MASKELYNE AND DEVANT'S MYSTERIES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVI, 28 April 1909, Page 5

MASKELYNE AND DEVANT'S MYSTERIES.

Early in the year Mr Henry Hayward, an entrepeneur who, during ■ a most successful associatemanagement of West's Pictures, had accurately gauged- the capabilities of Australia as a field for really first-class dramatic enterprises, determined to bring out "the most representative entertainment London boasted to these shores. He accordingly entered into negotiation with Mr Maskelyne, of Maskelyne and Cook, who for forty years have "held the Egyptian and St. George's Halls, Piccadilly, and have there established a performance of mystery, music and magic which has resulted in a record run of 40,000 performances, and a record patron list of 11,000,000 of people. There is little need to describe the various marvels which the firm have invented and still vary — ghost appearances,, the cleverest tricks of the age, and illusions which at various times have been the means of swaying popular opinion, when sham spiritualists were gaining dangerous power. Maskelyne and Cook's names have lonz; been world-known, ever since, indeed, the famous contests and law-suits which arose from the determined effort John Nevill Maskelyne made to expose false "mediums" hy imitating the results obtained at "seances," and openly declaring that his means were mere trickery. It will be easily imagined that the importation of the large company necessary to the working of the mystery plays is a venture of the highest importance. The tour arranged embraces only the large towns of the Commonwealth and New Zealand, of which Sydney, where a brilliant two months' opening was made, Brisbane, Newcastle and Melbourne have been visited. The absolute novelty of the entertainment, combined with the fact that the firm, which since Mr Cook's death has been known as Maskelyne and Devarit's, is known ( in all corners of the British Empire, have contributed to an encouragingly successful reception of the English combination.