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 156

CRITICISM OF SHOW. KEITH'S THEATRE, PHILADEL. JAN. 19TH.
Burto-Lowande Bijou Circus-16 mins.-Gar in [5?]-Two men and a woman (one man made up as clown) ponies and dogs; act introduces trapeze work and juggling. Good act.
Forrester & Floyd-15 mins. in one-man and woman in a singing and cross fire talking act; each makes one change; good.
Horse-Shoe Trio-17 mins.-car. in 3-Two men and a woman, cat and a property parrot; called an eccentric comedy sketch, but the comedy seems to be rather poor. There is a lack of bright talk. However, it's good to fill in time early in the bill.
Rosa Waynon-16 mins.-car. in [5?]-It takes a full specialty to set this act. As the Horse Shoe Trio did not close in one, there was a nine minute wait. The setting of the act is very beautiful; but the act doesn't get the applause it deserves.
Anna Caldwell-10 mins. in one-Neatly dressed woman, who endeavors to entertain with parody singing and stories. Personally, I couldn't laugh at the comedy; but the audience seemed to think it was good. Went well.
The Fadette Orchestra-30 mins.-car. in 5-I believe the interest in the act is beginning to lag and think that we need to introduce some new feature in connection with the routine selections. A soloist might help it. This is their 9th week.
Geo. W. Day-20 mins. in one-Blackface monologue. Pay more than "made good" this afternoon. His stuff went better than I anticipated with a Monday audience and he received plenty of applause.
Clay Clement & Co.-26 mins.-Set cottage and car. in 3-A sketch called "The Baron's Love Story," introducing Clement, his wife and his property man. It is extremely clever and contains much delicate humor. Clay Clement's German dialect is perfect. The act is excellent.
Marshall P. Wilder-15 mins.-Spec. drop in one-Wilder is not as well known here as in New York and is by no means as favorably thought of. He was well received this afternoon. There was no ovation attached to his reception, but he received a light hand. The audience listened patiently and intently to his stories and he seemed to thoroughly entertain them.
Rapoli-20 mins.-car. in 4, with spec. drop-Juggler. A good act, but not a great one. He is neither a Cinquevalli nor a Kara, but has a good clever juggling act. Had the place of honor on the bill.
Keogh & Ballard-26 mins.-Spec. set-A man and woman in a transformation scene, with two dark changes, entitled "A Vaudeville Surprise." The act opens in an interior and changes to an exterior where is introduced the proposal scene from "Ingomar." The next dark change shifts back to the original setting. The act is a good one, but cannot be classed as excellent. There was a wait of six minutes after Rapoli's close in one to set this act.
Four Lukens-10 mins.-car. in 5-Four men in an aerial bar act; greatest of its kind in the business.
Ward & Raymond-15 mins. in one-Man and woman in a song and dance. Man's clog dancing is especially good. The act received its share of applause.
Vernon-30 mins.-F. in 3; close in one-Vernon is clever and has as good a ventriloquial act, probably, as there is. The show was half an hour late, consequently he was buried at 5.20
Mr. & Mrs. Mark Murphy-35 mins.-F. in 3-A good little sketch, entitled "Why Dugan Swore Off," written by Melville Baker, the author of "Foxy Grandpa." While the sketch is not pretentious, it is a good clever little affair and gets many laughs. The audience seemed thoroughly pleased with it
SUMMARY   In quality the show is excellent; in quantity, sufficient; but in arrangement very poor. However, this has been remedied to some extent, although all the waits cannot be eliminated. The first break occurs after the Horse Shoe Trio, the 3rd act on the bill. They do not close in one and consequently it required nearly 9 mins. wait to set for Rosa Waynon's Birds. The second break occurred after Rapoli, the juggler. He did a three minute close in one, but that was not sufficient by several minutes to set the special trick scenery of Keogh & Ballard. Again Keogh & Ballard did a short close of three mins. in one, which was hardly enough to clear the stage of their own scenery and it required seven mins. of the hardest work to set for the Four Lukens, who followed them.
H. A. DANIELS.

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CRITICISM OF SHOW. KEITH'S THEATRE, PHILADEL. JAN. 19TH. Burto-Lowande Bijou Circus-16 mins.-Gar in [5?]-Two men and a woman (one man made up as clown) ponies and dogs; act introduces trapeze work and juggling. Good act. Forrester & Floyd-15 mins. in one-man and woman in a singing and cross fire talking act; each makes one change; good. Horse-Shoe Trio-17 mins.-car. in 3-Two men and a woman, cat and a property parrot; called an eccentric comedy sketch, but the comedy seems to be rather poor. There is a lack of bright talk. However, it's good to fill in time early in the bill. Rosa Waynon-16 mins.-car. in [5?]-It takes a full specialty to set this act. As the Horse Shoe Trio did not close in one, there was a nine minute wait. The setting of the act is very beautiful; but the act doesn't get the applause it deserves. Anna Caldwell-10 mins. in one-Neatly dressed woman, who endeavors to entertain with parody singing and stories. Personally, I couldn't laugh at the comedy; but the audience seemed to think it was good. Went well. The Fadette Orchestra-30 mins.-car. in 5-I believe the interest in the act is beginning to lag and think that we need to introduce some new feature in connection with the routine selections. A soloist might help it. This is their 9th week. Geo. W. Day-20 mins. in one-Blackface monologue. Pay more than "made good" this afternoon. His stuff went better than I anticipated with a Monday audience and he received plenty of applause. Clay Clement & Co.-26 mins.-Set cottage and car. in 3-A sketch called "The Baron's Love Story," introducing Clement, his wife and his property man. It is extremely clever and contains much delicate humor. Clay Clement's German dialect is perfect. The act is excellent. Marshall P. Wilder-15 mins.-Spec. drop in one-Wilder is not as well known here as in New York and is by no means as favorably thought of. He was well received this afternoon. There was no ovation attached to his reception, but he received a light hand. The audience listened patiently and intently to his stories and he seemed to thoroughly entertain them. Rapoli-20 mins.-car. in 4, with spec. drop-Juggler. A good act, but not a great one. He is neither a Cinquevalli nor a Kara, but has a good clever juggling act. Had the place of honor on the bill. Keogh & Ballard-26 mins.-Spec. set-A man and woman in a transformation scene, with two dark changes, entitled "A Vaudeville Surprise." The act opens in an interior and changes to an exterior where is introduced the proposal scene from "Ingomar." The next dark change shifts back to the original setting. The act is a good one, but cannot be classed as excellent. There was a wait of six minutes after Rapoli's close in one to set this act. Four Lukens-10 mins.-car. in 5-Four men in an aerial bar act; greatest of its kind in the business. Ward & Raymond-15 mins. in one-Man and woman in a song and dance. Man's clog dancing is especially good. The act received its share of applause. Vernon-30 mins.-F. in 3; close in one-Vernon is clever and has as good a ventriloquial act, probably, as there is. The show was half an hour late, consequently he was buried at 5.20 Mr. & Mrs. Mark Murphy-35 mins.-F. in 3-A good little sketch, entitled "Why Dugan Swore Off," written by Melville Baker, the author of "Foxy Grandpa." While the sketch is not pretentious, it is a good clever little affair and gets many laughs. The audience seemed thoroughly pleased with it SUMMARY In quality the show is excellent; in quantity, sufficient; but in arrangement very poor. However, this has been remedied to some extent, although all the waits cannot be eliminated. The first break occurs after the Horse Shoe Trio, the 3rd act on the bill. They do not close in one and consequently it required nearly 9 mins. wait to set for Rosa Waynon's Birds. The second break occurred after Rapoli, the juggler. He did a three minute close in one, but that was not sufficient by several minutes to set the special trick scenery of Keogh & Ballard. Again Keogh & Ballard did a short close of three mins. in one, which was hardly enough to clear the stage of their own scenery and it required seven mins. of the hardest work to set for the Four Lukens, who followed them. H. A. DANIELS.