Isabel Butler and Edward Bassett, a comely couple, are making their first
New York appearance with fancy ice skating on a stage. On a block of ice,
about ten feet long, five feet wide and raised six inches, Miss Butler
and Mr. Bassett are doing all possible tricks on skates which seemingly
may be accomplished in that limited space. The size of the ice is against
various pretty evolutions and team work.
Mr. Bassett wears several medals on his breast, probably for fancy skat
ing. He did several “ spins” which elicitedmuch applause, but Miss Butler
carried away the balance of favor of the audience. A winter scene was the
setting, with the skaters in prettily designed costumes.
They have a real novelty, which could be increased greatly if the block
of ice were larger, and the performers could improve their fancy work in
a similar ratio on the greater area. Opening the show at Fifty-eighth Street
this week, two curtain calls were responded to.
"Tom Butler, promoter of the artificial ice skating device used by Butler and Bassett
in their novelty and graceful skating act on real ice, Is one of the famous Butler Brothers,
known the world over in the old bicycle days. I had the pleasure of meeting Tom for the
first time since the closing of the old days when bicycle racing was the king of sports,
some nine years ago, when I used to real off a few myself, in company with these old
timers. Tom looks as good as he ever did and as though he had a few more good sprints left.
Edward Bassett, of the team of Bassett and Butler, skaters on artificial ice, closed at the
Majestic Theatre, Chicago, last week and will take a two weeks' rest. Mr Bassett goes to
St. Louis to try the ice on the Crystal Ice Rink after skatlng all season on a
six by ten skating surface. Miss Butler will visit Cleveland for a week's skating
at Ihe Elysium Rink. Butler and Bassett open again In two weeks, at Memphis, Tenn."