DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Keith-Albee managers' report book, September 21, 1903 - March 14, 1904

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

Page 172a

172
Criticism, Keith's Bijou, February 1st. 1904. #2.
CHARLES KENNA, in "The Fakir". Street in one. 15 minutes. The act similar to that already played over the Circuit. While not a good singer his style was good and his talk was very much like that from an experienced extemporaneous speaker. While it was somewhat hard for him to get the audience up to his rate of speed at the beginning, before many minutes he had them following him well and closed to first rate applause. 2 shows.
POETTINGER'S SWEDISH LADIES QUINTETTE. Own set. 14 minutes. 5 in one. Five attractive girls, possessors of good voices and of good appearance, wearing their national costumes and singing their national anthems, following them with a couple of songs in english and closing with a Swedish dance. Their opening song was well received and while they did not gain a great amount of applause they received some all through their act and closed satisfactorily. The act itself is interesting to the audience and its novelty will add to its value. 2 shows.
EMMETT DE VOY & CO. C. D. F. 30 minutes. Two men and a woman in "The Saintly Mr. Billings". A new sketch well acted by the two principals. The sketch itself while introducing DeVoy as an intoxicated individual was productive of much laughter and at the close won a sufficient amount of applause to recall them 3 or 4 times. It is easily seen that the sketch has been fashioned after the play "Jane" and while it seemed to me that many of our patrons were familiar with this play and that this would injure this reproduction, I was evidently mistaken as it was most satisfactorily received and could certainly get by as satisfactorily in any house on the circuit. 2 shows.
CLIFFORD & BURKE. Drapery in one, backing in 2. 18 minutes. 2 blackface comedians whose singing and dancing, also talk was decently received throughout, closing them to good applause, they got by very well in this position. 2 shows
FLOOD BROTHERS. Garden in 4. 8 minutes. Two acrobats one straight, the other in comedy makeup, whose act is familiar all over the Circuit and it may be said that even in this difficult place on the bill they have never gone better in this house than they did today and made a very satisfactory closer for us to-day. Their acrobatic work is rapid and accurate gaining them applause throughout and strong applause at the close. 2 shows.
BIOGRAPH. A satisfactory collection of pictures, headed by the "Busy Bees" picture which did not particularly interest the crowd to-day. If the audience were well scattered with farming people, the picture would probably be better received but it was not to-day at any rate. 20 min.
COMMENT.
After the cordial reception of last week's good show, by comparison it may be said that this one is fully equal to it, being well balanced throughout, and even in the three-a-day section is very satisfactory. For this reason I look for our business to keep up without any trouble.

E. P. LYONS.

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172 Criticism, Keith's Bijou, February 1st. 1904. #2. CHARLES KENNA, in "The Fakir". Street in one. 15 minutes. The act similar to that already played over the Circuit. While not a good singer his style was good and his talk was very much like that from an experienced extemporaneous speaker. While it was somewhat hard for him to get the audience up to his rate of speed at the beginning, before many minutes he had them following him well and closed to first rate applause. 2 shows. POETTINGER'S SWEDISH LADIES QUINTETTE. Own set. 14 minutes. 5 in one. Five attractive girls, possessors of good voices and of good appearance, wearing their national costumes and singing their national anthems, following them with a couple of songs in english and closing with a Swedish dance. Their opening song was well received and while they did not gain a great amount of applause they received some all through their act and closed satisfactorily. The act itself is interesting to the audience and its novelty will add to its value. 2 shows. EMMETT DE VOY & CO. C. D. F. 30 minutes. Two men and a woman in "The Saintly Mr. Billings". A new sketch well acted by the two principals. The sketch itself while introducing DeVoy as an intoxicated individual was productive of much laughter and at the close won a sufficient amount of applause to recall them 3 or 4 times. It is easily seen that the sketch has been fashioned after the play "Jane" and while it seemed to me that many of our patrons were familiar with this play and that this would injure this reproduction, I was evidently mistaken as it was most satisfactorily received and could certainly get by as satisfactorily in any house on the circuit. 2 shows. CLIFFORD & BURKE. Drapery in one, backing in 2. 18 minutes. 2 blackface comedians whose singing and dancing, also talk was decently received throughout, closing them to good applause, they got by very well in this position. 2 shows FLOOD BROTHERS. Garden in 4. 8 minutes. Two acrobats one straight, the other in comedy makeup, whose act is familiar all over the Circuit and it may be said that even in this difficult place on the bill they have never gone better in this house than they did today and made a very satisfactory closer for us to-day. Their acrobatic work is rapid and accurate gaining them applause throughout and strong applause at the close. 2 shows. BIOGRAPH. A satisfactory collection of pictures, headed by the "Busy Bees" picture which did not particularly interest the crowd to-day. If the audience were well scattered with farming people, the picture would probably be better received but it was not to-day at any rate. 20 min. COMMENT. After the cordial reception of last week's good show, by comparison it may be said that this one is fully equal to it, being well balanced throughout, and even in the three-a-day section is very satisfactory. For this reason I look for our business to keep up without any trouble. E. P. LYONS.