“His Japanese Wife.” 30 minutes, special set. Miss Bergere is in form and regardless of the fact that a trained nurse greets her exits from the stage and watches her temperature while dressing, she is more appealing than ever before in this playlet. Her company is capable in every way and work with unusual enthusiasm. “His Japanese Wife” made a decided hit at both performances yesterday and is a real headline act. (Cincinnati)
25 minutes, library interior. 3 men and 2 women. A purely conversational sketch which lacks the heart interest and punch. There’s gossip and an innocent little girl, a man whom the gossip says is bad, being the same men the good little girl loves. Then there’s the father and uncle of the good little girl who are pinochle friends, which fact is brought to light through a game of pinochle in view of the audience. However, the lines are not dazzling, the comedy in rather slow, and the sketch in its entirety is not a big feature. (Toledo)
Equilibrists. 9 min. F.S., own drop. Some clever head, hand and foot balancing. Act dragged, with good finish by one man coming down an incline standing on his head on sort of a roller skate. INDIANAPOLIS.
Young boy, rube comedian, harmonica player and eccentric dancer. Under ordinary circumstances, I wouldn’t dream of putting this young fellow down here, but he seems to be one [sic] the best act from the audience’s standpoint, that we have on the bill and I think he is the logical person to put in this spot. 11 min in one.
These people were on in No. 3 spot at the first performance, but am moving them up here in order to get a better running of the show. They don’t do very well, although they didn’t really fall down. The opinion that I formed of them on their last visit remains; that it is a very uncouth act with little merit. After Miss Steadman had made her funny faces three or four times, they become tiresome. A fair No. 2 act, 16 min in one.
In George Ade’s one act comedy, called, “Speaking to Father.” A crackerjack comedy and all comedy lines, and a laugh after laugh. A good story, humorously told in Ade [sic] slang. Worthy of immediate booking and a route. Twenty-minutes, full stage.
This man was evidently forgotten, for he was treated as a “newcomer” and given the utmost attention. His comedietta [sic], called, “The Surprise,” in which he shows how the changes are made, was the novelty of the bill. He had the house, wondering and applauding. Twenty-three minutes, full stage.
A police play by Harrison Armstrong. This act was presented uptown Spring, and, I believe, did not finish the week on account of an inferior cast. It is now quite an interesting playlet, has splendid cast and keeps the audience keyed up to the climax. Could be made a feature in the smaller houses. Twenty-one minutes.
A young woman of pleasing personality doing the regulation stunts with eight Polar Bears such as, see-sawing, ball rolling, various poses and a shoot-the-shoots as a climax. A pretentious sort of act, very acceptable and worthy of a more important place. Can be billed as a headliner. Ten minutes, full stage, own setting.
Shakesperian [sic] sketch “Master Will’s Players.” 25 minutes, interior in 4. Miss Haswell has taken a rather novel method of introducing Shakespeare in vaudeville. She is a finished actress and has surrounded herself with a competent company. The act opens with a short prologue in one before plush curtains. To the better class of vaudeville lovers with this act will be most acceptable, while to these who are unfamiliar with the writings of The Bard of Avon, the act will seem decidedly indistinct. There was a fair amount of applause at the finish. (Chicago)
