CHUNG LING SOO.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 534, 15 June 1909, Page 8

CHUNG LING SOO.

Tho Opera House filled with the early door last evening, when Chung Ling Soo, at th head of a Kickards Vaudeville Companj amazed and , mystified with his extrabrdinar; art Among, the audience, which overflows wherever there was, standing room, was a'.fai sprinkling of Chinese,, iDcmding the' Consu for China, Mrs. and Miss Hwang, and the sec retarial staff, all of (whom appeared to enjo; joo's. performance very much. Chnng Lin] Soo has been described as a . CMnaroaE,' ai American, a Scotchman, and an Englishman Iβ. may bo any of these, a little,bit of sora ir each, or none of them. Suffice it that, fa how 'purposes, he is Chnng' Ling Soo. masta onjuTor and illusionist, with new ideas and i uaint Oriental setting to give " backgrouixl' o the tricks that chase one another throug] lie fascinating seance. Yet it is not alto ether his stock-in-trade that makes the tun 0 good.' Many of the tricto have been., seei lefore but, they take on a,new aspect wit] 100, who weaves his personality round hi roric. He speaks no patter, cracks no jokes ior. does he ask; members of the , audience b tcp on the. stage and sit on a chair charge! rith electricity. He does not state that "then s no deception", for he is deceptionshe quintessence of it Tngnifiea h leering, .immobile in face, Tie move .bout; the stage; indicates with a wave of th landithat he-intends to pass one.object inb notlieT, docs so,, and; proceeds ..with, the nex rick, not waiting'for applause or recognition h>;o'' suspended purple handkerchiefs ar :notted together;, a yellow bno/is placed in i lass jar thieo yards away; a 6hot is fired aid there is the yellow, handkerchief knott«< tetween the other two, and the jar is empty 1 canister is filled with cofieo beans, anothe rith white beans of some kind, and a thin rith sawdust. Hey,. prtsto! lift the covers ho sawdust has become Guitar-loaves, the -whit> leans milk, and '.the. .'bolfce , '. beans -real ho oCfeo. The three are commingled and handd o th 6 thirsty or'tWdoiib'ring'in tho ( andienoe [n \)mbrella -is -'irolled '■"lip in a , ' piec. if Chinese ■ mfttting,'' and 6ome colourei ■ags aro stnfted ,into a \ jar.; Passlio covering ,'Of the'ujnbrella in taken frou he jar, and the umbrella is .polled',from tin oiled mat, bare, save , for. the patches the' [utter from its rib-ends. An instant, and thi over onco more L becomes coloured . bits ■■ a' aaterial, and the umbrella is.produced clothet ind in ite right mind.. How is it done?, I: nch simple tricks puzzlo one, what' of thi Uusions? An elongated glass cage is suspende* iya hook in. the contro of the cage, and i ighted torch is passed within and around it "hen it is given a twist,'and, when stationar; gain, there is a figure within, and,' on 'th loor being opened, .lire. dimiputiv Jliinese oat smiling. The witches auldrdn is,'if possible even more mystifying L 'hugo'-canldron is' brought on''to "the 6tag« ,nd,'' after'-a- fow'buokets' of: water have beei loured in, the spirit fire below is lighted. . A; he water'begins to steam "property" poultr; s droppedin. A second or two later pigeoiiß abbiti, ducks, and roosters—real animate one -splutter out of the pot. on ;to the stage finally, when everybody is thoroughly eatisfie; hat Soo is quito a superhuman being, his übi [uitious little Madame rise's smilingly from thi rat. Apart from the lady Soo is assisted b; wo Chinese who appear, and several who At lot It is a great torn. The company, apart from Chung Ling Soc s not a strong one. . Madame Camille Corn rail is a,soprano vocalist;' who rings sweoU; .nd in good taste. She sang "Poor AVand'rim )ne" from "The Piratos of Penzance," and a an encore, "Three Greon Bonnets.' 'Husheen," in tho second half, was most at istically sung. ■ Australia's "Little Tich" i , qnaint child, with a turn 'for eccentric danc ng, who gives a smart imitation of "Littt ?ioh," who makes Londoners merry at a hug alary. Stewart and Lorraipo. make music ii Banners various—with banjos, bells, jangle lolls, and extract sweet sound from s.trokini rhat appear, to be metal rods/of differon engths. The latter was perhaps the swoetes ffort. . Ted Kalman. is ,a comio singer, }ani latter comedian-of : fair capacity. The audi nee is persuaded to cjipect an artist of i ittlo higher calihre from the description givei iim in the programme. ..Ho is only moderatel; musing. The Two Bolls are song and danc rtists with nimble .feet and enfeebled voices n& the "Threo Australian D'Artos," of whicl hero are only two—have danced in Wellingtoi lefore. Tho Two Wheelers are a pair of , very lever trick bicyclists, who appear to defy all Newton's la.ws in the smart act which'closes ho programme..."■.■■ . ,\ Chung Ling Soo and the company will appear hroaahout the week, and at a matinee on Jatnrday neit . • . '■ \