Full stage, special set. Well-written and exceedingly capably acted sketch, the audience receiving it with better spirit than any playlet presented here for a long, lomg [sic] time. In view of the town’s antipathy to sketches in general, the reception of this one was most gratifying.
In “Discontent.” 12 minutes fs. Special set. This is an allegorical playlet with its scene laid in a country railroad station. The plot does not amount to much, but the splendid acting of two excellent players puts the sketch over. Held the interest and received a fair hand at the finish.
This act went fairly well. It might go better in houses in which there was no stock company that had previously played “Baby Mine,” of which this sketch is a terrible piracy. The entire plot is the first act of that play, most of the situations have been taken bodily. It might be well to note that Margaret Mayo wrote the play, “Baby Mine,” and this sketch is credited to Marie and Francis Nordstrom. It took two of them to do it. 16 minutes. Full stage.
19 min. The famous English actress is presenting a new society drama called “ashes.” It is a well written playlet not calling for any particularly strong dramatic power, but carries an interesting story with a cleverly written climax and is well played by the principal and her two male assistants. It was given close attention and received mild applause at the finish.
27 min. Langdon McCormick’s spectacular playlet which has just come to America after a three years’ run in London. A typical melodrama with a thrilling story and a wonderful climax in which a forest fire is shown with a locomotive plunging through the blaze. For the lovers of this sort of melodrama, “The Forest Fire” fills overly requirement and it held the audience seated right up to the finish after a long show. The act took several curtain calls.
In “Ashes.” 19 minutes f.s. C.D.F. This is a rather light sketch with a good finish. In fact, much better than the last sketch Mrs. Langtry had here. Went well, but did not create any sensation.
11 minutes in one. Special drop. “The Tale of an Overcoat.” A rather neat little sketch played by two good performers, but hardly strong enough for a big time bill. Just passed in this spot. One song.
15 min. This is another one of Miss Scott’s writings and one of her very best. It forms an excellent little playlet which held closest attention from start to finish and was accorded enough applause to register it an emphatic success.
