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Keith-Albee managers' report book, September 21, 1903 - March 14, 1904

Page 45

45
CRITICISM OF SHOW.
KEITH'S NEW THEATRE, PHILA.
OCT. 27TH
Reed & Shaw-13 mins.-Water Landscape in 4-Two men, working straight, in a good "little" ring act, although the "comedy" is not apparent.
Armstrong & Wright-15 mins. in one-Man and woman, eccentric talking and dancing act. The feature of the act is Miss Wright's endurance dance. good act for the early bill.
Pelot- 15 mins.-Gar. in 2-close in one-Kid juggler; third time here, and booked in again in February. Cut him out to-day, as the show was late in starting. Act is too well known to need comment. Generally makes good in his place.
The Ushers-15 mins.-Spec. drop in 2-Man and woman, in a sketch entitled "Tough Love." Special drop of a dock scene, with cases and boxes, in one of which the "tough" boy and girl bootblacks live. Dialogue is of the Williams & Tucker order, and is bright in spots; some of it is very good, and gets many laughs. The sketch went very well, and could really stand a stronger place on the bill, although a great deal of the pathos at the end could be cut out.
Mmusical Bentley-15 mins. in one-Instrumentalist; on the order of Musical Dale, without the latter's ability; very good, however, and with the orchestra more than made good.
Francis Gerard-14 mins.-Gar. in 4-a la Sandow; here six week ago; combination of strong man and equilibrist; did not seem to go as well as when here before; received a "small" hand.
R. J. Jose-10 mins. in one-Contra tenor; second week; no comment necessary.
Rosie Rendel-10 mins.-Gar. in 3-Dance, with a spot light; makes four changes; hardly a hand; and was almost a fluke. She's in too fast company at this place on the bill, and will be shifted.
Brown & Nevarro-15 mins.-Spec. drop in one-Man and woman, real coons; very lively act, and received a good hand.
Filson & Errol-25 mins.-Spec. Set in 3-Man and woman, in a sketch "The Black Cat." A log cabin. Handsome Jack is a miner and the poor little wife chose him instead of Harold Gotmoney. It's a hard luck story, tearful and pathetic, and the larger part of our audience would rather have stood on Chestnut St. and watch the cars go by. The Ushers on the early bill gave the audience plenty of hard luck talk for one show. "The Black Cat" is tiresome, heavy and melodramatic--too much so for our audiences. The bit of comedy there is in the act is swamped by the hard luck.
Hoey & Lee-15 mins. in one-Two men, imitate Yorke & Adams in makeup and talk--and evidently the audience couldn't distinguish the difference, for they went fully as strong as the former ever did here. However, the audience were ripe for something lively and fully appreciated it.
Ned Wayburn's Minstrel Misses-25 mins.-Spec. Set in 3-Gar. in 4 for backing.-Went very strong with the largest Monday afternoon audience we have had in weeks; the applause hit of the show. Seventeen girls, with the lively music and dances that have been put in this act cannot do otherwise than make good if there is anyone at all in the audience.

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45 CRITICISM OF SHOW. KEITH'S NEW THEATRE, PHILA. OCT. 27TH Reed & Shaw-13 mins.-Water Landscape in 4-Two men, working straight, in a good "little" ring act, although the "comedy" is not apparent. Armstrong & Wright-15 mins. in one-Man and woman, eccentric talking and dancing act. The feature of the act is Miss Wright's endurance dance. good act for the early bill. Pelot- 15 mins.-Gar. in 2-close in one-Kid juggler; third time here, and booked in again in February. Cut him out to-day, as the show was late in starting. Act is too well known to need comment. Generally makes good in his place. The Ushers-15 mins.-Spec. drop in 2-Man and woman, in a sketch entitled "Tough Love." Special drop of a dock scene, with cases and boxes, in one of which the "tough" boy and girl bootblacks live. Dialogue is of the Williams & Tucker order, and is bright in spots; some of it is very good, and gets many laughs. The sketch went very well, and could really stand a stronger place on the bill, although a great deal of the pathos at the end could be cut out. Mmusical Bentley-15 mins. in one-Instrumentalist; on the order of Musical Dale, without the latter's ability; very good, however, and with the orchestra more than made good. Francis Gerard-14 mins.-Gar. in 4-a la Sandow; here six week ago; combination of strong man and equilibrist; did not seem to go as well as when here before; received a "small" hand. R. J. Jose-10 mins. in one-Contra tenor; second week; no comment necessary. Rosie Rendel-10 mins.-Gar. in 3-Dance, with a spot light; makes four changes; hardly a hand; and was almost a fluke. She's in too fast company at this place on the bill, and will be shifted. Brown & Nevarro-15 mins.-Spec. drop in one-Man and woman, real coons; very lively act, and received a good hand. Filson & Errol-25 mins.-Spec. Set in 3-Man and woman, in a sketch "The Black Cat." A log cabin. Handsome Jack is a miner and the poor little wife chose him instead of Harold Gotmoney. It's a hard luck story, tearful and pathetic, and the larger part of our audience would rather have stood on Chestnut St. and watch the cars go by. The Ushers on the early bill gave the audience plenty of hard luck talk for one show. "The Black Cat" is tiresome, heavy and melodramatic--too much so for our audiences. The bit of comedy there is in the act is swamped by the hard luck. Hoey & Lee-15 mins. in one-Two men, imitate Yorke & Adams in makeup and talk--and evidently the audience couldn't distinguish the difference, for they went fully as strong as the former ever did here. However, the audience were ripe for something lively and fully appreciated it. Ned Wayburn's Minstrel Misses-25 mins.-Spec. Set in 3-Gar. in 4 for backing.-Went very strong with the largest Monday afternoon audience we have had in weeks; the applause hit of the show. Seventeen girls, with the lively music and dances that have been put in this act cannot do otherwise than make good if there is anyone at all in the audience.