DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Keith-Albee managers' report book, December 28, 1908 - October 18, 1909

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Keith-Albee managers' report book, December 28, 1908 - October 18, 1909

Page 147

C. E. BARNS.    PHILADELPHIA SHOW.    MAY 3-09.
BEN BEYER & BRO. 12 min. F.S. These men do the regulation bicycle stunts and some few that are new. A very good opener. Might be improved with a little more comedy, but on the whole all right.
DONOVAN & ARNOLD. 21 min. Donovan comes pretty near being the whole thing as he has a line of very good talking material and he uses it to good effect. The songs do not amount to very much, but they have the faculty of getting hold of local material and getting away with it in good shape. Rightly placed on the bill and made good.
DEHAVEN SEXTETTE. 21 min. Carry their own drop and pretty stage setting. The act made a very good impression, the costuming being brilliant and the voices all good. Held the spot very acceptably.
JIMMIE LUCAS. 12 min. Worked hard this afternoon to get the crowd. Whereas it was rather difficult at first, he improved as he went along and closed strong with his medley. As Boston says, "A Comer."
ANDREW MACK & CO. "Blarney." This playlet was written to give Mack everything, leaving very little to the rest of the cast except to serve as a foil. The stage setting is good, but not quite up to the requirements of Mack's reputation. The thread of the plot is slender, and Mack's songs are really the only things that got the big hand. His support is only fair. Nevertheless, the people came to hear Mack sing his Irish songs, and whereas they went very tame in the afternoon they got strong applause with the night crowd which had evidently come largely on purpose to see him. Made a fine finish.
LILLIAN SHAW. 15 min. in one. Gave imitations and character vocal work that made a real hit. The crowd was hungry for humor, and she gave it to them with a good deal of originality. Miss Shaw certainly has talent. Closed very well indeed with two curtain calls.
WATSON'S FARMYARD CIRCUS. 23 min. F.S. This act proved as it always does a sure-fire winner with all parts of the house. Practically the same act as presented here before, and it certainly is a drawing card with the children. Laughter and applause throughout.
NAT. M. WILLS. 19 min. Usual budget of nonsense about Hortense and the parodies that have made Nat famous. As ever an unqualified hit. Laughter and applause throughout, and a big, closing hand.
DUFFIN-REDCAY TROUPE. 9 min. This is one great closing act. The men make a fine appearance and certainly do perform amazing feats. Applause throughout and a strong finish.
KINETOGRAPH. "President Taft in Panama." A splendid series of pictures that are not only immensely interesting in themselves, but of great historical value.
GENERAL REMARKS. The afternoon audience was largely composed of non-vaudeville goers, the majority of them having dropped in after the Ringling Circus parade. It was a light audience and the frostiest I have ever seen in this house. It seemed as if no one could pull a laugh or hand-clap out of them with a butcher's hook; the consequence as that the whole bill seemed to lack the usual high qualifications, and coming after the strong bill of last week, appeared to fall lamentably short. The evening audience, however, was big an enthusiastic and the show thoroughly justified itself. It went like wild fire and everybody was happy again. Have no fears for the balance of the week.

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C. E. BARNS. PHILADELPHIA SHOW. MAY 3-09. BEN BEYER & BRO. 12 min. F.S. These men do the regulation bicycle stunts and some few that are new. A very good opener. Might be improved with a little more comedy, but on the whole all right. DONOVAN & ARNOLD. 21 min. Donovan comes pretty near being the whole thing as he has a line of very good talking material and he uses it to good effect. The songs do not amount to very much, but they have the faculty of getting hold of local material and getting away with it in good shape. Rightly placed on the bill and made good. DEHAVEN SEXTETTE. 21 min. Carry their own drop and pretty stage setting. The act made a very good impression, the costuming being brilliant and the voices all good. Held the spot very acceptably. JIMMIE LUCAS. 12 min. Worked hard this afternoon to get the crowd. Whereas it was rather difficult at first, he improved as he went along and closed strong with his medley. As Boston says, "A Comer." ANDREW MACK & CO. "Blarney." This playlet was written to give Mack everything, leaving very little to the rest of the cast except to serve as a foil. The stage setting is good, but not quite up to the requirements of Mack's reputation. The thread of the plot is slender, and Mack's songs are really the only things that got the big hand. His support is only fair. Nevertheless, the people came to hear Mack sing his Irish songs, and whereas they went very tame in the afternoon they got strong applause with the night crowd which had evidently come largely on purpose to see him. Made a fine finish. LILLIAN SHAW. 15 min. in one. Gave imitations and character vocal work that made a real hit. The crowd was hungry for humor, and she gave it to them with a good deal of originality. Miss Shaw certainly has talent. Closed very well indeed with two curtain calls. WATSON'S FARMYARD CIRCUS. 23 min. F.S. This act proved as it always does a sure-fire winner with all parts of the house. Practically the same act as presented here before, and it certainly is a drawing card with the children. Laughter and applause throughout. NAT. M. WILLS. 19 min. Usual budget of nonsense about Hortense and the parodies that have made Nat famous. As ever an unqualified hit. Laughter and applause throughout, and a big, closing hand. DUFFIN-REDCAY TROUPE. 9 min. This is one great closing act. The men make a fine appearance and certainly do perform amazing feats. Applause throughout and a strong finish. KINETOGRAPH. "President Taft in Panama." A splendid series of pictures that are not only immensely interesting in themselves, but of great historical value. GENERAL REMARKS. The afternoon audience was largely composed of non-vaudeville goers, the majority of them having dropped in after the Ringling Circus parade. It was a light audience and the frostiest I have ever seen in this house. It seemed as if no one could pull a laugh or hand-clap out of them with a butcher's hook; the consequence as that the whole bill seemed to lack the usual high qualifications, and coming after the strong bill of last week, appeared to fall lamentably short. The evening audience, however, was big an enthusiastic and the show thoroughly justified itself. It went like wild fire and everybody was happy again. Have no fears for the balance of the week.