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 178

178
REPORT ON SHOW KEITH'S THEATRE, PROVIDENCE, R. I. WEEK OF FEBRUARY 9, 1903. ( CHARLES LOVENBERG)

The bill this week by no means compares with those we have been giving of late. The individual acts may not be called bad but the whole program takes on an aspect of common place. The only acts out of the ordinary being those of W. C. Fields, The Holly Tree Inn, and Kline, Ott Brothers and Nickerson. We were immeasurably handicapped by the weakness of the leading feature, The Dunns, who positively failed to make good.

Stereopticon.   As usual.
Spaulding.   Acrobbatic tramp. Considering salary and place on the bill may be classed as a good act. 10 min. opening in two or three closing in one.
Miller & Kresco.   Black face song and dance.  Usual act of that kind. singing coon songs doing buck-dancing of the ordinary type. Fairly good. 10 min. in one.
Berol and Berol.   Rag pictures. Probably the best in that line. 11 min. in three.
Biograph.   Collection of views. Fairly good.
Rossi Brothers. Comedy acrobats in which one of them makes up as a dummy and is thrown about the stage by the other two. Greatest amount of comedy being derived from the smashing of chairs. 15 min. open full stage close in one. Fairly good.
Clan Johnson Troupe.   International dancers and bag-pipe player. I can't see just where this act comes in and the audience were somewhat inclined to guy the bag-pipe yesterday afternoon. I can't say that I blamed them much. These sets have never done anything in this house and I think it would be best to omit therm hereafter . 15 minutes open full stage close in one.
Kline, Ott Brothers and Nickerson.   Straight musical act. Among the best in their line. 18 min. open in three close in one.
The Holly Tree INN.   Most dainty little sketch founded on Dickens' story and pleased the audience greatly. Capably interpreted by three adults and two children. 19 min. in three.
E. J. Rice.   Monologue. For a beginner he does surprisingly well and should not be surprised if he would shortly be one of the leaders in his line. 14 min. in one.
Arthur & Jennie Dunn.   This act fell down with an awful bump. They never were strong here but I had been led to believe that they had a lot of new stuff written for them by Ezra Kendall which proved to not be the case. Every word and jesture is just the same as when the act was first produced some years ago and it is an imposition at the prices we are paying for it. At most it is worth $150., and far from being a head-liner, it should be fifth or sixth on the bill. I was obliged to move them up to an early position. 16 min. in 3.
James Richmond Glenroy.   Irish monologue. At best a very good act but as he is telling exactly the same stuff that he has for the last couple of times he fails to be of any value from a drawing standpoint. 18 min. in one.
W. C. Fields.   This act will probably be of most value to us of any on the bill. He has a lot of new tricks which he presents better than before and has improved in his comedy as well as having added to his work some billard double shots that aremost surprising among them, that of shooting a ball on the table to the opposite cushion having it bounce back and go over his head falling into his hip pocket. 20 min. full stage.
Avery and Hart. Colored talking act. Very good. 15 min. in one. 
The Three Millettes. Acrobats. Do a good act but nothing startling. They arel not just what we ought to have to close our show with and I see no way of changing them. 10 miutes full stage.
Farrelly & Furey. A very tame talking and singing act. Talking amounts to nothing, singing is fairly good. 15 min. in one.
Wesson & Walters. Company.   Comedy sketch in which the feature is a little boy who goes well, more on account of his size and good looks than because of any particular work that he does. The act is ordinary. 18 min. full stage.
Wyman & Garner.   One man straight the other a very bad Dutchman. The set is fair only. 15 min. in one.

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178 REPORT ON SHOW KEITH'S THEATRE, PROVIDENCE, R. I. WEEK OF FEBRUARY 9, 1903. ( CHARLES LOVENBERG) The bill this week by no means compares with those we have been giving of late. The individual acts may not be called bad but the whole program takes on an aspect of common place. The only acts out of the ordinary being those of W. C. Fields, The Holly Tree Inn, and Kline, Ott Brothers and Nickerson. We were immeasurably handicapped by the weakness of the leading feature, The Dunns, who positively failed to make good. Stereopticon. As usual. Spaulding. Acrobbatic tramp. Considering salary and place on the bill may be classed as a good act. 10 min. opening in two or three closing in one. Miller & Kresco. Black face song and dance. Usual act of that kind. singing coon songs doing buck-dancing of the ordinary type. Fairly good. 10 min. in one. Berol and Berol. Rag pictures. Probably the best in that line. 11 min. in three. Biograph. Collection of views. Fairly good. Rossi Brothers. Comedy acrobats in which one of them makes up as a dummy and is thrown about the stage by the other two. Greatest amount of comedy being derived from the smashing of chairs. 15 min. open full stage close in one. Fairly good. Clan Johnson Troupe. International dancers and bag-pipe player. I can't see just where this act comes in and the audience were somewhat inclined to guy the bag-pipe yesterday afternoon. I can't say that I blamed them much. These sets have never done anything in this house and I think it would be best to omit therm hereafter . 15 minutes open full stage close in one. Kline, Ott Brothers and Nickerson. Straight musical act. Among the best in their line. 18 min. open in three close in one. The Holly Tree INN. Most dainty little sketch founded on Dickens' story and pleased the audience greatly. Capably interpreted by three adults and two children. 19 min. in three. E. J. Rice. Monologue. For a beginner he does surprisingly well and should not be surprised if he would shortly be one of the leaders in his line. 14 min. in one. Arthur & Jennie Dunn. This act fell down with an awful bump. They never were strong here but I had been led to believe that they had a lot of new stuff written for them by Ezra Kendall which proved to not be the case. Every word and jesture is just the same as when the act was first produced some years ago and it is an imposition at the prices we are paying for it. At most it is worth $150., and far from being a head-liner, it should be fifth or sixth on the bill. I was obliged to move them up to an early position. 16 min. in 3. James Richmond Glenroy. Irish monologue. At best a very good act but as he is telling exactly the same stuff that he has for the last couple of times he fails to be of any value from a drawing standpoint. 18 min. in one. W. C. Fields. This act will probably be of most value to us of any on the bill. He has a lot of new tricks which he presents better than before and has improved in his comedy as well as having added to his work some billard double shots that aremost surprising among them, that of shooting a ball on the table to the opposite cushion having it bounce back and go over his head falling into his hip pocket. 20 min. full stage. Avery and Hart. Colored talking act. Very good. 15 min. in one. The Three Millettes. Acrobats. Do a good act but nothing startling. They arel not just what we ought to have to close our show with and I see no way of changing them. 10 miutes full stage. Farrelly & Furey. A very tame talking and singing act. Talking amounts to nothing, singing is fairly good. 15 min. in one. Wesson & Walters. Company. Comedy sketch in which the feature is a little boy who goes well, more on account of his size and good looks than because of any particular work that he does. The act is ordinary. 18 min. full stage. Wyman & Garner. One man straight the other a very bad Dutchman. The set is fair only. 15 min. in one.