Local drama was quite popular in the 20's. Although I can't quite tell if the man and his two ladies (background), are supposed to be pirates or Gypsies.

Love the shoe bulge too.

I've noticed in my family photos of my young grandparents in the late '20's that the foot bulge was quite fashionable for women. The Shorpy photos of the same period raised my memory of this style and reminded me of why my Grandma's feet were so distorted. Early Popeye cartoons showed Olive Oyle with the same "foot cleavage" but this lady has taken it to the extreme.

I believe JohnHoward has it nearly correct about a "vamp". However, it doesn't seem to be part of the shoe, and I think it's more likely a costuming device (probably "flesh colored") designed to make it look as if the shoes are severely squishing her feet. On the right foot (on the floor) you can clearly see a piece of cloth(?) attached to the "vamp" and going around the ankle just above the back of the shoe.

[Um, that's the heel of the lady's stocking. Which is indeed "flesh-colored cloth." -Dave]

of foot in a 2 pound shoe.

Typical of an amateur drama group without a budget, the Sultan, all dressed in white couldn't afford matching white shoes so he tried to cover his dark shoes with liquid white shoe polish. It didn't quite work.

[These aren't people who couldn't afford things. -tterrace]

Yup. Shoes 2, feet 0.

She'd be cute even today.

The V in her husband's name stood for Virginius, and her first name was Araminta -- Araminta Thompson Iden, to be specific. She appears to have been one of several Araminta Thompsons born in the 19th century.

That poor woman's feet!