Two men in a combination of magic and comedy. Ziska doing the magic and King appearing as his awkward assistant. Ziska has played the circuit before. He is quite a clever magician and the comedy introduced by King, while not especially brilliant, is not offensive, and, as the act is new, it is particularly acceptable. 20 minutes, full stage. Could lose in one if necessary.
Two men in a German comedy talking act. While these people went quite good this afternoon, it is my personal opinion that they have deteriorated considerably. They do about the same sort of an act that they did they last time they were here, but seemed to lack animation. They did please the audience, however, and I suppose that overs a multitude of evils. 12 minutes in one.
Two men who introduce an act with unsupported ladders and who introduce some juggling, a little music, and a fair representation of a “cake-walk” while standing on the rounds of ladders. It is really quite a novel act and was thoroughly appreciated this afternoon. 10 minutes full stage.
Two men and one woman in a comedy sketch pretty nearly the same as they have always done. The team assumes German characters. It has always gone very good in this house, and from a three-show-a-day standpoint it is all right. 29 minutes full stage and close in one.
A young lady who does a turn of songs with a little comedy talking on the side. I agree with Boston that the young lady has quite a good line of material, but she lacks animation. It is a pretty good act, but will undoubtedly be much better in the future. 10 minutes in one.
In a comedy sketch. This is the act that I closed last week simply because it was mediocre, but there was so much talk about it around town that I consented to give it another trial, providing it was fixed up a bit. There have been a lot of new lines added and some new situations introduced, and while they were awfully nervous this afternoon, I feel pretty well assured that it will develop into a fair act before the end of the week and will go very satisfactorily in an early place on the bill. 16 minutes, full stage.
Juggler. He makes up as a white-faced clown, and while he does not do anything particularly startling, his work is all cleverly performed and he closes with the old plate spinning trick which has not been seen for so many years that it is practically new. It is quite a good act. 14 minutes, open full stage, and close in one.
A young boy and a girl in a singing and dancing act. The idea is about the same as that of the Gleesons, although naturally that act is not nearly as good. They are both good looking young people, however, and dress very neatly, and among the openers it can be classed as a good, useful turn. 11 min. in one.
With such novelties as this in the sketch line why so many dead ones? Here indeed is an act in which the audience are entirely at fault, at least the ones that saw it yesterday afternoon. It was a little bit too fast for them. The majority thought there were looking at a serious melodrama most of the time. The next time this goes around it will go just twice as good. There is one glaring error which I am surprised has not been noticed, that is, the violin solo right in the middle. It is put in so as to give Miss Hampton time to change but the introduction of this specialty nearly killed the entire action of the piece. It is of no earthly use and marrs what otherwise is a very bright piece. I have modified the solo somewhat but hope by the end of the week to eliminate the entire thing and in its place introduce some real lively stage business. I can’t for the life of me see how this sketch could have gone along with this glaring error being allowed to run so long. Possibly it has not been over the circuit, if it has I should like other opinions of it.
This act would be classed as good. No doubt it pleases the audience, but from a managerial standpoint, I don’t think all that is in them is gotten out of it. The Picks are allowed to do too much of their own idea of comedy whereas if some one would keep after them a little closer and get a good deal of the rick work that “Bill Jones” used to do for Gassman, the act would be converted from a good act into a holler. The act is not coached properly.
