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 216a

216
CRITICISM, KEITH'S BIJOU, MARCH 7th. 1904.   #2.
laughs. So well does he do it that while he is working he seems to be able to fully amuse his audience, and the act closed to good applause to-day. May drop them down to close the show for the balance of the week as they could hold down that position and give us a chance to use Gerard's act a little earlier
VAN FOSSEN & McCAULEY. Drop in one. 20 minutes. Two men in blackface makeup, singing, dancing and talking. Their singing is just passable, their talking is of the old style and introduces nothing new or bright. The dancing is the only redeeming point. This is the first I ever saw or heard of this pair, and as they were booked late to fill a vacancy, we were obliged to keep them on in this position. We are short acts in one, but they do deserve to be moved up considerably on the bill. 3 shows.
RYAN & RICHFIELD. Fashionable Hotel Room. 30 minutes. Ryan himself got a good reception, really the first reception of the day. Presenting their sketch "Mag Haggerty's Father", which is familiar to the whole of the Circuit. Ryan was as able to amuse and to gain as much laughter as he ever was here. The peculiar, abrupt, termination brought forth an inconsiderable amount of applause, but they may be said to have closed well. 2 shows.
OTTO BROTHERS. Drapery in one. 12 minutes. Singing, talking and dancing act in German character. The talk is of a kind, not up to what we expect of this class of artists, the dancing is only fair, and the only remarkable feature of the act is the singing of one of the boys of solos in a soprano voice. It is really a remarkable attempt, and if the young man would leave out his attempts at comedy in this singing, it would be a difficult matter to tell whether a good female soprano was singing or not. The act is hardly strong enough for its present position. Closed to good applause. 3 shows.
HELENE GERARD. Full Stage. 13 minutes. Miss Gerard also received a reception. Critically speaking, it may be said that some part of her work was appreciated by that class of the audience that understands riding of horses. To me and to the audience in general, there is nothing praiseworthy in the act. One of the horses was somewhat balky to-day, and what applause she gained at the close was only brought out from a certain section of the audience. It is not a good act for us and I think we could get along as well without it. 2 shows.
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. #2. laughs. So well does he do it that while he is working he seems to be able to fully amuse his audience, and the act closed to good applause to-day. May drop them down to close the show for the balance of the week as they could hold down that position and give us a chance to use Gerard's act a little earlier VAN FOSSEN & McCAULEY. Drop in one. 20 minutes. Two men in blackface makeup, singing, dancing and talking. Their singing is just passable, their talking is of the old style and introduces nothing new or bright. The dancing is the only redeeming point. This is the first I ever saw or heard of this pair, and as they were booked late to fill a vacancy, we were obliged to keep them on in this position. We are short acts in one, but they do deserve to be moved up considerably on the bill. 3 shows. RYAN & RICHFIELD. Fashionable Hotel Room. 30 minutes. Ryan himself got a good reception, really the first reception of the day. Presenting their sketch "Mag Haggerty's Father", which is familiar to the whole of the Circuit. Ryan was as able to amuse and to gain as much laughter as he ever was here. The peculiar, abrupt, termination brought forth an inconsiderable amount of applause, but they may be said to have closed well. 2 shows. OTTO BROTHERS. Drapery in one. 12 minutes. Singing, talking and dancing act in German character. The talk is of a kind, not up to what we expect of this class of artists, the dancing is only fair, and the only remarkable feature of the act is the singing of one of the boys of solos in a soprano voice. It is really a remarkable attempt, and if the young man would leave out his attempts at comedy in this singing, it would be a difficult matter to tell whether a good female soprano was singing or not. The act is hardly strong enough for its present position. Closed to good applause. 3 shows. HELENE GERARD. Full Stage. 13 minutes. Miss Gerard also received a reception. Critically speaking, it may be said that some part of her work was appreciated by that class of the audience that understands riding of horses. To me and to the audience in general, there is nothing praiseworthy in the act. One of the horses was somewhat balky to-day, and what applause she gained at the close was only brought out from a certain section of the audience. It is not a good act for us and I think we could get along as well without it. 2 shows. 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