THE GREAT NICOLA
AUDIENCE BAFFLED BY MAGIC The realms of magic were explored by a fascinated audience in the Regent Theatre last night ' when the Great Nicola presented his second programme. Nicola is well known to New Zealand audiences, and he returns with a richer and more astonishing variety of skill and deception to baffle his audiences. Last night’s audience, like all others, left the theatre feeling that it had been completely baffled. While petforming the seemingly impossible he keeps up a running fire of patter and adroit sleight-of-hand tricks. Some of Nicola’s illusions are as spectacular as they are mysterious, particularly the levitation scene, the Indian basket trick and the spiked cabinet. The magician’s repertoire is an extensive one, and it is not difficult, after seeing his performance, to believe his claim that he is now at the zenith of his career. The elastic woman is an excellent illusion, and a very entertaining portion of the programme is that in which nonsense is cleverly mixed with some skilful tricks.
The company which assists Nicola in providing the excellent entertainment offered is one of more than usual ability. The humour is mainly contributed by Alf Berg, as Dobsky, Nicola’s awkward assistant, and he makes full use of the great scope afforded him. Dance diversions by Sherry and Alnhonso and the cavortings of Al de Clercq, the Hollywood hill-billy, described as “the 85-year-old Lothario on the loose,” as well as the turn provided by Lucille Roberts, “the girl with the X-ray eyes,” serve to lend a variety to the show which makes it one of the best of its kind ever presented in Invercargill. The Nicola Company will give four more evening programmes at the Regent Theatre this week, with a matinee on Wednesday afternoon. On Friday afternoon a special matinee performance will be given for women by Miss Lucille Roberts.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST19390207.2.30
Bibliographic details
Southland Times, Issue 23736, 7 February 1939, Page 5
Word Count
310THE GREAT NICOLA Southland Times, Issue 23736, 7 February 1939, Page 5
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Southland Times. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.