The Indianapolis journal., 1904-02-16
The Vaudeville mt the Grand.

1t is not often that a better programme
of vaudeville acts is to be found than the
one offered at the Grand this week. The
bill is the best In a month and the matinee
and evening crowds that assembled for the
opening performances were well entertained.
One headline act' was promised, but
there really three features on the pro-
gramme deserving to be classed as top
mysterious exhibition furnished by THE
Great ArtestO,' from the Paris vaudeville
theaters, is the leading attraction; so far as
artistic merit Is concerned, the Nichols Sis
ters are entitled to the first honors. and in
respect of the amount of fun provided, the
advertised star act-that of the Nelson
COmiqueS-deSerVeS the place given it by
the management
The Great Artesto' speciality is a gen
uine surprise. NJ. ArtestO himself is not
seen at all He Is Frenchman, who en-
gineers the puzzlng exhibition. a pretty
French woman, who knows scarcely any
English, appears on the stage with a me
chanical figure that resembles the sort of
autOmaton used by ventrioquists. She
places this little dummy on a platform
three feet above the stage, and the specta-
tors are given an opportunity to see that
there is no one concealed under the plat
form and apparently 10 wires attached TO
the figure The automaton then proceeds
upon the command of the woman, TO di-
rect the orchestra and to draw crayon
pictures on large sheets of paper-one of
these pictures being fairly good likeness
OIL IIeSluenl ROOSEVELT. Inc trlck, lllu-
sion, or whatever Ii is, reminds one of the
automatic chess player in New Yorks Eden
Musee. and is just difficult of compre-
hension. 1t astonished yesterdays audi
ences and is bound TO be much talked about
this week.
The Nichols Sisters are better than ever.
and that is saying good deal. These In
dianpolis girls are two of the cleverest of
vaudeville entertainers, and they fully de-
serve the enthusiastic applause which al
ways greets them. Their representations OF
Tsfarnc iTrr -f-Fif
they can sing coon songs" as no other
feminine burnt-cOrk performers have ever
succeeded in singing them-with the real
negro infection in the voice and with the
infectious laugh that is often characteristic
of darkey girls. They have new songs TO
offer this season, and all of them are splen-
did numbers.
The Four Nelson Comiques give an act
that is a well-arranged mixture of start
ling acrObatics and hilarious nonsense. Two
of the men perform wonderful feats in
tumbng and the other two keep the au-
dience roaring with laughter by indulging
i'm clownish antics of an unexpected nature
The one sketch OF the bill IL provided by
j. G. Nugent and Jessie Charron Ii is the
same sketch which Mr.. Nugent presented
at the Grand last season. although il has
been considerably improved and is acted
I'm better style. Mr., Nugent is a clever
comedian and, although only fairly sup
ported by Miss Charron. he keeps his au-
dience I'm a good humor during the twenty
minutes that he appears.
The Three Rio Brothers, gymnasts and
athletes of the highest class, open the pro-
gramme Vaudeville shows often start with
the weakest act OF the bill, but such is not
the case at the Grand this week, as the
| Rios are excellent in their line of work
! 1t has been long time since a really meri-
torious illustrated song act has been seen
| here, and the Offering of Werden and Glad
dish is therefore thoroughly appreciated. 1t
| is the best act Of its kind now before the
public, young Mr.. Gladdish having sweet
| tenor voice, while Mr. Werdens illustra-
| tions beautiful, Joe Flynn. the we'll
j known monologuist, contributes jokes and