THE GREAT M'EWEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18158, 1 February 1921, Page 8

THE GREAT M'EWEN

To-morrow evening, at Hia Majesty’s Theatre, the Great M’Ewen will present a unique entertainment, including demonstrations of mesmerism, auto-suggestion, magic, sleight-of-hand, _ interspersed with humorous recitals in which the pawky wit of the Scotch predominates. As a mesmerist the Great M’Ewen will introduce a series of ■ experiments which are claimed to be both interesting and amazing, and in many oases highly amusing. It is generally supposed that a mesmerist or hypnotist can, against the will of the subject, put the latter under control, but the Great M’Ewen states emphatically that this is not correct, and insists that the subject must be in sympathy with the demonstrator, have faith in mesmerism, and accept willingly auto-suggestion, otherwise success cannot be achieved, and from the medical point of view no benefit can be obtained if these conditions are not fulfilled, proving a good, sound brain makes the best subject because it is able to induce self-pacility and harmony of mutual concentration. These are the days of miracles, and feats are accomplished which a few decades ago would hare been considered impossible, ami their attempt ridiculed, and this applies to mesmerism; it has been, and is still, unfortunately sneered at by those who have taken no trouble to investigate and study it, but those disbelievers are almost now in the minority, and the demonstrations to be presented by the Great M’Ewen will prove to tho doubters that mesmerism is a scientific fact. Theatregoers must not regard M’Ewen’s appearance as a series of lectures illustrated by experiment. It is an entertainment, and the Great M'Bwen an entertainer of great versatility, and it is claimed for his entertainment that there are more laughs to the hour than the minute hand of the clock can show. Students of the occult will find much food for reflection, amusement seekers will find no lade of good fare, and even the most captious critics will admit the Great M’Ewen is a most extraordinary, interesting,, amusing, and entertaining man, and his visit to Dunedin will be greatly appreciated. Tho season is but a brief one, and the box plana of reserved seats are now on view at the Bristol.

Quarter of an hour spent in the company of Mr|M‘Ewcn by three representatives of the Dlily Times last night proved conclusively to them_ that he is not only an exceedingly pleasing and versatile entertainer, hut that his power as a demonstrator of auto-suggestion has been developed to an amazing degree. Among quite a number of clever examples may bo mentioned one or two. Mr M’Ewen was blindfolded, and several pin holes were made in a piece of paper in another part of the room. The demonstrator claimed that he could place a pin in the last hole made, and with his eyes still bandaged he went straight to the spot and accurately verified his claim. Next a pm was hidden in another room, and M‘Ewen, still blindfolded, led the way unerringly to the exact place where the pin was secreted. Another example of his powers related to a word selected at random from a bundle of “copy.”" This was underlined while his eyes were still covered, but with a pencil in his hand he immediately wrote the correct word on a blank sheet of paper.