HASSAN, THE MAGICIAN.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12766, 12 April 1910, Page 2

HASSAN, THE MAGICIAN.

There was a large audience <at the Theatre Royal last night, when Hassan, the Hindoo magician, and his company commenced their Nelson seasou. Hassan," who is described as the descendant of Mohammedan magicians whose secrets have been handed down for five hundred years, gave a private performance in the afternoon before a number of citizens, whom he entertained' for about three quarters of an hour, and completely mystified. He repeated most of his earlier feats last evening with the addition of others equally successful and clever. Especially good were Hassan's card tricks, which had the added merit of being new. From a pack a member of the audience selected a card, which he returned to the pack, its identity being concealed from the performer. The pack was then shuffled, and from another member of the audience Hassan obtained a cigarette, which he smoked for a few seconds, and then, unrolling it, pro--duced from it the card which had been taken from the pack. Five cards were then selected by different members of the audience, and similarly returned to the pack. The magician then discharged his pistol at a screen^ upon which, immediately appeared the five ; cards. Two half crowns firmly held in a man's hand were mysteriously changed into pennies. Hassan drew yards upon yards of worsted from his mouth ■and a rain of small hails rattled upon the stage from the same source, without any apparent external agency. Another remarkable performance was the turban trick. A turban was unrolled, the material being many yards in length. Tliis was cut m .several places by a member of tho audience, and the ends were singed. The pieces of cloth were then wound round the committeeman's wrists, and when taken off it was discovered that the turban had become whole and of its original length. An empty shallow basket, without a lid, was placed .bottom up on a table, and when lifted a live pigeon was discovered beneath it. The pigeon was again covered for a second, when two pigeons^appeared. Hassan demonstrated the resistance of the human eyelids by lifting a stone weighing 63 lbs by cords attached to.small metallic- cups, which were inserted beneath his eyelids. The magician concluded a remarkable performance by placing a small stone in his mouth, and emitting clouds of .smoke and spurts of flame. Hassan was assited by Mr Will Robey a comedian, and Mr Herbert Shannon, a balladist, from whose efforts a section of the 'audience appeared to derive considerable satisfaction. ' There were also shown a number of cinematograph films. The company will appear again this evening.