Winston’s Water Lions and Diving Nymphs disapproved the general conception that closing acts are cues for a premature “good night,” and held them to a soul. This aquatic turn is in a class by itself and worthy of the feature billing accorded it.
It’s Claude Seixas, the life saver, who leads this act under Charles Earl’s management. Seixas should be able to get a lot of publicity en route, as he is a life saver who has medals, cups, honor certificates and much newspaper and magazine stuff. The act opens with a short announcement by Earl and a reel of pictures showing Seixas at his life-saving tricks. Then Seixas and five girls offer a diving routine that is of similar construction to the other acts. The work of two girls stood out above the rest. The act will be all right when shaped on smoother running order and the girls evince more pepper.
Diving. Second week. 21 minutes F.S. Same act as last week, with a few new swimming stunts added went big.
Diving and swimming act. 15 min. F.S. Large glass tank on top of stage, Odiva being visible at all times. Does everything Annette Kellerman does, and more. A distinct hit.
15 minutes f.s. Special set. Six sea lions and two shapely diving girls in a tank with a glass plate front. The work of the seals is wonderful, and the turn proved one of the very best “tank act” novelties we have ever played. The seals imitate all the dives the girls perform, as well as various underwater stunts and difficult swimming strokes. The two girls make a striking appearance and the act is mounted and handled in a thoroughly showman-like manner. A great closing feature.
8 min. These boys have a new finish to their set. One of the men doing a headlong dive down a sliding board into a headstand. The rest of there is about the same as they have been doing. Attractive dressing for the summer season helps this act greatly in appearance. They did very well in the clogins spot.
8 min. Full stage, special set. Accomplish the usual and familiar run of plain and fancy diving in an expert manner, but, in my estimation, an act of this nature can do better in the big eight and ten act bills. Such work has been seen so often that it is rather tame and uninteresting as constituting a feature on a three act bill. The act is handicapped by our stage limitations, it being impossible for them to use all their paraphernalia, and even that which is used has a cramped and crowded appearance. With anyone’s knowledge of our stage space it seems rather surprising that such an act should be booked in here, knowing well that the splash from every dive can easily reach out at least three or four rows in the audience. And with dressing rooms under the stage a tank act becomes something of a menace.
13 min. From the standpoint of the audience, this is probably the best diving act we have shown, as the four people make it very pretentious looking and their work is brilliant and fast and many new and difficult feats are introduced. Held the audience in to the last dive and received more applause than any diving act we have ever had in the theatre.
This young lady will have to go to some to equal “Odiva” or even come near to tieing [sic] “Ideal.” I think it is the poorest presentation I have ever had; in fact, it is the weakest diving act I ever saw, due probably to bad management. Nine minutes, full stage.
Notwithstanding our having played all of the other swimming and diving acts, Miss Pitonof gained the attention of the house from the outset and held it until the finish. Liberal applause after quite a number of her tricks and a good solid round at the finish, indicating the act was well liked. Special set in 5, 11 minutes.
