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Keith-Albee managers' report book, March 3-November 3, 1913

Page 245

PITTSBURGH, PA.
GRAND OPERA HOUSE.
OCT. 27th, 1913.
DIAZ'S MONKEYS.
10 minutes in Two. Special plush drop. I never could see this act as a big time attraction and I am more convinced than ever that a new set of plush curtains, however pretty and expensive, do not make it so. It is the poorest monkey show we have ever played.
NEVINS & ERWOOD. 15 minutes in One. Blackface singing, talking and dancing skit called "The Coal Man and the Maid." Mr. Nevins is an eccentric comedian, after the fashion of Bert Williams. The act could go down further in the bill.
AT THE CLUB.
22 minutes. Opening in One, going into full stage and closing in One. Will Oakland and quartet of men singers. Vocally, this act is the peer of any singing turn we have played. It seems to me it would be vastly improved if it were all done in One as a quintet number and no attempt were made to give it the dignity of a sketch.
WOMAN PROPOSES.
24 minutes, full stage. Conservatory set. This is Paul Armstrong's satire on the proposition that woman, instead of man, as traditionally supposed, pops the question. It is an exceedingly bright idea, full of snappy, humorous satirical lines and keeps our audience laughing all the while. Nevertheless, it is very badly played by a poorly rehearsed company. None of the players, not excepting Miss Ruth Allen, knew the lines either at the afternoon or evening performance, and many a good sincere laugh was lost through the uncertain, hesitating indecision of the actors. It seems a crime to send out an act of this sort without proper rehearsing.
RAY CONLIN.
16 minutes in One. Ventriloquist. Mr. Conlin works very much like the Great Lester. His enunciation is perfect, there was no perceptible movement of his lips and he has a witty dialogue with a puppet, which he handles skillfully.
GARDINER TRIO.
10 minutes. Full stage. Palace, Society dancing. Two pretty girls and a genteel young man in the Turkey Trot, the Tango and other ultra modern dances. A very attractive and neat dancing number, but I feel we have had a plethora of them already.
CLARK & HAMILTON.
31 minutes. Special sets. Opening in three, closing full stage. It was the first time Mr. Clark and Miss Hamilton, according to their own apologies, had played the act in five or six months. The ragged way it ran in the afternoon would lead one to believe they had never played it. No one seemed to know exactly what it was all about, and even their own property man had no knowledge of the cues. In the evening there was a little more smoothness. Mr. Clark is undoubtedly a fine comedian and in spite of all the handicaps under which he labored, due to his own neglect, he seemed to amuse the audience immensely. It looks to me like a case of a good comedian without the proper vehicle.
LILLIAN SHAW.
22 minutes. Opening in one with special drop in Two. Miss shaw is the hit of our bill. Her work shows a sure tendency toward refinement, there is a perceptible improvement in artistry, and although she sang the same songs she gave us last season, she left an impression which must have been as gratifying to her as it was to us.
CARL EUGENE TROUPE.
8 minutes, full stage, garden. Nine men and boys in acrobatics, pyramids, tumbling and somersaults. A very rapid act with some thrills, particularly the high stand somersaults of the boys. there seemed to be too many in the troupe, however, and occasionally some of them are in the road.
MOVING PICTURES. Pathe Weekly.
The same reiteration of unveilings, parades, etc., and then the chaser, "Mutt and Jeff." This weekly is a great idea, that that is what it lacks: ideas.

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PITTSBURGH, PA. GRAND OPERA HOUSE. OCT. 27th, 1913. DIAZ'S MONKEYS. 10 minutes in Two. Special plush drop. I never could see this act as a big time attraction and I am more convinced than ever that a new set of plush curtains, however pretty and expensive, do not make it so. It is the poorest monkey show we have ever played. NEVINS & ERWOOD. 15 minutes in One. Blackface singing, talking and dancing skit called "The Coal Man and the Maid." Mr. Nevins is an eccentric comedian, after the fashion of Bert Williams. The act could go down further in the bill. AT THE CLUB. 22 minutes. Opening in One, going into full stage and closing in One. Will Oakland and quartet of men singers. Vocally, this act is the peer of any singing turn we have played. It seems to me it would be vastly improved if it were all done in One as a quintet number and no attempt were made to give it the dignity of a sketch. WOMAN PROPOSES. 24 minutes, full stage. Conservatory set. This is Paul Armstrong's satire on the proposition that woman, instead of man, as traditionally supposed, pops the question. It is an exceedingly bright idea, full of snappy, humorous satirical lines and keeps our audience laughing all the while. Nevertheless, it is very badly played by a poorly rehearsed company. None of the players, not excepting Miss Ruth Allen, knew the lines either at the afternoon or evening performance, and many a good sincere laugh was lost through the uncertain, hesitating indecision of the actors. It seems a crime to send out an act of this sort without proper rehearsing. RAY CONLIN. 16 minutes in One. Ventriloquist. Mr. Conlin works very much like the Great Lester. His enunciation is perfect, there was no perceptible movement of his lips and he has a witty dialogue with a puppet, which he handles skillfully. GARDINER TRIO. 10 minutes. Full stage. Palace, Society dancing. Two pretty girls and a genteel young man in the Turkey Trot, the Tango and other ultra modern dances. A very attractive and neat dancing number, but I feel we have had a plethora of them already. CLARK & HAMILTON. 31 minutes. Special sets. Opening in three, closing full stage. It was the first time Mr. Clark and Miss Hamilton, according to their own apologies, had played the act in five or six months. The ragged way it ran in the afternoon would lead one to believe they had never played it. No one seemed to know exactly what it was all about, and even their own property man had no knowledge of the cues. In the evening there was a little more smoothness. Mr. Clark is undoubtedly a fine comedian and in spite of all the handicaps under which he labored, due to his own neglect, he seemed to amuse the audience immensely. It looks to me like a case of a good comedian without the proper vehicle. LILLIAN SHAW. 22 minutes. Opening in one with special drop in Two. Miss shaw is the hit of our bill. Her work shows a sure tendency toward refinement, there is a perceptible improvement in artistry, and although she sang the same songs she gave us last season, she left an impression which must have been as gratifying to her as it was to us. CARL EUGENE TROUPE. 8 minutes, full stage, garden. Nine men and boys in acrobatics, pyramids, tumbling and somersaults. A very rapid act with some thrills, particularly the high stand somersaults of the boys. there seemed to be too many in the troupe, however, and occasionally some of them are in the road. MOVING PICTURES. Pathe Weekly. The same reiteration of unveilings, parades, etc., and then the chaser, "Mutt and Jeff." This weekly is a great idea, that that is what it lacks: ideas.