“The Twelve Pound Look.” 29 min. F.S. This is a typical Barrie sketch of English life – the story of an over-bearing Brittisher who regards his own personal success above everything in the world and sacrifices everybody and everything to it. Miss Barrymore’s part of the wife who abandons the boor is delightfully played and she gets the most out of every one of the bright lines. Held the interest of an immense house right up to the unexpected finish. Big advance applause and a big closing hand. This being Miss Barrymore’s home town, of course, we look for a continuance of phenomenal business.
22 min. F.S. A lively musical act patterned somewhat after the “Pianophiends,” using five pianos, all the young ladies making a good appearance in becoming costumes, all of them export musicians. Each number got big applause. Good selection of songs by Mr. Ward and altogether the act pleased very well indeed. The finish was strong.
13 min. F.S. Man, woman and dog. Much the same act as presented here before, doing good ground tumbling wok introducing considerable comedy, the dog being particularly well trained and getting plenty of laughter and applause for his funny stunts. Makes a good opener.
I don’t think it fair to hold criticism against this well known couple, but the jury don’t seem to get them. Don’t think I ever saw an aact [sic] get such a bump, not even a giggle do they secure. Personally, I think Alf Grant one of the wittiest men on the stage and has always made good on former occasions, but he is surely taking a tumble here. Seventeen minutes in one.
Presenting a series illusions. While the audience does not enthuse to any great extent, presume they appreciate this womans work. The illusions are well done and she makes a very good appearance. The act is rather spectacular and could make good in house where she has not been seen. The small houses could use her as a headliner and get by. Twenty-two minutes, full stage.
Miss Brehany is well known as a comic opera star, having played the Keith Circuit numerous times. Mary Ambrose is from the English Music Halls. They appear in a musical skit called “Waiting for Mr.Booker.” Miss Brehany makes a very pleasing appearance and gets by with her songs, although her voice lacks volume, it had once. While Miss Ambrose is a good pianiste [sic] and violinste [sic], the act lacks finish. Presume they could pass muster if they would resort to a straight musical act. At present the offering will not do.
Two good looking chaps who give some marvelous equilibristic feats. A very refined specialty and one that could either close the show or go in the center of the bill. Worthy of a much better position. Eight minutes in one and one half.
Before we criticise the act I want to say that they carry a large tank and it takes six men and one half hours to put the tank together. The tank is so large that three people dive it at the same time. The theater can’t start to put the tank together until the mechanic arrives from the last town, and as he is also the announced he does not leave the last town until Saturday night. The act carries special velvet front and back draperies and opens with the two women and Conroy in artistic poses. Then Conroy poses alone the way Sandow used to do and he uses the same tune “Hearts and Flowers.” He is a well developed athlete and makes an excellent showing. A dark change then gives opportunity to pull away the draperies and the tank, which has to stand in the same spot all week is shown to the audience in a wooden setting. It is well masked in and has anything that Anette Kellerman ever produced beaten a mile. The two girls are excellent. They are good looking, well formed and as far as diving in concerned they do mare stuff than Kellerman ever did. Without exaggeration I think it is the best diving act I have ever seen. It is a splendid closing act and should be put on the big time exclusively. (Atlanta)
24 minutes in one. Songs. In fairness to the young lady, I hardly know what to day. She did not get in the theatre until Monday at 12 o’clock, being an emergency booking after we had lost three headliners in as many days. She started to rehearse and the rehearsal was very bad. This may be partly out fault because of the fact that our orchestra leader has been in bed two weeks threatened with appendicitis. I have never seen a poorer rehearsal. Miss Wynn did not seem to have a clear idea of just what she was going to sing or what she was going to do. The Tuesday morning newspapers roast her to a finish and say that she is not the girl that she used to be. Maybe the Booking Office is to blame for throwing her in here unexpectedly, maybe I am to blame for not having a competent musical director, and maybe the newspapers are to blame because they had to change their notices and ads three times in three days, also their Sunday layout and their photographs. I guess Baltimore next week will give everyone a better idea of just what she is doing at this time. (Baltimore)
Man and woman, comedy skit “Just Nonsense.” 13 minutes in one. This act had to open the show and as a great many people were walking in on them it would not be fair to criticise them, for it is not an act that should ever be placed in the opening position. I think it best to let Philadelphia give their version of the act next week. After the matinee performance the tem came out to me in front and wanted to close. I realized this position was impossible for them but told them to go back and behave themselves, so they are finishing out the week. (Philadelphia)
