Following McIntyre and Heath, these people had a very hard place on the bill, and as the afternoon audiences commenced to thin out about a quarter after four, it is hardly fair to criticize their act too severely. They have a lot of very good material and created a lot of laughs, and if it were possible for me to put them on about two o’clock they could be credited with a hit. 16 minutes in one.
[They] give their old act, “The Georgia Minstrels.” It is almost superfluous to make any comment on this team, but, if possible, they went stronger this afternoon than they ever did in this house before. They have a lot of new hits to the act and it is unquestionably the funniest black faced specialty before the public. 34 minutes, open full stage and close in one.
Monologue, impersonations, and stories. She went very nicely here this afternoon, but I can easily understand why she would not be very strong in Boston. A New York audience is much more receptive than that of any other city on our circuit. They come here to be amused, and if there is the least glimmer of ability in a performer he or she is bound to reach them before they get through. She was on a little bit late this afternoon, and that is a fault that will be remedied tonight. Aside from that, there was no trouble with the act at all from a New York standpoint, and after I have changed places with her and Chas. Kenna, she will be all right. 17 minutes in one.
For the first time I have been able to get a line on this man’s act, and I can easily understand… Keith booked it. I think it is unquestionably the most attractive magic act that I have ever seen. As it has already been in the other two houses on the circuit it is needless to say that everything he does is novel and original. So far as this house is concerned, he has made a strong impression. Everything that he did was received with strong applause. In my opinion, the only thing that is needed to make it one of the greatest acts in this country is just the method of presentation which Mr. Keith had in mind when he booked the act; that is, that it be done in a thoroughly Oriental fashion from start to finish. The name “Howard Thurston” should be thrown aside entirely, and he should be given some Asiatic title that would be attractive. He should make up in a thoroughly Oriental manner, both as to face and costume, and sink his identity entirely. If he will do this and change one or two small details, it seems to me that he will be able to make almost as good a hit as any artist in his line that has ever appeared in this country. As it is, every act that he did this afternoon was received with a hearty round of applause. As the other houses have said, he is extremely slow in his work and does not put a great deal of life or animation into anything he does, but is her were in an Oriental makeup this fault would not be as nearly apparent and would be accepted as an eccentricity. 16 minutes, full stage.
This fellow has not played the circuit for several seasons because the material that he used in times past has never seemed to appeal to our audiences, but he has certainly got something that is all right now, and he made a strong impression this afternoon. He impersonates the character of a street “fakir” and incidentally sings three or four entirely original songs, besides giving an imitation of a “barker” around a circus lot which was exceptionally funny and which made a big hit. He is all right in every way and is going to make a valuable turn in one for next season. 22 minutes in one.
Equilibrist. This is a European act booked by Mr. Feiber, and is about as strong as anything that I have ever seen in the balancing line. He does a lot of equilibristic work modelled after that of many European performers, but closes with a one hand balancing act on a stick about four feet long placed on a tight wire. The act went very strong this afternoon, and should make a hit all over the circuit. 7 minutes, full stage.
A man and a woman in a grotesque comedy and talking act. It is one of those things that no one can fully describe, but that always makes good when properly done. It is something after the general idea of Stinson and Merton; that is, a grazy [sic], non-sensical [sic] act, but they have improved wonderfully during the past two seasons and really make quite a hit. 17 minutes, open full stage; close with about four minutes in one.
This is a man and a woman in a double juggling specialty. It is a new act and has never been on the circuit before. They do a lot of tricks that, while they are not especially difficult, are exceedingly welcome on account of the novelty, for there is scarcely anything that they present that has even been done by anybody else, and what old material they do present is offered in a new way and is a very acceptable turn indeed, and should make good all over the circuit. 12 minutes, open full stage, and close without about three minutes in one.
For a small and cheap priced act it would be difficult to improve upon this thing so far as the dog is concerned. The man is all right, but did not talk loud enough this afternoon to make himself thoroughly understood. This will be remedied tonight. The dog has been very finely trained and the act made an exceptionally favorable impression this afternoon. 17 min. in 1.
Two men in a Dutch comedy act. One of them makes up very much as Hoe Weber, of Weber and Fields. They do quite a bit of old material, introducing the card game which has been utilized by Monroe and Mack and several other teams, but, in an unimportant place on the bill, they do very nicely indeed. 16 minutes, open full stage and close in one. Can do the whole act in one if necessary.
