DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Keith-Albee managers' report book, March 14, 1904 - November 21, 1904

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Keith-Albee managers' report book, March 14, 1904 - November 21, 1904

Page 114a

Yankee and Dixie, 3 shows, 18 min. open full stage, short close in 1 -- These dogs are Irish terriers, who perform a variety of clever tricks, including some real wonderful balancing on the slack wire, and assist their trainer, Mr. Thompson, in a bit of ball playing as a finish. It is a nice little act for an early place in the two show section, and an excellent one, at the salary, for the 3-show section.
Yankee Comedy Four, 2 shows, 18 min. open full stage, close in 1 -- This organization is only of fair value and really ought to be in the 3-show section. Their comedy is forced, and the singing is only fair. To get the real value of it, the turn should be "nursed" in an early part of the show instead of where it is placed here.
Misses Bruce and Gaigneau, 3 shows, 12 min. open in 1, go to 3, and close in 1 -- These girls have stolen their act from the Meredith Sisters, whose work they copy in almost every particular. They are fairly good looking, wear neat costumes, but their voices are untrained and there is absolute lack of harmony in their singing. Do not think they will ever reach the 2-show section, but will always pass muster in the 3-a-day division.
Hodges and Lauchmere, 3 shows, 13 min. in 1 -- Colored team, man and woman, who were her in April last, and whom I put in to fill the place of Smith and Gorman, who failed to turn up or send word as to their whereabouts. They are excellent entertainers, judged from the 3-a-day standpoint.
Comment - The "balance" of the show was knocked endwise through misleading information as to the dog act, which we were led to believe was all done in one or 2 but which requires full stage and is fully 18 min. long instead of twelve, and the defection of Smith and Gorman. As a consequence, there was an unavoidable sequence of singing turns in two different places in the bill, resulting in these acts weakening one another. The Yankee Comedy Four and the Messenger Boys Trio should never have been in one bill; at least, not in a program where so few acts are used as we have here during the engagement of the Fadettes. Either one of them coming before the other destroys the value of the last act to appear.
On rearrangement, I hope to in part eliminate these drawbacks and get better balance.
The day was close and sultry, the audience small and not inclined to exert itself to the applause point, and the show, as a whole, is probably better than it appears as seen under these unfavorable conditions.

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Yankee and Dixie, 3 shows, 18 min. open full stage, short close in 1 -- These dogs are Irish terriers, who perform a variety of clever tricks, including some real wonderful balancing on the slack wire, and assist their trainer, Mr. Thompson, in a bit of ball playing as a finish. It is a nice little act for an early place in the two show section, and an excellent one, at the salary, for the 3-show section. Yankee Comedy Four, 2 shows, 18 min. open full stage, close in 1 -- This organization is only of fair value and really ought to be in the 3-show section. Their comedy is forced, and the singing is only fair. To get the real value of it, the turn should be "nursed" in an early part of the show instead of where it is placed here. Misses Bruce and Gaigneau, 3 shows, 12 min. open in 1, go to 3, and close in 1 -- These girls have stolen their act from the Meredith Sisters, whose work they copy in almost every particular. They are fairly good looking, wear neat costumes, but their voices are untrained and there is absolute lack of harmony in their singing. Do not think they will ever reach the 2-show section, but will always pass muster in the 3-a-day division. Hodges and Lauchmere, 3 shows, 13 min. in 1 -- Colored team, man and woman, who were her in April last, and whom I put in to fill the place of Smith and Gorman, who failed to turn up or send word as to their whereabouts. They are excellent entertainers, judged from the 3-a-day standpoint. Comment - The "balance" of the show was knocked endwise through misleading information as to the dog act, which we were led to believe was all done in one or 2 but which requires full stage and is fully 18 min. long instead of twelve, and the defection of Smith and Gorman. As a consequence, there was an unavoidable sequence of singing turns in two different places in the bill, resulting in these acts weakening one another. The Yankee Comedy Four and the Messenger Boys Trio should never have been in one bill; at least, not in a program where so few acts are used as we have here during the engagement of the Fadettes. Either one of them coming before the other destroys the value of the last act to appear. On rearrangement, I hope to in part eliminate these drawbacks and get better balance. The day was close and sultry, the audience small and not inclined to exert itself to the applause point, and the show, as a whole, is probably better than it appears as seen under these unfavorable conditions.