DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Keith-Albee managers' report book, September 21, 1903 - March 14, 1904

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Keith-Albee managers' report book, September 21, 1903 - March 14, 1904

Page 216

216
CRITICISM, KEITH'S BIJOU, MARCH 7th. 1904.
STEREOPTICON. Usual collection of views of which we only used about half. The show following being a long one. 5 minutes.
CHRISTIAN & TURNER. Palace in 4. Closing 3 minutes in one. 16 min. Working on skates, these two colored men present an act that is a novelty. One of the men is clever to a degree, and the one on whom the comedy rests is able to evoke very much laughter. Fair applause throughout, but their close in one just barely brought them off with the courtesy hand. 3 shows. A good act for the whole circuit early.
PRYOR BROTHERS. Open drapery in one to C. D. F. Close in one. 12 minutes. Two young fellows who sing fairly well and dance decently. Their musical work comprises the use of a number of string instruments, and while their work is not remarkable in any way, they managed to catch our audience to-day, and closed to unusually good applause for an act this early on the bill. 3 shows.
KUMINS TRIO. C. D. F. 22 minutes. Close in one 3 minutes. Man, woman and child in a nonsensical sketch that is doubtless well known over the Circuit. The child seems to be the mainstay of the piece, and while the act brought forth considerable laughter, they closed to fairly good applause and can hold down this position first rate. 3 shows.
AERIAL SMITHS. Garden in 4. 10 minutes. Man and woman, evidently having circus experience. They work rapidly, cleverly, and accurately, and their closing stunt, an old circus act, in which the girl is dropped out over the audience enabled them to close to a remarkable burst of applause, in fact it is a good many days since such enthusiastic hand-clapping was gained by an act here. This is an act that would pass with honor and applause in any position in any bill. 3 shows.
ORCHESTRA. Usual selection of good quality. 5 minutes.
HUBERT DEVEAUX. Open Garden in 2, then to one. 18 minutes. His crayon work was fairly received throughout and for an ungraceful chap, without ability to discuss, he managed to close to good applause. His act seems about 5 minutes too long. 3 shows.
THREE HICKMAN BROTHERS. C. D. F. 17 minutes. Two work comedy make-up, one straight. Has been several years since the Hickman Brothers showed in our domicile, but their pleasing little act, made more pleasing by the versatility of the men still possesses its good qualities. The applause gained by the comedian of the Trio was general and enabled the act to close to very good applause. 2 shows.
MILDRED GROVER & PICKANINNIES. Drapery in one, 17 minutes. Woman of fairly good personal appearance, who could dress with more taste. It is the conventional Pickaninny act and her fault seems to be that she allows the Pickaninnies to work too much, instead of keeping the centre of the stage herself. She claims to have a cold, but her voice was not bad to-day. Closed to fairly good applause but it might be necessary to lift this act up one or two positions. 3 shows.
St. Onge Brothers. Wood in 4. 15 minutes. Comedy bycycle act, in which the comedian does some excellent tumbling and makes some good



BIOGRAPH. Set of pictures perhaps a trifle above their average show, headed by "An Elopement a la Mode" which is interesting and amusing.
COMMENT.
We have a very long show, so long that Miss Gerard does not get on until 5 o'clock, and by that time it is possible to surfeit an audience with variety and amusement, ours was possible surfeited to-day. However, the whole bill can be called good. Some of the acts are surprisingly good but as we are favored with a large number of 3 a-day acts, some of them are bound to creep in to the best part of the show, and militate against the good acts. The Aerial Smiths were undoubtedly the his of the bill, and in fact, several of the opening acts were very well received by a very

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216 CRITICISM, KEITH'S BIJOU, MARCH 7th. 1904. STEREOPTICON. Usual collection of views of which we only used about half. The show following being a long one. 5 minutes. CHRISTIAN & TURNER. Palace in 4. Closing 3 minutes in one. 16 min. Working on skates, these two colored men present an act that is a novelty. One of the men is clever to a degree, and the one on whom the comedy rests is able to evoke very much laughter. Fair applause throughout, but their close in one just barely brought them off with the courtesy hand. 3 shows. A good act for the whole circuit early. PRYOR BROTHERS. Open drapery in one to C. D. F. Close in one. 12 minutes. Two young fellows who sing fairly well and dance decently. Their musical work comprises the use of a number of string instruments, and while their work is not remarkable in any way, they managed to catch our audience to-day, and closed to unusually good applause for an act this early on the bill. 3 shows. KUMINS TRIO. C. D. F. 22 minutes. Close in one 3 minutes. Man, woman and child in a nonsensical sketch that is doubtless well known over the Circuit. The child seems to be the mainstay of the piece, and while the act brought forth considerable laughter, they closed to fairly good applause and can hold down this position first rate. 3 shows. AERIAL SMITHS. Garden in 4. 10 minutes. Man and woman, evidently having circus experience. They work rapidly, cleverly, and accurately, and their closing stunt, an old circus act, in which the girl is dropped out over the audience enabled them to close to a remarkable burst of applause, in fact it is a good many days since such enthusiastic hand-clapping was gained by an act here. This is an act that would pass with honor and applause in any position in any bill. 3 shows. ORCHESTRA. Usual selection of good quality. 5 minutes. HUBERT DEVEAUX. Open Garden in 2, then to one. 18 minutes. His crayon work was fairly received throughout and for an ungraceful chap, without ability to discuss, he managed to close to good applause. His act seems about 5 minutes too long. 3 shows. THREE HICKMAN BROTHERS. C. D. F. 17 minutes. Two work comedy make-up, one straight. Has been several years since the Hickman Brothers showed in our domicile, but their pleasing little act, made more pleasing by the versatility of the men still possesses its good qualities. The applause gained by the comedian of the Trio was general and enabled the act to close to very good applause. 2 shows. MILDRED GROVER & PICKANINNIES. Drapery in one, 17 minutes. Woman of fairly good personal appearance, who could dress with more taste. It is the conventional Pickaninny act and her fault seems to be that she allows the Pickaninnies to work too much, instead of keeping the centre of the stage herself. She claims to have a cold, but her voice was not bad to-day. Closed to fairly good applause but it might be necessary to lift this act up one or two positions. 3 shows. St. Onge Brothers. Wood in 4. 15 minutes. Comedy bycycle act, in which the comedian does some excellent tumbling and makes some good BIOGRAPH. Set of pictures perhaps a trifle above their average show, headed by "An Elopement a la Mode" which is interesting and amusing. COMMENT. We have a very long show, so long that Miss Gerard does not get on until 5 o'clock, and by that time it is possible to surfeit an audience with variety and amusement, ours was possible surfeited to-day. However, the whole bill can be called good. Some of the acts are surprisingly good but as we are favored with a large number of 3 a-day acts, some of them are bound to creep in to the best part of the show, and militate against the good acts. The Aerial Smiths were undoubtedly the his of the bill, and in fact, several of the opening acts were very well received by a very