MODERN MAGIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23200, 21 November 1938, Page 14

MODERN MAGIC

i. THE NICOLA SEASON BRILLIANT PERFORMANCES WIDE RANGE OF ILLUSIONS Brilliant sleight of hand and a series of clever mechanical illusions by Nicola, who with supporting artists opened a season under the direction of Sir Benjamin Fuller at His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday, mystified a capacity audience. Probably no internationally-known conjurer and magician performing today enjoys a higher reputation, than Nicola. He appears in what is described as a revue, a term permitting of colourful and elaborate settings, in which are -skilfully performed a generous number of tricks of diverse character. Seldom does he leave the stage, though there are several supporting artists, but the burden imposed upon him never appears to be oppressive, and on Saturday evening the interest of the audience clearly never flagged. Indeed, those present took a keen delight in their bewilderment at many of the illusions. Ingenious Mechanics It is probably in tho sphere of ingenious mechanics that Nicola is preeminent among modern magicians. Other performers who have visited the Dominion have _made young ladies vanish from the interior of heavilypadlocked trunks or survivo the apparent thrusts of lethal weapons. But Nicola works on the principle of providing new lamps for old, and he gives variations or developments that are sufficiently startling to thrill the spectators and to baffle solution by obvious processes. Perhaps his best feat in this respect on Saturday evening was the gaolbreaking mystery. In a prison setting he caused a young woman to disappear from behind a screen and to reappear at brief intervals behind others, "much on tho principle of the pea in the thimble game. As tho screens were separated and suspended in the air speculation as to how the thing was done seemed futile. The same young lady also survived being placed in a cabinet backed by spikes. The back and front of the cabinet drew together, concertina fashion, and the spikes appeared to protrude from the front. Yet when tho cabinet was restored the occupant, who was described on the programme as puncture-proof, smiled happily. Another "Miracle" Another girl assistant also survived an apparent ordeal that would wreck tho strongest constitution. She stood manacled in a cabinet, like the other, held a foot or so abovo the stage. The door was closed, and then a piece of the middle of the cabinet was extracted._ To all intents and purposes the assistant stood in the cabinet minus her torso. Wide metal blades were passed through the gap and a "committee" from the audience on tho stago walked round the cabinet and appeared satisfied that all was fair and above board. Miraculously, or seemingly so, the assistant was restored, or her torso was restored, and she carried on with her other duties her usual happy self. A subsequent task was for an assistant to bo tied in a sack and put iu a trunk, which was padlocked and wrapped, in ropes. Nicola stood in front of the trunk, which was screened for a baro two seconds. When the screen was removed the girl had taken the place of Nicola. The mystery of his disappearance was solved when the trunk was unwrapped and opened, Nicola being discovered in an attitude of contemplation in the sack. Just how he got there was a point remaining unsolved with most of the spectators. Supporting Artists' Success A girl assistant also justified the description as tho elastic lady. Shu was placed on a rack and seemed to suffer no discomfort when her limbs and head appeared to stretch to a point yards away from their natural position. Many of Nicola's tricks or illusions. were created in settings of old China, India (whero a levitation illusion was performed). Egypt and Argentina. He mustered a very, attractive band of female assistants and a good eccentric comedian. A very funny interlude was given by A 1 de Clorcq. in an American "hillbilly" characterisation. Whatever was the method employed by Lucille Roberts, "the girl with tho X-ray eyes." in describing while blindfolded various articles held by members of the audience, it was sufficiently puzzling in itself, while the performer also scored with an effective seasoning of comedy. The season which opened, so auspiciously on Saturday—the " house full " sign being displayed some little time before the start of the evening performance—will be continued this week. •