LONG TACK SAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18611, 19 January 1924, Page 11

LONG TACK SAM.

There is no slackening' in the , enthusiasm ..which Long Tack Sam, the \ marvel-, lous Chinese entertainer, and his troupe of performers, arouses 'in the successive audiences who throng the National Picture Theatre. .;'■'. During the past week * this enthralling turn has proved \ itself to be as enterprising as anything that has ever visited Auckland, and with, the partial change that has : been made in the programme, the audiences for. the remaining few days of the troupe's .'visit are assured of a full measure of clean, wholesome and thrilling entertainment. As a conjuror Lone Tack Sam stands practically alone. He. does the .' most ._ astounding * things in a new and delightful way. At yesterday's performance he . did the thread and needle trick, in which -he apparently swallows a number of needles and then reproduces them all threaded on a silken, line. ■Another new' hair-raising' item is tho; dive through a wooden frame edged with long, keen knives. * A ' lithe , member » of -the troupe makes this sensational plunge, and. as he passes through ; .! the frame it seems almost impossible that he can escape from, the menacing, steel. - With some lengths of red silk Long Tack ; Sam performed a" number of ' surprising tricks. ; These,- like the divo through . ,the knives V arid ; tho needle arid thread item',;; are ' all ; new features, specially, introduced for the remaining days of the show., But it: is what may' best ;be 'described as the standing features that'. most '.appeal— ' marvellous horizontal bar ' work, the v seemingly impossible balancing feats. the ; uncanny skill ' exhibited by the girls of • the ;troupe in the manipulation of twirling plates on long, bending. wands, and ' the graceful dancing which' is j interspersed throughout ■ ■".the entertainment. ' .-.• The ; Chinese dearly love an .accompaniment. of • sound, and throughout the ; turns ' Long Tack Sam's far-reaching voice is heard, s encouraging his troupe, passing some humorous quip, or making a quaint little speech to the audience. One item there is which carries its one accompaniment of jangling noise. This is the dexterous play by one of the very muscular members of the company of .a huge bronze trident. ' This heavy weapon he. tossr'-s about as though it; were a feather, and as he catches "it it gives forth a ; melodious ringing' sound. To-day there ': will be three performances by ,theke strangers from the East, at 2.30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. The troupe will rive their final performance on Wednesday evening, after which they will leave for. Wellington. -Additional» to . this' vaudeville performance the National is showing a full picture programme, the* main play being "Broken Chains," an Allen Holubar production. , ; \:': : , ? '' : '. : '. L ' ■ '