AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 45, 22 February 1910, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

—.-,,-.., m) _5 .'- CARTER, MAGICIAN. * Carter, the well-known American prestidigitateur and illusionist, who toured _\ew Zealand some two years ago. returns to us once again after a, top round the world, and, assisted by an able company, commenced a season last night at His Majesty- Theatre in. the presence of _ large audience. Good, as was tbe entertainment provided by this clever artist when he was last here, the lapse of two years has made it better than ever. Mystification is the keynote of the performance lrom start to finish. Many of the illusions presented last night we have, of' course, seen more than once before, but' it is an eloquent testimony to the skill and dexterity of Carter to ' assert the I bare. truth that they are more puzzling ' than ever. He must indeed be a clever Receiver who can deceive the same people i again and again in the same way. The I first part of the programme consists essentially of sleight-of-hand illusions. depending for their effect upon digital i and manual dexterity. Nobody can watch those tricks without realising how very deceptive the eye is, and how far fro/m conclusive evidence based upon ordinary observation sometimes is. There are nine items in this part of the entertainment, all more amazing the one than tbe other. In "Rapid Transit" w6-are shown the instant and inexplicable passage of a card from one part of the stage to the other. " The Enchanted Cone and Orange" Introduces some astonishing transpositions. Then follow some very clever shuffles, and these give-way in turn to a very puzzling illusion in which Outer, standing at one end of- the stage, produces from a pack of cards contained in a. glass upon a table at the other end cards selected by the audience. Another very puzzling illusion, entitled: " Metamorphosis," presents the phenomenon of a card torn to pieces by a member of the audience being made -whole again with the exception of one corner retained by that member. The card __d piece join, together exactly. Then we have the well-known Astral Hand, shown by Carter when he "was here before, winch, by means of taps, answers : questions put to it with astonishing rap-! idity and exactitude. "A Conjuring Effect fromJjnxor" presents in a. new and elaborate guise the familiar phenomenon of jewellery apparently hammered to -pieces being returned whole again to the owners. '"The Inexhaustible Bottle" .provides thirsty members of the audience with any drink they care to call for, and finally, upon being broken, is found to contain a ring missing at the conclusion of the preceding illusion. The first part of the programme concludes with the -■world-famous Invitation act, in which a young girl, reclining asleep, is made to defy all the laws" of gravity by rising slowly in the air, and resting suspended there for a considerable time with no apparent support. This nhzsion has been greatly improved since it was last seen here, and is indeed a most inexplicable and startling performance. Tie second part of the programme shows how tie illusion attributed by -spiritualists to the agency of the spirit world can be reproduced by natural agency. "The Seance of Simla" introduces the -well-known cabinet trick in a much improved form, and exploits the pet theories of theosophists and spiritualists. It is a most interesting act. Then. Corinne Garter, the psychic phenomenon, sitting blindfolded upon the stage, describes the possessions of members of the audience, and answers questions, ostensibly by mental telepathy, in a very uncanny fashion. Another startling phenomenon, entitled "The Magical Divorce," in which a human being is made instantly to vanish from the stage, concludes the second part of the programme. In the third part C_rter appears in the guise of a Chinese magician, giving an exposition of the astonishing manner in which the necromancers of the country produce huge objects, including vegetables, fruit, geese and large pails o. water, from nothing. Some interesting illusions are also presented by Mass Pierce, a girl conjuror. The whole entertainment is clean, wholesome and abundantly interesting, and it evoked ceaseless applause and laughter; Carter will appear again to-night and following nights. On Saturday next there -wiU be a special matinee for school children,, who will be admitted at half price.

OPERA HODISE.' T_e current programme of pictures at the Opera House was shown, before .a crowded audience last night. The programme comprises a variety of pictures of sulbjects widely diversified in character, and all the- films screened were cordially applauded.

. AT.TmBT _(____. '■_ The Pat-he Pictures at ___ Albert Hall last- night were again much admired iby the audience. There "were roars of laughter for the tfomic films, aibsorbed interest for the picture stories, and admiration for the scenic -todies, and all the pictures were of a high standard of merit. , ,

T_VOI_ _________ At the Tivoii Theatre last night the sensational and amusing drama "The American Tramp?,' attracted a crowded audience,, who received it with, cordial appreciation. On Wednesday the play will be replaced iby the farcical comedy "The Kangaroo Girl.'* ,- ; *-'