Presenting Miss Burkhart’s latest sketch, “A Strenuous Daisy.” This act is unquestionably the best thing that Miss Burkhart has ever done. It gives her an opportunity in a field in which she has never ventured before, and the only trouble with her act is that her cast is not hardly strong enough for it. I think, however, that this will be rectified immediately. The man who plays the old man in the act is not good at all. He is somewhat stilted and mechanical and has rather an unpleasant voice. The old lady is better and will do all right, as she has a very good conception of her part. The young fellow, while not at all strong, is better than the old man, but the latter should be changed at once. 31 minutes, full stage.
Acrobatic comedy and grotesque performers. This team went fully as strong this afternoon as it ever did in this house. Reno’s eccentric foolishness at the finish of the act simply captivated the audience. It is a nonsensical lot of stuff, but it is impossible for the average person to keep from laughing at it. 16 minutes, open full stage, and close in one.
Ventriloquist. This fellow is a clever performer and has some very clever ideas and a good way of presenting them, the only trouble with him being that he has to be watched pretty close or he will spring material that should not be used in our house. I cut some of his stuff this afternoon, and I think we have got him trimmed up so that he will be all right for the week. 18 minutes, open full stage, close with about three minutes in one.
A turn of character songs. This is the woman who was formerly of the team of Riley and Wolfe, and while there is nothing especially brilliant about the act, she is a clean cut, nicely dressed woman, making a good stage appearance, sings two or three new songs, tells one or two stories, and makes an exceptionally acceptable break between sketches and acrobatic acts. 10 minutes in one.
A couple of young fellows in a black face singing and dancing act. They are very neat in their make-up and pretty good dancers. They attempted a little talking this afternoon which was not exceptionally brilliant, and which I will cut out. As an early singing and dancing act they are all right. 17 minutes in one.
Two young fellows in a comedy musical act, and both are very good. One of them makes up straight and the other is a Dutchman. They are both good musicians, the straight man being an exceptionally clever cornet player, and the Dutchman being a good comedian. They closed their act with some very good sleighbell [sic] playing in one. It is a very good act. 21 minutes, open full stage, and close in one.
This fellow is of the old team of Howe and Doyle, who will be remembered as about the cleverest dancers in the business a few years ago. He proved a genuine surprise this afternoon as I have no idea that he would be able to do much with a monologue, but he certainly got away with it all right. Or course, the material that he tells is all old, but the audience took him all right, and his dance is, as it always was, very strong. The only trouble was with him that he did too much, but this will be rectified tonight. 20 minutes in one.
4 men in an eccentric, comedy and dancing act. This is the quartette that is handled by Arthur Earle, and I think it is about the best group of performers he has had. They get quite a lot of laughs and sing very well indeed. Can easily be classed a good strong 3-show-a-day act. 19 minutes, open full stage, and close in one if necessary.
A man and woman (colored), and I think they are about the liveliest colored team that we have played. They are both exceptionally clever dancers, and the man has a very funny personality that made a big hit this afternoon, and I have given them a better place on the bill. 11 minutes in one.
2 men and a young woman in a singing dancing and comedy act. The comedy section of the act is rather old fashioned, but still they get away with it all right. The girl is a clever dancer and also one of the men, and they finish with some very good work. 16 minutes, open full stage, close with about 3 minutes in one.
