NICOLA, THE MAGICIAN

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 72, 17 December 1938, Page 16

NICOLA, THE MAGICIAN

Season Begins Saturday Nest

•'Fifty per cent, of the male population of the 'world are potential magicians,” said Nicola, the world's master magician, who is coming to the Grand Opera House. Wellington, on Saturday next with h:> ■mystery show. When Nicola was only a ■small boy, h.e took to conjuring as a pastime. Hi's appearances at amateur shows spread his fame, and it was not long hefore he was offered large-contracts to ap pear in Ute music halls. He eventually specialized in escaping from packing eases, steel boilers, handcuffs and prison cells, and eventually became known as the world’s foremost escape artist, with a reputation that nothing on earth could hold him a prisoner - . He has appeared in almost every country in the world, issuing challenges' to police and others. His escape from “escape-proof prison cells” lias caused a great deal of embarrassment to police and Government officials, ami in order to prevent further ill-feeling among these officials, Nicola has of late confined his escape tests to those of laymen challenges, and a great many of his new illusions are built round some of the challenges that he has met with in different parts of the world.