15 min. This boy is a sailor on board the U.S.S. Michigan and was given a special leave of absence to play this engagement. The League Island Navy Yard lent its aid by sending a recruiting squad which opened an office in the lobby and one of them introduced the sailor from the stage, making a short appeal for enlistments. The sailor did a very good pianologue, singing three of four numbers and proving himself an excellent entertainer. He was an applause hit and could have made good on his individual work.
29 min. A tabloid comedy drama featuring Vivian Blackburn and Elwood P. Bostwick and a company of five. This is a playlet with mistaken identity as its theme and contains a lot of bright lines. It is talky, not well played and drags severely at times. It got a fair amount of laughs and finished to a fair hand. It is very prettily staged.
In Adam Killjoy. This is a rather funny sketch pretty well played by Mr. Holman who has a very indifferent support. A great deal of profanity had to be cut but the most offensive part of the act to mind is the palpable/scheme of advertising. This is the most flagrant thing of the kind that ever came to my attention. As he has played the sketch all over the country, I hadn’t any very strong grounds to stand on to make him cut the stuff out as he could easily show that it had been accepted in many of our houses. He plastered the stage full of advertising signs of various automobile concerns and finished with a motion picture that had no connection with the play whatever other than to advertise the Saxon Six. He admitted to me that he was collecting $50 this week from our local dealers. That, with what he gets otherwise and from the Saxon people, probably brings him up to $100 a week on advertising. I think this should be taken up with him before any new contract are made. 22 minutes full stage. Very short close in one.
“The Wife Saver.” 20 min. This is the same sketch he had last season. It is a very good farce and the comedy gets over through the way the material is handled by Mr. Ardell. It kept the audience amused from start to finish and closed strong.
(Tom –Ethel) On “Engaged-Married*Divorced” – three special drops – This sketch is in three scenes. New York Roof Garden; at home in a cozy little bungalow; the last, a divorce court, but at last all is righted, then plain sailing. This act did not go very good with audience. Singing and talking. 12 min.
In an Irish sketch featuring Mr. Oakland’s singing “Far and Away,” the big applause hit of the show, although I hardly think it is an act that will draw us much money, and I don’t believe it is worth the salary it is getting. 20 minutes. Full stage.
“Overtones.” 17 min. This is a playlet with dual personalities as its theme, the characters of the inner soul appearing in person with principals. The playlet was originally produced by the Washington Square Players at the Bandbox Theatre, New York, and comes to vaudeville as a distinctive novelty in the sketch line. It is a playlet that calls for the strictest attention and although talky commands interest through its novel construction. It is very well played and was rewarded by a liberal hand at the finish.
23 min. “The Sweetmeat Game” is an unusual playlet from Ruth’s Comfort Mitchell’s poems and entirely different from anything vaudeville has seen. Three principals are used in Chinese characters and the sketch has the advantage of unusually good playing. Miss Wyndham’s legitimate successes make her a drawing card and the sketch was very well received.
In a little sketch called “A Drawing from Life” which is a very apt title. I think this is offering a little gem and should rank as one of the classics of the times. Excellently played by Mr. Sullivan who is ably supported by Miss Scott. Ornament to any bill. 16 minutes. Full stage.
24 min. “Gowns.” A brand new sketch entirely different in character from anything we have seen in a long time and it was a big winner. It contains many bright lines and Mrs. Hughes is a very well fitted in a congenial role which she makes the most of. It was very well liked and finished strong.
