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

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

Page 225

225
KEITH'S THEATRE, Cleveland.
Report of Show, Week Beginning Nov. 7th: 1904.
BARRY & HALVERS: Eccentric Comedy Duo. Barry in his make up as a tramp does quite a little talking and Miss Halvers does a little singing. At the finish they do some dancing. The act is only a fair one and they just about get away here without being called bad. It is not the style of an act that pleases Cleveland audiences. In fact they dont want tramp make up here. 18 minutes full stage, can close in one if necessary.
HARRIGAN: Tramp Juggler. He does a little juggling, sings some parodies and finishes up with about three minutes of talking; in some places very slangy. He did not go very well down on the bill so I was obliged to move him up farther. 16 minutes in one.
ROSAIRE & DORETO: Comedy acrobatic act, and a good one. This act also had considerable talking in it and I asked them to cut it out. The act seemed to go just as well without it as the comedy was entirely due to the funny acrobatic stunts of one of the men. The act is short only running about nine minutes, full stage.
AMELIA SUMMERVILLE: In her old specialty called the "Pink Tea". I was obliged to have her work entirely in one and her act went just as well there as in full stage. Her name has absolutely no drawing power in this city. What she does is practically the same as always except that her songs have been changed a little. She only went fair. 11 minutes.
BARROWS LANCASTER CO: In a dramatic comedy entitled "When Georgiana was 18". There is nothing to this act that I can see that is of any value. In fact I think it is the worst one he has had. I dont mean to say that it is a bad act as both Barrows and Lancaster and good performers, but there is nothing to the sketch. 21 minutes full stage.
4 AVOLOS: Xylophone ARtists. this is a very good act; in fact one of the best we have played. Still one of the evening papers here, called the Press, called it a bad act, while the other papers spoke very highly of it. 11 minutes in two.
GEO. H. WOOD: Black face comedian. He had a line of talk that ran about 25 minutes; in fact he talked the people to sleep. The best part of his act is his finish when he recites a few comedy verses. I cut his act to 17 minutes. All in one.
GILLETT'S MUSICAL DOGS: This is as good as any of the animal acts we have played, and is no doubt familiar to everybody. 22 minutes open in one close full stage.
AMERICAN BIOGRAPH: We are running two films this week, one called "The Quarrelsome Washerwoman" which is a fair picture. The other "A Drama in the Air" is very good. 7 minutes.
NOTE: This show does not give satisfaction containing too much talking. Barry & Halvers, Harrigan, Rosaire & Doreto, Summerville, Barrows & Lancaster, Geo. H. Wood are all talking acts. This is one thing that Cleveland audiences do not want. Besides there are two tramp make ups, Harrigan and Barry. Rosaire and Doreto also use a make up very much on that order.

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225 KEITH'S THEATRE, Cleveland. Report of Show, Week Beginning Nov. 7th: 1904. BARRY & HALVERS: Eccentric Comedy Duo. Barry in his make up as a tramp does quite a little talking and Miss Halvers does a little singing. At the finish they do some dancing. The act is only a fair one and they just about get away here without being called bad. It is not the style of an act that pleases Cleveland audiences. In fact they dont want tramp make up here. 18 minutes full stage, can close in one if necessary. HARRIGAN: Tramp Juggler. He does a little juggling, sings some parodies and finishes up with about three minutes of talking; in some places very slangy. He did not go very well down on the bill so I was obliged to move him up farther. 16 minutes in one. ROSAIRE & DORETO: Comedy acrobatic act, and a good one. This act also had considerable talking in it and I asked them to cut it out. The act seemed to go just as well without it as the comedy was entirely due to the funny acrobatic stunts of one of the men. The act is short only running about nine minutes, full stage. AMELIA SUMMERVILLE: In her old specialty called the "Pink Tea". I was obliged to have her work entirely in one and her act went just as well there as in full stage. Her name has absolutely no drawing power in this city. What she does is practically the same as always except that her songs have been changed a little. She only went fair. 11 minutes. BARROWS LANCASTER CO: In a dramatic comedy entitled "When Georgiana was 18". There is nothing to this act that I can see that is of any value. In fact I think it is the worst one he has had. I dont mean to say that it is a bad act as both Barrows and Lancaster and good performers, but there is nothing to the sketch. 21 minutes full stage. 4 AVOLOS: Xylophone ARtists. this is a very good act; in fact one of the best we have played. Still one of the evening papers here, called the Press, called it a bad act, while the other papers spoke very highly of it. 11 minutes in two. GEO. H. WOOD: Black face comedian. He had a line of talk that ran about 25 minutes; in fact he talked the people to sleep. The best part of his act is his finish when he recites a few comedy verses. I cut his act to 17 minutes. All in one. GILLETT'S MUSICAL DOGS: This is as good as any of the animal acts we have played, and is no doubt familiar to everybody. 22 minutes open in one close full stage. AMERICAN BIOGRAPH: We are running two films this week, one called "The Quarrelsome Washerwoman" which is a fair picture. The other "A Drama in the Air" is very good. 7 minutes. NOTE: This show does not give satisfaction containing too much talking. Barry & Halvers, Harrigan, Rosaire & Doreto, Summerville, Barrows & Lancaster, Geo. H. Wood are all talking acts. This is one thing that Cleveland audiences do not want. Besides there are two tramp make ups, Harrigan and Barry. Rosaire and Doreto also use a make up very much on that order.