ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1199, 7 August 1911, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

.NICOLA THE MAGICIAN. T.ndor Ih.i management of Messrs. .1. and X. Tnit, Xicola tho Magician commenerd a season ju before a crowded Opera House on Saturday evening. Long before he had gel half-way through liis programme h? had given tho audience ample evidence I" justify them in llio opinion til,s! Xicoln is a, very smart, rlein, and speedy magician, who does more tricks to the minute than any artist in the same line that tho writer oan recall. Too often the purveyors of stage magic, which deceives the eye but not the. senses, spend halt the tims th:y are cn the stage in mere talk and laboured preparation for illusions to be performed, but Xicola is not of this type. When ho talks, it is not merely the "windy suspiration of the breath," but because ha has something to say that has to be sajd, or crack a little joke which is worth the cracking. Without the slightest touch of thestricalism; without "make-up" of any kind; and with a pleasantly ingratiating manner, Xicola has tho knack of creating an intimacy between the audience and himself right away, and having accomplished this the rest is fairly easy. Tho visitor dees little real sleight-of-hand work, handles a pack of cards once only, and abjures the delicate art of palming. Nicola stands or falls by his work as an illusionist, and in this line he is surprisingly slick. Illusion followed illusion in succession so rapidly that before one had ceased to reason how some extraordinary displacement of very material matter could possibly be done, the conjuror was at work on frc-si wonders. Trunks, cas;s, cabinets, and canopies, with a trio of assistants, appeared to be about all Nicola required to work his wonders. "The Metamorphosis of a Doll" was one of many bewilderments. A, doll is placed in a small Saratoga trunk, round which a curtain is drawn. ' "One! two! three the curtains are thrown back, and there ill its place is a full-sized Saratoga, which on being unlocked liberates a plump, and pretty girl, attired exactly like tho doll. Another illusion which . made an appeal to the audience was "The House of Diogenes." Diogenes was the Greek philosopher who roamed about with a lantern looking for an holiest man. Nicola, in his pleasant way, tells us that the ancient was really'an old humbug, or an Irishman in disgniis.;, because tho archives have proved that he did not pay his taxes. Me was always out when the collector called, so. to trap him they incased his house in glass, which he would have to break to get inside. Still Diogenes worked the oracle. How he passed in and out of bis house without injuring tho glass Nicola shows most clearly. A big trunk is completely lined with "plate-glass before th-s audience, and then and there locked. "Are ycu there, you wily old philosopher?" asks Nicola. A knock serves t'or answer from the co:ifmrd occupant, and. on opening the trunk out cteps tho licary old Gw.'k—"his youthful pc.-e, well .-avfd.'a' world' too wide for his shrunk spark"—with lighted lantern iii hand. 'Ho allows the light to play on Nicola's pallid face, and gees off shaking his head—honesty is not there.

"The Haunted Cabinet" returns as an old oid friend. In an ' apparently empty cabinet, the same old bells and tambourines jangle, hand and faces mysteriously appear at the openings, yet when tiie doors ire swung open suddenly in tho midst of flic clamour tho cabinet is empty. "Without question, the cleverest illusion is "The Prisoner of Borneo." This consists of strapping a girl to a torture-board, and placing her in a tiny wardrobe.just large enough .to hold her. The door is slammed'to—"One, two!" It is opened again,' aud there is the girl .still strapped to the board—but standing bead downwards. It would hardly be fair to tell the public how this is done. Other interesting illusions wore "The Sailor and the Girl" (in which tho two change place mysteriously from a standing to a suspended trunk, and vice-Tersa),-aud the "Throne of Delhi," "The Astral Bride and' the Brahmin Priest,"

"Eggs Extraordinary" was iust a joke, 'jut it was a Rood joke. Instead of the usual performing skull to answer "Yes" and "No" to questions, Nicola has a metal globe working; on a rod of dogrosewood (hence its animal magnetism), The answers given to questions from the audienco caused any amount of fun—it is excellent sport for the simple. Among the "brave old guard" of the illusionist's outfit, aro the human hen, the magic rings, the homing canaries, unhrella 'transformation, tho borrowed rings, and tho rising-card mystery, all of which are well-known tricks or variations of them. Nicola is also a trifler with the handcuffs. In response to his invitation', half a dozen men advanced with great promptitude to the stage, and each one had a pair of handcuffs, not ono pair of which resembled another. Nicola had these snapped on his wrists, sank to his knees behind a squaro of red plush, and within ten seconds was free of the manacles. Incidentally ue stated that, tho pattern of handenfi used at Scotland Vard was tho easiest of all to get rid off. We have seen so many people cn the stage of late who make no fuss at getting rid of handcuffs that it. will not be surprising. to hear of this form of manacle becoming obsolete in tho near future- Nicola is assisted by Hisses Marguerite Sutton, Jliss Sylvia Whipple, and Nadolny, who is billed" as "America's greatest comedy juggler" is exceedingly deft at his,business. His six-ball juggle and his hat and cigar act are well worth seeing. I-'ern and Jlack are "fake" gymnasts aiid hand-balancers. Their work is a_s,. fate as their beards, but the laughter they created was real.

THEATRE ROYAL. Tho attendance at the Theatre Royal on Saturday night was very large. A number of neiv artists were included in the programme, and some excellent views of the Coronation celebrations were also shown. Miss Dolly Courtenay'successfully entertained the audience with her song, "Smile on Me," her vivacity making her a popular favourite. Delhi Durbar, an Oriental wizard, performed some very clever tricks, and received a due measure of applause. Mdlle. Marguerite appeared in a clever high-wire act, and the manner in which she performed feats of a .most, difficult nature resulted in her turn being well received. .Other members of the company capably Tendered their various acts. The Potter-llartwell Trio, in what is known as their great comedy act, "The Agile Three," will appear for the first time to-night. The reappearance of these well-known conjurers, Rowe and Moore, is announced for 10-night. • . • THE KING'S THEATRE.

The King's Theatre was crowded at both Saturday's performances, many patrons having to be contented with standing room. -On Saturday evening West's and Roye.l Pictures screened n. second special''series of the Coronation. In this series, the operators have secured exceptionally fine photographs, some splendid closo 'views of their Majesties the. King and Queen being obtained, also the Royal progress through the City of Loudon, the Royal visit •to London through Temple Bar to Si. Paul's on June 20. and Loudon illuminated.' The greet naval review at. Spithcad was also screened, together with a. magnificent series of naval pictures entitled ''Defenders of the Sea." This second set of Coronation pictures will bo fcrocn'ed a'gain to-night and during tin week, together with the usual new programme. which arrived by the' English mail on Saturday. week'? budget contains another magnificent set of novelties in dramatic, (."durational, :-cenie.' and c.imcdy pictures. Tie King's Lyric Orchestra will play new selections during the performance. "

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE

Tho picture.' show at His Maiestv's Theatre on Saturday evening was enhanced by tho display of four additional films of the Coronation series—"Their Majesties attending Divine Service at St. Paul's Cathedral," "Distinguished Visiters going to the Abbey by "Water" (on boartl the Marlowe), "The Camp cf the Indian Contingent at Hampton Court," and tho great naval review at Spit.head. showing' the lioyal yacht Victoria and Albert, steaming between the great linos of warships. Those will again be shown to-night, in company with a. number nf new pictures by the latest mail.