With his ‘Sight-seeing Wagon.’ With the aid of Stereopticon Views, shows various sights of New York. By the use of the Megophone gives some bright material to the patrons of his rubber-neck wagon. He had the audience roaring during his entire act and is the biggest laughing hit of the show up to this time. 18 min. in two close in one. 3 shows.
In their comedy, ‘Uncle Josh on the Bowery.’ Carry their own drop representing a Bowery street scene. Contains many bright lines. Several good scattered laughs. Big possibilities for material. Received some little applause on the finish. 18 min. in two. 3 shows.
2 shows, 15 min in 2. Violinist, assisted by a pretty young girl at the piano. This man is a decided ‘find’ in this line of work. He has every appearance of a great musician. Played three selections, every one of which were strongly applauded and he was forced to respond with another. Even then he could easily have played strongly for the circuit in view of the hit scored today.
2 shows, 18 mins, in 2. Presenting the Irish comedy sketch, ‘The Walking Delegate.’ They carry a special drop representing a bricklaying scene, one of the men taking the part of the hod [sic] carrier. This is a case of where the men are not up to all the possibilities of the sketch. They start off with their dialect all right, but forget themselves and drop it before they are through. Scored considerable laughter and in better hands would be a big hit.
2 shows, 15 min in 1. Presenting his ‘College Boy’ monologue. This man was handicapped today by a mistake in his billing, which gave the wrong impression as to what his turn would be, and also by the fact that the people were coming in while he was on the stage. He has an excellent lot of material and were it not than we have so many talking acts on the bill, would move him down.
Sketch entitled, ‘Managerial Troubles.’ A jumbled affair. It contains a little of everything, a little soubrette work, a little tragedy, a little comedy and part of a scene behind the stage. It is hard to find an excuse to connect the different spots. Miss Cotton in her impersonations is quite clever in the way she always has been. Long comes on the stage to fill in the time between her changes of costume. The act failed to greatly please our audience. It seemed to drag and seemed to lack action. More than this it was disconnected and disjoined. Long and Cotton are both very clever and it seems that they could obtain a more suitable vehicle with which to exploit their talents. Five years ago they were a terrific hit. Today they almost failed completely. Knowing these people so well and the prestige they have carried, I was greatly disappointed with the act. Wood in 4. 23 minutes.
Two boys. Club jugglers. This act was booked here to work in one. It is just simply impossible. We worked them in two and that was as near the foot lights as we dared put them. They do as difficult stunts as the Mowatts or the Johnsons. It would endanger the heads of the musicians and of those in the front orchestra seats to have them throwing six and eight clubs at terrific speed through the air out on the foot lights. However, I doubt it they could do it even if we would let them. The act is an excellent one their work being liberally applauded. Drapery in two, close in open. 8 minutes.
Shadowgraphist and silhouettist. This act is altogether too good for this spot, but there was no help for it. Aside from its value it is not the right sort of act to open the show with because of the dark house. The ushers can not see to seat the patrons. Very good act and good value for the money. Palace in 5. 15 minutes.
Chassio would not close in one as suggested by Mr. Hodgden. He said he had never done it but once and that was for Mr. Jordan in Philadelphia. He said his contract did not call for it and that his stomach was not in the best of condition today so that he did not feel that we should depend on him for more than his usual act. Full stage 15 minutes.
These people gave us their new act to-day which they call ‘Winning a Queen.’ It is decidedly away from anything we have had, and after some of the rough edges are worn off, it will be decidedly worth while. The act opens with Gardiner in tramp make up, talking with a sentry inside of a fort. Evening comes on, he goes to sleep inside a mammoth cannon. The cannon is fired. By means of the moving picture machine he is shown going through the clouds until he reaches the moon, when he is swallowed by the moon. This brings him into his second set, representing the interior of the moon, where he meets the Queen of the moon. After some good comedy with the headsman, an eccentric character, he persuades the Queen to go back to New York with him. They then take positions on a big star, and the picture machine is again used to show them falling from the moon to the earth, where they crash through a skylight, and down into a dining-room. After some comedy here, the act closes with an eccentric dance on the order of the one used by Guyer & O’Neill. The act is a decided novelty, and well worked out. The comedy introduced is good, as is also the singing. Held the attention of the audience this afternoon, and three curtain calls at the finish, showing that the act was appreciated. 20 mins. Spec, in 1/2/ & 3.
Colored song and dance. Man and woman, but man is practically the whole act. Singing amounts to little, but the mans wooden show dancing is very good indeed, while his finish, a buck dance on roller skates, is clever. Made a sleepy house sit up and take notice and won out in great shape. Mighty good act from a three a day standpoint. 12 mins. in 1.
