DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Keith-Albee manager reports, September 2, 1902 - September 3, 1903

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Keith-Albee manager reports, September 2, 1902 - September 3, 1903

Page 294

294
CRITICISM OF SHOW.
KEITH'S THEATRE, PHILA., PA.
JUNE 1ST.

[Ev...illegible....] min. in one-Man and woman, in singing and street conversation. A fair to good act,and may get a better place.

Lawson & [Mamon?]-12 mins.-Gar. in 3-Bag punching and bicycle specialties by man and woman. They sent no property ploy, and stage was set for them to go on. They refused because there was no set cottage on the stage. It was then too late to get one. They walked out.

Althea Twins-10 mins.-Gar. in 2-close in one-Two girls, singing and dancing,also introducing acrobatic work. Sort of a leg show. Singing is poor;dancing fair to good. They work hard.

Kherns & Cole-15 mins.-C.D.F in 3-Man and woman, in an alleged comedy sketch. Woman is absolutely worthless. The little that is done is accomplished by the man. Some of his Dutch talk is fair, but no part of it is real good.

Manning and Crawford-15 mins.-Gar. in 4-close in one-Two men,blackface comedians,in a talking and dancing act. They introduce some work on the trapeze, and close in one with a burlesque on base ball. Pretty good act of its kind,some parts of it being very good,especially the close.

Robert Harrington-8 mins. in one-Boy soloist; didn't take well here to-day;seemed nervous. He reported after the show that he was sick.

Finley & Burke-15 mins.-C.D.F. in 3-Man and woman, in a crazy talking act that is called a comedy sketch. It is a good act. They close in one with a trolly car scne,which was again thrown at the audience by Mr. & Mrs. Jimmy Barry in their close in one. The act received a good hand and may get a better place.

Herbert Lloyd-15 mins.-Gar. in 4-close in one-This man was undoubtedly the hit of the show--but then the show is not a great one. He had many surprises up his sleeve,and he introduced them with such rapidity that he had the audience guessing all the time. He is a close second to W. C. Fields, and imitates the latter in many things. Very good act.

Three Keatons-30 mins.-Gar. in 4-close in one-Joe, Myra and "Buster," the boy.As usual "Buster" is the whole act. He went better than when last here, and gave us a pleasant surprise with some of his new imitations in his close in one. For applause this act ran second on the bill.

Howard Thurston-15 mins.-Spec. set-As usual,he thoroughly mystified the audience, with his illusions,but received scant applause, which has been the rule throughout the past week. The action still continues slow, and, although the material is there for a "big" act, I doubt if Thurston can ever make a "big" act out of it.

Larkins & Patterson-12 mins. in one-Two coons, man and woman,doing the usual work of the acts of this kind. We put them on to follow Thurston to wake the audience up, as we did with the Brittons last week in the rearrangement of the bill. This colored team,however,although good in some ways, lacks the necessary life to accomplish the waking up, and we will, probably, have to make another change.

Mr. & Mrs. Jimmy Barry-18 mins.-C.D.F. in 3-close in one-In a sketch, "The New Boy." This act was not an awful hit--in fact it didn't reach our expectations at any stage of the game. It was on at four o'clock, and might have gone a great deal better earlier on the bill. We had to cut out such things as "damn fool," which Barry knew better than to.....

Borani & Nevarro-10 mins.-C.D.F.
the original Three Nevarros. The man has the same poor......
comedy that every foreign artist has, and although he can throw some pretty swift somersaults,he is an absolute failure as a comedian. The girl would have done better to stick to the old team. The act starts off slow,for the man insists on talking instead of giving hem action. Can be classed as a good acrobatic act,from an acrobatic standpoint.

McIntyre & Heath-25 mins.-Open in one-C.D.F. in 3-In a new sketch,"Dr. Lorenzbreakerbone," which might have been named most anything. The act is good; but it gives McIntyre no opportunity for his droll talk and apparently pathetic expression that he uses to such advantage in the "Georgia Minstrels." The act has more action in it than any sketch they have ever presented, and during its course introduces six characters, three of them being local people. Of course, McIntyre & Heath are always good.

Vitagraph-20 mins.-Sheet in one-"Little Red Riding Hood" for the children, and the parade pictures held over from last week.

The show is quite a fall down from the past three weeks. It is not altogether bad, but the little good there is in it has to be scattered in such a way that it is hard to locate it. The "small" part of the show is not at all strong;Thurston,McIntyre & Heath are holdovers from last week,we have really nothing absolutely new to offer the public, except Lloyd. Of course, he is good;but it would take three such acts to make one forget the bad spots and the slow spots that are everywhere visible in the "smaller" acts on the bill.

H. A. DANIELS.

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294 CRITICISM OF SHOW. KEITH'S THEATRE, PHILA., PA. JUNE 1ST. [Ev...illegible....] min. in one-Man and woman, in singing and street conversation. A fair to good act,and may get a better place. Lawson & [Mamon?]-12 mins.-Gar. in 3-Bag punching and bicycle specialties by man and woman. They sent no property ploy, and stage was set for them to go on. They refused because there was no set cottage on the stage. It was then too late to get one. They walked out. Althea Twins-10 mins.-Gar. in 2-close in one-Two girls, singing and dancing,also introducing acrobatic work. Sort of a leg show. Singing is poor;dancing fair to good. They work hard. Kherns & Cole-15 mins.-C.D.F in 3-Man and woman, in an alleged comedy sketch. Woman is absolutely worthless. The little that is done is accomplished by the man. Some of his Dutch talk is fair, but no part of it is real good. Manning and Crawford-15 mins.-Gar. in 4-close in one-Two men,blackface comedians,in a talking and dancing act. They introduce some work on the trapeze, and close in one with a burlesque on base ball. Pretty good act of its kind,some parts of it being very good,especially the close. Robert Harrington-8 mins. in one-Boy soloist; didn't take well here to-day;seemed nervous. He reported after the show that he was sick. Finley & Burke-15 mins.-C.D.F. in 3-Man and woman, in a crazy talking act that is called a comedy sketch. It is a good act. They close in one with a trolly car scne,which was again thrown at the audience by Mr. & Mrs. Jimmy Barry in their close in one. The act received a good hand and may get a better place. Herbert Lloyd-15 mins.-Gar. in 4-close in one-This man was undoubtedly the hit of the show--but then the show is not a great one. He had many surprises up his sleeve,and he introduced them with such rapidity that he had the audience guessing all the time. He is a close second to W. C. Fields, and imitates the latter in many things. Very good act. Three Keatons-30 mins.-Gar. in 4-close in one-Joe, Myra and "Buster," the boy.As usual "Buster" is the whole act. He went better than when last here, and gave us a pleasant surprise with some of his new imitations in his close in one. For applause this act ran second on the bill. Howard Thurston-15 mins.-Spec. set-As usual,he thoroughly mystified the audience, with his illusions,but received scant applause, which has been the rule throughout the past week. The action still continues slow, and, although the material is there for a "big" act, I doubt if Thurston can ever make a "big" act out of it. Larkins & Patterson-12 mins. in one-Two coons, man and woman,doing the usual work of the acts of this kind. We put them on to follow Thurston to wake the audience up, as we did with the Brittons last week in the rearrangement of the bill. This colored team,however,although good in some ways, lacks the necessary life to accomplish the waking up, and we will, probably, have to make another change. Mr. & Mrs. Jimmy Barry-18 mins.-C.D.F. in 3-close in one-In a sketch, "The New Boy." This act was not an awful hit--in fact it didn't reach our expectations at any stage of the game. It was on at four o'clock, and might have gone a great deal better earlier on the bill. We had to cut out such things as "damn fool," which Barry knew better than to..... Borani & Nevarro-10 mins.-C.D.F. the original Three Nevarros. The man has the same poor...... comedy that every foreign artist has, and although he can throw some pretty swift somersaults,he is an absolute failure as a comedian. The girl would have done better to stick to the old team. The act starts off slow,for the man insists on talking instead of giving hem action. Can be classed as a good acrobatic act,from an acrobatic standpoint. McIntyre & Heath-25 mins.-Open in one-C.D.F. in 3-In a new sketch,"Dr. Lorenzbreakerbone," which might have been named most anything. The act is good; but it gives McIntyre no opportunity for his droll talk and apparently pathetic expression that he uses to such advantage in the "Georgia Minstrels." The act has more action in it than any sketch they have ever presented, and during its course introduces six characters, three of them being local people. Of course, McIntyre & Heath are always good. Vitagraph-20 mins.-Sheet in one-"Little Red Riding Hood" for the children, and the parade pictures held over from last week. The show is quite a fall down from the past three weeks. It is not altogether bad, but the little good there is in it has to be scattered in such a way that it is hard to locate it. The "small" part of the show is not at all strong;Thurston,McIntyre & Heath are holdovers from last week,we have really nothing absolutely new to offer the public, except Lloyd. Of course, he is good;but it would take three such acts to make one forget the bad spots and the slow spots that are everywhere visible in the "smaller" acts on the bill. H. A. DANIELS.