Character Changes. The changes were made with remarkable rapidity and caused wonderment with the audience but her singing and other work didn’t go very strong until she sang Bill Bailey, in which she made a big hit. 15 min. closing [sic] in one.
2 shows, 12 min., full stage—This organization has gone off in every particular, compared with what it was when last here. In the first place they have only 7 dancers, and one of these made her first appearance here today. As a consequence their appearance was decidedly rocky, and I had to call the one who is managing it in and read the riot act to her. Of course, the audience did not see it so badly as it appeared to me, but that makes no difference in the point of value we are paying for and what we are receiving. I am going to see her again after she has seen the orchestra leader, and will then tell he that we do not propose to pay for 8 people when only 7 appear in the act.
2 shows, 26 min. full stage—These people presented for the first time here their new sketch, “Clocks and Ticks,” which is good in spots, as all the Cressy Sketches are. Miss Havel handled her part with considerable cleverness, but O’Brien is an acrobat, and not an actor, especially a comedian. He managed to work in all his old-time tumbling, and it made a hit. A couple of the situations in the sketch are exceedingly funny. It is certainly a great and welcome change for them, and it will made good about 2.30 in the afternoon bill.
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.
3 shows, 12 min. in one—This is the best illustrated song act in vaudeville, especially in the matter of pictures, which are more artistic than anything of the kind we ever had here. Hollis was somewhat out in his singing today, owing to the fact that he was suffering with a sore throat, and was also nervous, as he was anxious to make good here. I think the act will be liked all over the circuit, and will stand for a fairly good place in the bill.
3 shows, 12 min. open full stage, close in one—This is a very good three-a-day act. His feats of illusion are very well done, especially his card work, and the finish with a canary, but he lacks personality.
Five men; one of them playing a harp and four of them banjos. The call their music “songs without words” and are supposed to give imitation to the human voice. As a matter of fact, there are times when the music does sound somewhat like vocal tones, although the resemblance of course is not awfully striking. It is, however, a very good act, the only difficulty about it being that it is extremely quiet. I had it in a very important place in the bill, sandwiched in between some strong comedy acts and, as a consequence, it did not go as strongly this afternoon as it ought to have done. I have shifted it up about two hours on the night bill, and I anticipate that it will go very much better. 12 minutes in one.
These two boys have a new act, called “A Congressman at Large”. It is a talking act in one. They do no singing whatever. One of them is made up straight and the other as a neat Irish comedian, such a man as you would meet on the street any day. This one is supposed to have been a member of congress, and the conversation between the two gives an opportunity to exploit some very witty sayings. They had a very hard place on the bill, as they followed Grapewin’s big talking act, and did not get on until about four o’clock. On their entrance, a great many people were going out to catch trains, and, as a consequence, three or four minutes of their work was almost lost. After the audience got quieted down, however, they gained ground very rapidly, and they had an act that had about as much new material in it as I have heard given by any team lately. It can easily be called a very good act. 11 minutes in one.
Monologue, Comedian – this performer always goes well, no matter where he is placed on the bill. His dialect work is excellent and he had some new stories that amused. In addition to this, I think he wears a dress suit better than any man I ever saw, and makes an elegant appearance on the stage. 14 minutes in one.
Consisting of Maxwell himself and four men, in a vocal sketch entitled “The Fire Chief”. The act does not differ in any way from its previous appearance here, with the exception of new songs being added. The quintette [sic] sing finely together, but I have always thought that Maxwell was unfortunate in his choice of songs, as he invariably selects something that is inclined to be slow and draggy. However, it is a good act and the voices harmonize about as well as any quintette [sic] I have heard.
