A CONJURER’S WARDROBE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 1008, 1 July 1909, Page 16

A CONJURER’S WARDROBE.

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH MRS. SOO.

Chung Ling Soo believes in gratifying the eye as well as mystifying the senses, and his wardrobe is by no means a small item in his performances. Assisted by his skilful little wife, he plans out costumes and effects with every regard to detail, and spares neither trouble nor money in perfecting his ideas.

“ Would you like to see some of our costumes and accessories?” asked Mrs. Soo, when our Social reporter called upon her at the theatre on Tuesday.

“ Only too glad of the opportunity,” was the reply. And what a wealth of colour and splendour was disclosed! It was fairly bewildering! Beautiful table covers of crimson satin, the foundation almost obliterated with the designs in beaten gold—hundreds and hundreds of pounds worth —were duly admired, one particular specimen being emblazoned with a peacock. “China’s lucky bird,” said Mrs. Soo, “ and your unlucky one, that is if you are superstitious. But I only call it unlucky if you can’t afford to get one,” she added gaily.

Mr. Soo’s robes were next brought out for inspection. They are simply magnificent. A peculiarity in the sieves, Mrs. Soo pointed out, as she let them hang limply, is the fact that they all closely resemble a horse’s hoof in shape. “ Only a military mandarin can wear such a robe,” Mrs. Soo declared, “as it is a distinguishing badge- You’d get your head cut off in China,” she cheerfully added, “if you wore one when you weren’t entitled to it.” One handsome robe

lined with squirrel, was of saxe blue satin, hand embroidered in gold, and cost £l5O. Another richly-textured gown was of Imperial yellow—the real Mandarin yekow—embroidered in turquoise blue with the five-clawed dragon, which is the Imperial badge. One was of mustard yellow with a bold design in gold. Another was pale turquoise wrought in silver and gold, a particularly effective one, being richly fashioned in embroidery designating the Imperial dragon, edged with sable and lined throughout in red brocaded

silk. As for Mrs- Soo’s dresses, they are almost beyond description. Creation after creation, and Parisian at thEu, was carefully unfolded, dazzling the beholder with its kaleidoscopic splendour, for they were in all colours and designs. One represented a marguerite, another a butterfly, one a swallow, the effect being brought out bv the ombre shades on which the jewelled designs, to simulate the various representations, were posed The amount of work put into these> frocks can be imagined when one handles them for, fashioned out of plain white satin, the material is hand painted m graduations of shades to blend with the sequinned designs, and the eff “most wonderful. A striking gown represented a flame, and was of delicate pink brocade, with sinuous waves of flame-tinted sequins to express the idea. In her butterfly dress Mrs.. Soo won the first prize on the Moldavia at a fancy dress ball. Then there wa a cerise gown, a krick-coloured one a sea green, a black, and an amethyst all ablaze in their sequinned setting, th. richness and harmony of the colourings making one fancy they were transported to the time of Aladdm. Handsome embroidered jackets of d licate fabric, Chinese shoes and boots the latter made out of old books an 1 papers, and the shoes of sapphire blue embroidered in silk and surmounted with heels savouring of the Inquisition, were objects of special interest and attention, and the writer went away thinking that here was a show in itself, and thoroughly convinced that both Mr. and Mrs- Soo are pastmasters in the art of dressing o effect.