Blackface character artists. These girls are certainly artistic but it seemed to me that they were not quite understood by the Providence audience, to whom that type of negro is not familiar; however, they may go stronger tonight. In any event, they must be rated as a good act. 12 min. in one, 2 shows.
In an emotional dramatic sketch called “Between the Acts”. This act went very strong, and is to my mind, one of the most valuable acquisitions to Vaudeville. I believe, for Vaudeville purposes it is fully as good, if not better than Jessie Millward’s act, as it gives the star more opportunity for heavy emotional work, which this girl does in a wonderful manner. With rather a sleepy audience today the act was a decided hit and any house that overlooks this act, I believe, will be missing one of the best things of the season. Besides its value from an artistic standpoint, there is additional value in the name to advertise upon. 20 min. full stage, 2 shows.
[Jugglers] Although I don’t play these two acts in this double manner I want to send my review on them together as that is the way they are booked. I cannot, for the life, figure out why these people get $250. Harding & Ah Sid in this house are not worth over $125 and they might possibly be worth $150 somewhere else. Really I think they belong in the three a day class. They failed to score a hit here entirely. Olive does an act which for three shows a day, would be worth $50 – certainly no more. That would bring their joint salary up, at best, to $175 and that is big for them, especially if they do two shows. Olive does a fair little act, in a way, for an early spot on the supper show but cannot be used to advantage later than 7:30. Time for Harding and Ah Sid – 15 min. open in full stage, close in 1. Time for Olive – 11 min. full stage. Both 2 shows.
This is a novel act somewhat similar to that of Mitchell & Marron. The men do some good singing and passable dancing and the old time jokes go wonderfully well. They told me at rehearsal that they did 26 min. With the great amount of show that I had I asked them to cut it some, and they said they would cut it to 21 min. I don’t really believe that they know exactly how much they do for the “cut” they did 15 min. Probably their entire act is about 18 or 20 min. in one. 3 shows.
Songs and stories. This girl has not made the improvement that I looked for and her act is very little better than before. When an act in one, in the early part of the bill is needed, she does all right to fill in. She is a good-looking woman and manages to get by. 12 min. in one, 3 shows.
MRR 2. Drop in one, 19 minutes. This man is giving us the same act as before, “A Few minutes at the Railroad Information Bureau”, with a few new lines, and closes with a recitation of a “Horse Race”. I think we have fully paid for this man’s name, and for the act he gives us today he is greatly overpaid.
Garden 2, close in one. 13 minutes, 3 shows. Two men, magic, one in full dress, the other in eccentric make-up. The magic end of the act is poorly done, rather clumsy and the comedy bad. The act is only fair. Will not do much damage for the balance of the week. We were compelled to add an act on account of Powers & Freed taken sick.
YMH 2. Full stage, 26 minutes. Mr. Ryan is presenting this week the one act comedy “Mike Haggerty’s Daughter”, a sequel to “Mag Haggerty’s Father”. The act is the same as presented here before. It contains several new bits of business. It went with a scream from start to finish and I think fully as well as before.
GHR 2. Drop in one, 20 minutes. Two men in blackface talking, singing and dancing act. (The only good laughing act on the bill). They received plenty of laughs and applause all through.
MRR 2. Full stage, 22 minutes. Mr. Gilfoil gives us a character creation of “Baron Sands”, after an evening at Madison Square Garden, thereby presenting his well known imitations. His act is entirely new and went very strong. Every imitation was strongly applauded.
