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Keith-Albee managers' report book, December 11, 1911-September 9, 1912
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CRITICISM: FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE, NEW YORK CITY. Week of December 18, 1911. The idea of presenting acts entirely new in New York City seems to have caught on. Yesterday was the biggest Monday in four weeks. They all had friends and advance applause was the result. At the evening performance the entire show played beautifully. Mme. Adelaide Norwood was the absolute applause hit, singing five numbers. While Haydn, Borden and Haydn and McConnell and Simpson ran even as comedy hits, with Charles Kellogg as a novelty, will create the talk. CYCLING BRUNETTES: A pleasing bicycle act with two men in a series of ordinary stunts with some light comedy. Good opener; full stage 8 minutes. EDWIN GEORGE: Billed as "Almost a Juggler". He has an over-abundance of witty talk and with attempts at jugglery proved a novel little act for an early place. 16 minutes in one. HUGH MC CORMACK & GRACE WALLACE: Ventriloquil skit entitled, "At the Seaside" using their own drop 1-1/2. Material is bright and interesting, the woman doing the singing, is quite novel. The little boy, one year and eight months old was introduced at their matinee performance, proved a knockout and believe gave the act a grand stand finish. 19 minutes. JOHN HENSHAW & GRACE AVERY: in a musical comedy skit entitled, "A Stranger in a Strange Flat". John Henshaw is a musical comedy star, featured the season before last with Lew Fields. Last season at the Herald Square in "The Girl and the Club Man". Grace Avery has a pleasing personality and good delivery. Sketch is exceptionally bright, with many laughs, tells a little story although contains many spicy lines which we were compelled to soften. They encore in one with a little singing and dancing, finishing with a pantomime, which sent them off to a good hand. 26 minutes. CHARLES KELLOGG: Presenting a remarkable scientific demonstration, uses wood setting; makes his entrance whistling bird songs which he claims is a gift of nature and not an imitation. Sings several bird songs with piano accompaniment. The novelty of the act is the dancing flames which respond to the vibrations of his voice, and finally extinguishes the light. Produces fire from two pieces of wood which he claims is friction. Closes his performance singing bird songs using Victor record. An intensely interesting study and purely scientific and a hit. He was compelled to close the show at the afternoon performance and with one-half the house going out he caught them on his entrance and they remained standing until he finish and then gave him a rousing hand. 26 minutes full stage. MME. ADELAIDE NORWOOD: It is not often that a vaudeville bill is graced by a real grand opera star, but here is one. To put it mild, she was the applause hit of the show at both performances. Her repertoire is well chosen, consisting of "La Tosca" Aria C. Puccini, "Blue Danube Waltzes" R. Strauss, "Die Walkure" "The Cry" Richard Wagner, "Come Back to Erin" and "Polly". 15 minutes in one. MC CONNELL AND SIMPSON: Miss McConnell portrays two distinct characters, each cleverly presented and with the assistence of two men offer an excellent comedy entitled "The Right Girl", which contains many bright lines and a lot of strong laughs, proved the laughing hit of the show and the equal of any sketch played here. 24 minutes, full stage. HAYDN, BORDEN AND HAYDN: Three genuine vaudeville entertainers, good instrumentalists with good voices. Continued laughs and applause throughout, left them wanting more. 22 minutes in one and one-half. "IDEAL": Lady swimmer and acrobatic diver. This lady uses a backing consisting of black plush curtains with the stage dark and working in the spot light; with her manager announcing the various diving stunts. Could be made an excellent aquatic act but lacks presentation and finish. The girl is good looking and the opinion is that she is a better diver than Annette Kellerman but has not got the Kellerman finish. However, the audience approved of her work and appreciated every dive with a good strong hand at the finish.
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CRITICISM: FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE, NEW YORK CITY. Week of December 18, 1911. The idea of presenting acts entirely new in New York City seems to have caught on. Yesterday was the biggest Monday in four weeks. They all had friends and advance applause was the result. At the evening performance the entire show played beautifully. Mme. Adelaide Norwood was the absolute applause hit, singing five numbers. While Haydn, Borden and Haydn and McConnell and Simpson ran even as comedy hits, with Charles Kellogg as a novelty, will create the talk. CYCLING BRUNETTES: A pleasing bicycle act with two men in a series of ordinary stunts with some light comedy. Good opener; full stage 8 minutes. EDWIN GEORGE: Billed as "Almost a Juggler". He has an over-abundance of witty talk and with attempts at jugglery proved a novel little act for an early place. 16 minutes in one. HUGH MC CORMACK & GRACE WALLACE: Ventriloquil skit entitled, "At the Seaside" using their own drop 1-1/2. Material is bright and interesting, the woman doing the singing, is quite novel. The little boy, one year and eight months old was introduced at their matinee performance, proved a knockout and believe gave the act a grand stand finish. 19 minutes. JOHN HENSHAW & GRACE AVERY: in a musical comedy skit entitled, "A Stranger in a Strange Flat". John Henshaw is a musical comedy star, featured the season before last with Lew Fields. Last season at the Herald Square in "The Girl and the Club Man". Grace Avery has a pleasing personality and good delivery. Sketch is exceptionally bright, with many laughs, tells a little story although contains many spicy lines which we were compelled to soften. They encore in one with a little singing and dancing, finishing with a pantomime, which sent them off to a good hand. 26 minutes. CHARLES KELLOGG: Presenting a remarkable scientific demonstration, uses wood setting; makes his entrance whistling bird songs which he claims is a gift of nature and not an imitation. Sings several bird songs with piano accompaniment. The novelty of the act is the dancing flames which respond to the vibrations of his voice, and finally extinguishes the light. Produces fire from two pieces of wood which he claims is friction. Closes his performance singing bird songs using Victor record. An intensely interesting study and purely scientific and a hit. He was compelled to close the show at the afternoon performance and with one-half the house going out he caught them on his entrance and they remained standing until he finish and then gave him a rousing hand. 26 minutes full stage. MME. ADELAIDE NORWOOD: It is not often that a vaudeville bill is graced by a real grand opera star, but here is one. To put it mild, she was the applause hit of the show at both performances. Her repertoire is well chosen, consisting of "La Tosca" Aria C. Puccini, "Blue Danube Waltzes" R. Strauss, "Die Walkure" "The Cry" Richard Wagner, "Come Back to Erin" and "Polly". 15 minutes in one. MC CONNELL AND SIMPSON: Miss McConnell portrays two distinct characters, each cleverly presented and with the assistence of two men offer an excellent comedy entitled "The Right Girl", which contains many bright lines and a lot of strong laughs, proved the laughing hit of the show and the equal of any sketch played here. 24 minutes, full stage. HAYDN, BORDEN AND HAYDN: Three genuine vaudeville entertainers, good instrumentalists with good voices. Continued laughs and applause throughout, left them wanting more. 22 minutes in one and one-half. "IDEAL": Lady swimmer and acrobatic diver. This lady uses a backing consisting of black plush curtains with the stage dark and working in the spot light; with her manager announcing the various diving stunts. Could be made an excellent aquatic act but lacks presentation and finish. The girl is good looking and the opinion is that she is a better diver than Annette Kellerman but has not got the Kellerman finish. However, the audience approved of her work and appreciated every dive with a good strong hand at the finish.
Keith-Albee Collection
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