HUGARD, THE MAGICIAN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 83, 8 April 1913, Page 8

HUGARD, THE MAGICIAN.

Pretty well every sort of magic trick known to the modern stage wizard comes handy to M. Jean Hugard, and at His Majesty's Theatre last night he exhibited, in new and attractive guises, the cream of all that has been seen here previously, and capped it with a big thrill of his own. In this latter he faces the loaded, rifles of three local Territorials, and stands harmless after they have volleyed at him at almost point blank range. Of course, it is a trick, otherwise M. Hugara would be a very rich man on the secret, and his beloved France (or is it America?) would be in a position to hold the balance of power in Europe with its deathless army. But it is a trick performed so openly, so naturally in tlie full glare of the light, that until the. rifle reports have gone, and the human target smiles blandly at the shooting squad, nobody in the building feels quite comfortable over the matter. The Territorials brought their own Lee Enfields and their own .303 cartridges, and members of the audience marked both shell and bullet, while two of the public watched the proceedings critically, and Hugard was all the time in full view and always witli his face to the people. The marksmen saw that (to every appearance) their own marked cartridges went into their rifles, and they retired to the firing spot, just beyond the range of powder scorch. Under full assurance from the management that there could not possibly be any harmful result, they fired in a volley at the small-black velvet target held by Hugard, over his breast pocket. Three marks appeared on the target, Hugard smiled, and three bullets pattered on the floor in front of him. The committee on the stage picked up the bullets, and found them hot and grooved, and marked as the bullets in the cartridges had -been marked, while the riflemen found the empty shells in their rille breeches also marked as they had been previously. Everyone was pleased that nobody had been hurt, but still Hugard was the only person quite satisfied about the matter. It looked so simple and sure. Hugard's manipulation of cards touched high-water mark in palming, nnd his thumb-tie nnd rope-tie tricks (on the open stage) were past finding out. His escape from a suffocatingly tight straight-jacket contained something of tbe dramatic, and should be brought under the attention of tlie authorities. With the stage enveloped in Oriental trappings, Hugard took the guise of a - Chinese conjurer, and performed all the feats that have made Oriental conjurers famous, with only the difference that he introduced the most beautiful effects to add attractiveness to the performance. "The Birth of the Sea Nymph," wherein a beautiful lady comes into sight from the heart of aii apparently empty pearl shell, was one of the most striking of the effects of many whicb were all charmingly framed, and inimitably clever. Hugard* is assisted to add variety by Miss Myra Errington, who gave xylophone selections in an accomplished manner, and rang a new turn by playing the"Aye Maria" from-

"Cavailicra Rustieana" by spinning metal discs on a marble table. Several songs of the comedy-sketch variety were also sung by Mr. George Carman, but only the cleverness of the chief performer saved the entertainment. from the fatal suspicion of monotony. Tlie management, however, announces, that it was only under the greatest difficulty that the season was opened last night, owing to transport troubles, and the misfortune of an accident suffered by Hugard; and it is added that future performances will reach an even higher standard than that of the opening night. On Wednesday the first change is to be made, while several rifle experts have a desire to endeavour to penetrate the secret of the rifle act.