THE DEVENPORT BROTHERS RIVALLED.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 322, 4 May 1877, Page 4

THE DEVENPORT BROTHERS RIVALLED.

i - T .The Guardian gives the following ac- * cottnt of an entertainment given by the ' Sow Brothers inDunedin: — Last evening the Rose Brothers made ; their appearance at the Queen's Theatre : In a unique and highly interesting enter- ' tainment. Their debut—for such it may b« called, seeing that the three brothers have never before made their bow in front of the footlights in company—must ■ have more than verified the expectations of .those-who expected to merely witness £ «lever reproduction of the Davenport and Fay illusions. The mystifying portion of the performance was preceded by piece entitled " The Spectre Bridegroom." The Brothers William and Fred. Rose introduced their programme by some singularly clever feats in natural «»!>;<• The next part of the entertainment was introduced by some solos performed by Mr. Fred. Rose on the piano and English concertina simultaneously, an achievement which we have never before seen attempted at a public entertainment. So well did the performer acquit himself fliafe ,lie was loudly applauded. Perhaps the most wonderful part of the programme was that which followed. The Brothers William and Manfred Rose reproduced all the more startling and surprising phenomena of the Davenport stance under anything but advantageous circumstances. They invited everyone in the audience desirous of investigating the phenomena to ascend the stage. Two gentlemen accepted the invitation both of them sufficiently kuo.vn to those present to warrant every confidence m the nature of the trial to which the performers would be subjected. A newlyconstructed cabinet, raised clear of tne stage, and exactly similar to that used by the Davenports, except that the back was lined instead of boarded, occupied the centre of the stage. The cabinet was furnished with an ordinary American and a deal table. Bells and mstru- • ments were placed on the table, and Manfred Rose was securely tied haud and foot with an ordinary clothes-hne. Ko.sooner .were the doors of the cabinet closed than the bells were rung, the tambourine performed a solemn dirge, the violin strings be«an" to utter unearthly music, and " spirit" hands were observed quivering through the upper aperture in the central door. One of the investigators bad a hat suddenly thrust on his head by some invisible hand from within. The other scrutineer was subsequently accommodated with a seat in the cabinet. After the lapse of a couple of minutes he emerged and explained his experiences—how his coat had been manipulated, a hat placed on his head, and his watch withdrawn from his pocket. All this time, o-i each occasion when the cabinet was thrown open, Mr. Rose was found securely tied as at first. Finally the coat trick was performed, and the peformer having liberated himself, was again bound to a <.Tiair in front of the audience. So securely was the tying performed that it seemed utterly impossible that the knots ©f hands or feet could be undone without assistance. Mr. Rose was lifted in the chair and placed in the cabinet, but the doors had scarcely been closed when the hands were seen at the aperture, and in seven minutes lie emeFzed Iroin the cabinet with the rope completely undone. The brothers were loudly and repeatedly applauded for the finished and clever manner in which they performed their feats. The last part of the programme consisted of a ventriloquia! entertainment!;, in which Mr. Fred. Rose amused his auditors.