HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1564, 21 September 1905, Page 3

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

“ THE HUGARDES.”

Fro'Wblj’ no illusionists since the visit ] of Dante the Great ha7e caused bo muoh widespread iaterest as that ovinoed at the appearance of ‘‘The Hagardes ” in New Zealand. The illusions are now the talk of Wellington. The Hagardes are described as magical Bketch artists, illusion ipantomimists, and comedian’. The Welaington Evening Post says The Hagardes opened to a packed house last might, and succeeded in thoroughly mystifying the immense audience. Their Jug,aling feats and illusions are entirely new all of them so skilfully executed as to deavo the spectators wonderiDg ‘ how it is -done.’ The first of the oonjuriDg scenes ■was "a display of Japanese magio, in which Jean Hugarde, as the magician, artistioally attired in Japanese kimono, produces endless quantities of colored ribbon, a number of flags, and other articles from a small pieoo of tissue-paper, and does some clever Jrioks with riogs. Of thess the most surprising is the ‘ Thumb-t : e ’ trick. One of dhc Hugardes has his twi thumbs tied (together by one of tbe audience, and the other, standing at tbe opposite side of the «taga, throws half a dozen rings on to the eaan’s extended arms, three riogs falling on one arm and threo on the other. How 4be rings got past the bound thumbs remains an unsolved problem. j;he 4 vanishing lady ’ illusion, which concluded the scene, was even more mysterious. The lady in question is covered by a cloak, and on the removal of this her chair is seen to be empty. A large corded box, which has been suspended from the ceiling in full view of the audience since the opening of the scene, is then lowered, untied, and unlocked, and another bos lifted from .inside it. On this also being opened another bos is disclosed, and inside this vthird box is found the missing lady, apparently none the worse for her temporary .confinement in close quarters. Loud "(applause followed both this and the *,thumb’ feat. In a ‘magnetic seance,' Jean Hagarde, after some clever card ■tricks, mesmerises-jand suspends in mid>air bia lady assistant, without any appar- , -ant support, passing hoops around her to übow her. complete isolation.” .. The bos plan will be opened at Mr [ sUlltr’» pa Saturday mowing at 9,