“My Wife’s Diamonds”. I was in hopes that this play would do much better here on this trip, as they have never scored very heavily in Cleveland. The act is very similar to that of Gardner Crane’s act; as it deals with the stealing of a diamond necklace, and instead of calling on the servants and employees of the hotel, in Gardner Crane’s act, he calls on the German Girl, Italian Boy, and the French dressmaker. These characters are taken by Miss Cotton. Her German dialect is unusually bad and only spoils this character. The Italian Boy is very good and the French dressmaker is only fair. Mr Long plays the part of the husband, and only does one character of the Italian. The act is far from being a hit and went very flat this afternoon, receiving hardly any applause at all at finish. 22 minutes. Interior.
American’s Representative Ventriloquist. Act very well known on Circuit and am sorry to say that Mr Duncan has very little new material. He uses the same old fore figures and mostly all of his old gags, including the telephone and cabinet, for which he uses the very same dialogue he has used before that I know of. Act went only fair but received quite a bit of applause with his imitations. Interior 19 minutes. Close 2 minutes in one.
Offering a condensed musical comedy, entitled, “Mixed Drinks”. Two men and a woman. Musical Knock-about comedy. Some singing, dancing and piano playing, which was fair. This act has to be watched as there are several cuts which you will find below. Act did not go well at all to-day. 17 minutes. Interior Close in one. 2 minutes.
Went great. Did handcuff and shackle stunts. – Also trunk trick. – Got out of everything in which he was fastened and very quickly. He has everybody talking and the outlook is that he will more than make a hit here this week. – This is really the first set we have had since the house opened that I can honestly say has drawn a dollar into the house individually. Palace: 28 minutes.
Man and Woman comedy acrobatic act. – The man does some very good falls but none that are new or that seemed to make a particularly favorable impression. – His stunts are well executed but I could not see any that had not been done by others in acts of the same style. – The woman puts in the greater part of her time in running about the stage doing nothing worth noting. – The act did not even get a hand at the finish. – This is rather unusual for even an opener here but may have been caused through the expectancy of seeing Houdini who is the feature of this bill. – 11 minutes in garden.
These young girls, nieces of mine, are presenting a new act, this being its second week. I was very much surprised at it myself. I think I have heretofore probably been their severest critic, and I must say in this case that they have really a very striking offering, certainly far better than most Sister Acts that we play, such as the Rooney Sisters and others of that class, altho it does not resemble, in any sense, acts of this kind. There are a number of changes of costume and dances of various kinds and a Patriotic finish. The girls look very handsome, and the wardrobe is really exceedingly handsome. Regardless of the fact that they are related to me, I want ot say that any house that plays them will get a real good act. About right up to 8.39 in the 3-a-day houses. 14 min. in 1. They are doing 3 shows new, whether or not they will continue to do so, I can’t say. With their present offering I don’t think they will have to very long.
Her last song in which appears the boy made up as a “Teddy Bear” was very much appreciated but we do dislike to give up $400 for this act. Opens in two, closes in one.
Big advance applause. It is seldom this house hears the laughter and applause that Fitzgibbons got on his parodies. The whole act is, I know, the broadest of low Comedy, but from the way the audience took to it, they evidently preferred it much better than all the expensive Acts I have had. Six re-calls. 17 minutes, full stage.
On at 3.22, 16 min, in 1. Ford, formerly of the team of Ford and Wilson, working straight, Swor in make-up rather reminiscent of Nat Wills. They do a good singing and dancing act, with a novelty finish that is a surprise to the audience, and gets them a hearty round of applause. All right in any bill up to 3 and 9; as late as 3.30 and 9.30 on a pinch.
On at 2.15, 10 min, full stage. These are the people we have known for some years as Brazil & Brazil. They are now doing a straight acrobatic act, costumed as well as any of the European acts, and with a lot of very good equilibristic feats. We have paid many a foreign act $200 that is not as good as this. I think that they should be signed for a season at $125, at which figure they would be a find.
