A MASTER MAGICIAN

Evening Star, Issue 18623, 2 May 1924, Page 8

A MASTER MAGICIAN

CASTER THE GREAT’S SEASON OPENS, Even in these days when a materialistic science and a universal scepticism have robbed the magician of some of his pristine status and glories, the modem sorcerer can nevertheless still hold his own in the affections of raultitudes ; and this was demonstrated by the enthusiastic audience at His Majesty’s Theatre last evening that greeted the return of Carter the Great to Dunedin. Although the audience Is thoroughly aware of the obvious fact that It is being “buncooed," and that the whole thing is a “ have,” the deceptions are so adroitly done, and in many cases so remarkably stage-managed, that unquestionably it would regard it as almost sacrilegious if it were presented with the open sesame for the whole box of tricks, on the principle that a little unexplained mystery now and again is good for even the most sophisticated of men. The most striking feature of Carter’s work is the facile way in which mystery follows mystery. Everything apparently runs with clockwork regularity. The ball was set rolling with a “bouquet of mysteries,” and, though most of the tricks "belonged to a fairy vintage of long ago, Carter's work is so neat and dexterous that ho kept his audience in a state of veal bewilderment. There were the inevitable manipulation of playing cards and the familiar transference of one colored liquor to a decanter originally containing another hue; and an orange was shown to possess many weird characteristics that this chaste fruit was never previously suspected of harboring under iis skin. An “Astral hand” brought messages from the “spirit world,” and generally behaved as no modest amputated limb should do. The “inexhaustible bottle ” kept a thirsty audience supplied with a remarkable variety o£ liquor from pink lemonade to “ guaranteed champagne,’’ but, much to the chagrin of tlmse who had imbibed, it was found on being broken to contain a live guinea pig, widen was itself a little later unmercifully transformed into a bunch of flowers. The first portion of the programme was concluded with a clever feat of levitation,' which is described as being “the fin de siecle miracle” and the crowning creation oi Carter’s career. After the “Astral body’ had been given another airing, Evelyn Maxwell, who promises to “unfold a chapter from the supernormal,” although herself blindfolded, takes up the running. Once en rapport, in broken English she describes articles shown to Carter by the audience, answers questions and predicts the future with such gusto that the audience, feels overwhelmed for a time. “ Do she love me?” was one query put to her by a lovesick swain. The prompt and terse reply, “Yes, she do,” produced a torrent of laughter. Miss Maxwells answers appeared to be satisfactory to those who sought her aid in their various difficulties, and to those who did not want to know when they were to be married her witticisms afforded plenty of amusement, , ~ One of the chief attractions of the evening was the sensational illusion “ Sawing a Woman in Half.” Carter, attired in surgeon’s garb, appeared armed with a. huge jross-cut saw, and after members of the audience had satisfied themselves that the implement was capable of performing its work truly and well, two ladies from the auditorium were persuaded to bold the. “victim’s” head and legs whilst the operation was in progress. Tho “ victim,’’ a slim young lady, was then “ hypnotised and placed in a* trunk with her head and legs protruding. Carter and an assistant then saw the cabinet in twain, tho torso and the legs being later shown “severed.” The box is then pit together, and, hey wresto! tho young lady is removed quite whole again. The “Lion's Bride,” one of the most spectacular pieces of magic of the evening, is introduced by some preliminary mummery, in which there is Jauch gesticulation, salaaming, and other pantomimic# engaged in by Mahatmas and dusky maidens, one of whom is thrown |o a realistic-looking lion. This latter

pounces on her, and is just about, to commence his evening meal when the cage is shaken by an explosion. There is still a lion in the cage after the smoke screen has disappeared, hut it is Garter in disguise, the real one having been spirited away. It is a highly melodramatic, hut certainly an effective,’bit of work. A small but tuneful orchestra, with Miss Louis D’Allastou as directress, provided the musical settings. Carter is assisted by Misses Ethel Wayne, Helen Whitney, and Anna Lona, and* George Tates (chief mechanist), John Willingham (magical assistant), and Edward Digram. The same programme will he presented this evening, commencing at 7.30. There will be a matinee on Saturday afternoon.