CHEATING GALLOWS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20276, 10 April 1934, Page 3

CHEATING GALLOWS.

Carter the Great Presents New Illusion. For the first time, Christchurch had the opportunity last evening of seeing the new illusion invented by Carter the Great, under the title of “Cheating the Gallows, and he showed that it was not for nothing that he has earned the distinguishing name of “great.” Picture the gallows standing grimly on the stage, the noose being adjusted round the neck of a charming young woman and the fatal trap door being opened. There is atmosphere enough in that to satisfy the most blase audience, and certain enough it is that there was nothing blase about the audience last evening. They sat enthralled. As one would imagine, iortunately for all concerned, nothing very serious happened, but one was left bewildered, wondering how it all happened. For it transpired that the same charming young woman who gracefully submitted to the tightening of the noose around her neck was transformed into the executioner. But where was the executioner? That is what the audience is stiU wondering among many things. Carter the Great gave everyone ample to think about from the simplest tricks to the most amazing illusions on a comprehensive scale. Possessed of an inexhaustible fund of story and patter he caught the attention of the audience the moment he appeared on the stage and then before their eyes proceeded to do the impossible in a nonchalant manner that accentuated the illusions. Some of the tricks were necessarily old, but always embellished with the modern touch that made them more realistic than was possible under the regime of old magicians. Carter the Great is masterful in the presentation of his acts, and both entertaining and amusing in his explanations, Bex plans are at the D.I.C.