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 247

CRITICISM OF SHOWS.
KEITH'S THEATRE,PHILADEL., PA.
APR. [20?]TH

Cooke & [Don?]-[3?] shows-17 mins. in one.-Two men, one dressed as an Admiral and the other as a sailor, in a cross-fire talking and singing act, on affairs nautical. They have some good talk and the act is a good "small" one.

The Laurelles-3 shoes-10 mins.-Spec. set-Woman in white on a revolving globe, using full stage,with a dark back ground and depending on light effects and pictures of national celebreties thrown from the stereopticon on "fluttering white wings," after the style of Onri. The act is a very ordinary sort of affair and deserves no better place than it gets.

Henney & Millership-3 shows-13 mins. in one-Act booked by Mr. Jordan--price,YH--two young girls,doing singing and dancing,with quick changes of costumes. A good "little" act; in fact,good enough for the circuit in a "small" place.

Wordette & Kusel-3 shows-20 mins.-C.D.F. in 3-Man and woman, in a sketch,entitled "A Honeymoon in the Catskills." In capable hands this would be a good sketch. As it is,the man looks and acts like the champion welter weight of the East Side. The woman is not natural and inclined to be affected.

Armstrong & Wright-3 shows-15 mins. in one-Man and woman,in a talking, singing, and dancing act;went much better than we had anticipated,from previous criticisms. It is very lively and the man has a couple of good parodies. The feature of the act is the endurance dance of Miss Wright;but the whole act went strongly with out audience and was liberally applauded.

Flood Bros.-2 shows-12 mins.-Landscape in 4;close in one-Two men, comedy acrobats,one working straight,one grotesque. They have a good but not a great act. However,they went  strongly to-day and were received with liberal applause and laughter.

Frederick Bros. & Burns-2 shows-C.D.F. in 2;close in one-Two men and a woman, in a musical act. They introduce a glass xylophone novelty that is entertaining and attractive. They play a great deal of lively music and more than made good with the audience this afternoon.

Harry Le Clair-2 shows-[1?] mins.-C.D.F. in 2-Impersonator of famous actresses;always clever,entertaining and interesting.

Vitagraph-3 shows-20 mins.-Sheet in one-Had two excellent pictures, those of the "push ball" and "skying." The other pictures were very ordinary and were not as productive of laughter or applause as those of the first or second week.

Ten Ichi Troupe-2 shows-30 mins.-Open [with?] black art;then in one;close with spec. Set for water trick-They open with their old black art,which,of course,has been worked to death for years. the second part the girl does a few tricks in one,some of which are cleverly and others clumisly presented. The act closes with the well known water trick. The audience was much interested in Ten Ichi's thumb trick;but aside from that,the act did not go strongly and did not receive the applause anticipated.

Billy Van-2 shows-15 mins. in one-The minstrel man,has new stuff and with his unusually good delivery more than made good. We will shift him down on the bill in the place held by Clarice Vance.

Fred Hallen & Mollie Fuller-2 shows-20 mins.-C.D.F. in 3-Assisted by a man,in a sketch,entitled "Election Bets." They have had many better sketches. However,this is a good comedy sketch that was fairly well received,but it created no great enthusiasm and was hardly strong enough for a headliner. It could not hold them at 4.30

Clarice Vance-2 shows-12 mins. in one-She had hard work to get a hand. She had a difficult place on the bill and could not make good. Her hair was not becomingly arranged;she was dressed in very poor taste, and she made hardly any impression on the audience. Her name is a drawing card;but she has gone backward since her serious illness and is not at all the artiste she used to be.

Melrose Troupe-2 shows-12 mins.-Palace in 4-This is not an extraordinary troupe of acrobats;they waste a great deal of time in getting to work and do nothing that is new. For routine work they can be classed a s good.

The show is not a strong one,as we depended on Ten Ichi and Hallen & Fuller to show up to much better advantage. However,as there is no act on the bill that is unusually good, the acts that are only fair naturally do not show up poorly in comparison. Billy Van has the strongest act on the bill.

H. A. DANIELS.

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CRITICISM OF SHOWS. KEITH'S THEATRE,PHILADEL., PA. APR. [20?]TH Cooke & [Don?]-[3?] shows-17 mins. in one.-Two men, one dressed as an Admiral and the other as a sailor, in a cross-fire talking and singing act, on affairs nautical. They have some good talk and the act is a good "small" one. The Laurelles-3 shoes-10 mins.-Spec. set-Woman in white on a revolving globe, using full stage,with a dark back ground and depending on light effects and pictures of national celebreties thrown from the stereopticon on "fluttering white wings," after the style of Onri. The act is a very ordinary sort of affair and deserves no better place than it gets. Henney & Millership-3 shows-13 mins. in one-Act booked by Mr. Jordan--price,YH--two young girls,doing singing and dancing,with quick changes of costumes. A good "little" act; in fact,good enough for the circuit in a "small" place. Wordette & Kusel-3 shows-20 mins.-C.D.F. in 3-Man and woman, in a sketch,entitled "A Honeymoon in the Catskills." In capable hands this would be a good sketch. As it is,the man looks and acts like the champion welter weight of the East Side. The woman is not natural and inclined to be affected. Armstrong & Wright-3 shows-15 mins. in one-Man and woman,in a talking, singing, and dancing act;went much better than we had anticipated,from previous criticisms. It is very lively and the man has a couple of good parodies. The feature of the act is the endurance dance of Miss Wright;but the whole act went strongly with out audience and was liberally applauded. Flood Bros.-2 shows-12 mins.-Landscape in 4;close in one-Two men, comedy acrobats,one working straight,one grotesque. They have a good but not a great act. However,they went strongly to-day and were received with liberal applause and laughter. Frederick Bros. & Burns-2 shows-C.D.F. in 2;close in one-Two men and a woman, in a musical act. They introduce a glass xylophone novelty that is entertaining and attractive. They play a great deal of lively music and more than made good with the audience this afternoon. Harry Le Clair-2 shows-[1?] mins.-C.D.F. in 2-Impersonator of famous actresses;always clever,entertaining and interesting. Vitagraph-3 shows-20 mins.-Sheet in one-Had two excellent pictures, those of the "push ball" and "skying." The other pictures were very ordinary and were not as productive of laughter or applause as those of the first or second week. Ten Ichi Troupe-2 shows-30 mins.-Open [with?] black art;then in one;close with spec. Set for water trick-They open with their old black art,which,of course,has been worked to death for years. the second part the girl does a few tricks in one,some of which are cleverly and others clumisly presented. The act closes with the well known water trick. The audience was much interested in Ten Ichi's thumb trick;but aside from that,the act did not go strongly and did not receive the applause anticipated. Billy Van-2 shows-15 mins. in one-The minstrel man,has new stuff and with his unusually good delivery more than made good. We will shift him down on the bill in the place held by Clarice Vance. Fred Hallen & Mollie Fuller-2 shows-20 mins.-C.D.F. in 3-Assisted by a man,in a sketch,entitled "Election Bets." They have had many better sketches. However,this is a good comedy sketch that was fairly well received,but it created no great enthusiasm and was hardly strong enough for a headliner. It could not hold them at 4.30 Clarice Vance-2 shows-12 mins. in one-She had hard work to get a hand. She had a difficult place on the bill and could not make good. Her hair was not becomingly arranged;she was dressed in very poor taste, and she made hardly any impression on the audience. Her name is a drawing card;but she has gone backward since her serious illness and is not at all the artiste she used to be. Melrose Troupe-2 shows-12 mins.-Palace in 4-This is not an extraordinary troupe of acrobats;they waste a great deal of time in getting to work and do nothing that is new. For routine work they can be classed a s good. The show is not a strong one,as we depended on Ten Ichi and Hallen & Fuller to show up to much better advantage. However,as there is no act on the bill that is unusually good, the acts that are only fair naturally do not show up poorly in comparison. Billy Van has the strongest act on the bill. H. A. DANIELS.