ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7029, 18 January 1910, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

CARTER, THE MAGICIAN. Carter, the cheerful magician whose manipulations are as excellent as his conversation, and vice versa, gave varied specimens of his great skill before an audience that almost filled the Opera House last evening. The audience was extremely pleased with what Carter and his company showed thorn. The miraculous transport of various articles, fluid or solid, interested everybody, as did the perpetual and smart chatter of the magician. Much that seems new- was shown in card tricks. Carter specialises on the movement of articles from which he is separated by long distance, and this particular species of trick was the most capably demonstrated in " the astral hand,” a wooden “property” resting on a glass tabic Which tapped in the most approved spiritualistic style in answer to questions. .

Carter showed hospitality to . his guests by passing among them with a bottle from whicn he poured “pegs” of any drink individuals called for. The individuals who received varied refreshers from the magic bottle testified as to tho ’correctness of the flavour. Of more than ordinary interest is the Carter method of “Levitation,” the conjuror claiming absolute novelty. A young lady is "hypnotised," laid on a couch and made to rise in the air, whore she remains suspended until the wizard has passed among tho audience to show them a hoop 'which he afterwards passes over the lady to demonstrate that it is impossible that she can be suspenelfcd with wires. Tho effect obtained is mystifying. Tho conjurer tells a clever little story about Egyptian sorcerers and bis .success in improving on the “levitation” practised by Indian fakirs. Some cabinet tricks arc delightfully shown, the remarkable feature being the speed with which they are accomplished and _ the lightning-like appearance and disappearance of persons of noisy tendencies in the cabinet. Innumerable and varied tricks having to do with the conjurer's pistol, a small boy borrowed from the audience, and some very capable chatter, byplay and comedy, cheered the audience, 'especially as tho boy wasn’t really shot to death and the rings Mr Carter carefully • smashed to bits were found intact in the smallest of a nest oi boxes. A lady who is suspended from a machine that looks a good deal like a French guillotine duly disappears into thin air when Carter shoots, ™ another lady is found in the box that was empty six seconds before. A particularly good -entertainment is given by the magician when disguised as. a Chinese, the “pidgin English giving much point. Large and heavy articles, including enough vegetables xu dishes for a tolerable greengrocer’s shop, are produced, and Carter obtains ten or twelve gallons of water in a huge dish from nowhere with groat dexterity. Altogether Carter’s magic -is deft, novel and entertaining, and he is helped greatly by the clever people with. him. Miss Corinn© Carter’s astonishing display of telepathy is Worth witnessing. Carter moves through the audience and is handed anv article, individuals may care to give him. Miss Carter immediately names and .describes them, but her most astonishing work is done while Carter is on the stage. She answers questions written by the audience without either herself -or Carter seeing them. She has a quaint humour, too. in correctly answering queries. Some or ner replies were startling in their suddenness and correctness. It seems impossible .to account for these apparent phenomena, except by concluding that telepathy exists between Miss Cartel, Carter and the writers of questions. A few choice tricks are performed by Miss Carter The whole of the entertainment suggests finish, skill and polish. There is a perfection of smoothness in Carter s deceits and conceits that appeal Breatly. He and his company will again mystiiy the folk to-night.