HOFFMANN’S DECEPTIONS AT OLYMPIA.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 439, 22 January 1890, Page 3

HOFFMANN’S DECEPTIONS AT OLYMPIA.

A Chat With Barnum’s Illusionist. Mr Frank Hoffmann is the inventor of some and the perfecter of all the clever optical illusions which are arranged at the extreme western end of Olympia. The public are naturally curious to know how these illusions are managed, and a representative of the ‘Pall Mall Gazette’ was sent to Olympia to endeavour co pump Mr Hoffmann. Mr Hoffmann is a tall, slight, intelligent man, who seems to have the science of optics-at hi 3 finger ends. He was very pleased to meet our representative, but while he willingly gave descriptions of liis various illusions, he very naturally left our representative almost as much in the dark as to ‘how they are done’ as he was before beginning the interview. However, here is what Mr Hoffmann said, as he walked from one illusion to the other, describing them as he went. Mrs Hoffmann was the while busily engaged * fixing up ’ the young ladies, who, a few minutes later, appeared before a wondering public literally in bits, or else converting themselves from flesh to stone and back again. ‘I want'you to understand,’ began the Professor, ‘ that these are all of them mere optical illusions—some old, some invented by me. I have also a little apology to make. You must know that all these different illusions are the same and on the same platforms as I took around the States with Messrs Barnnm and Bailey during our last tour. They were torn out during the cyclone at Johnstown, and were put up again. They are strong, and to a certain extent rough, for you must understand that when we are travelling from town to town we have but very little time to set things up. Now some of these illusions when shown singly as special attractions take their proprietors as mnch as three hours to put up ; the most complicated one that I have I can put up in fifteen minutes. But of course it may be said that my illusions are nob so finely finished. All the same they will defy close inspection, and I take this credit to myself, that if my apparatus is not so neat, my lights and shades are far more perfectly adjusted, because you cannot detect my imperfections. ‘ Now come and look at some of my illusions. I will tell you this much ; some are produced by an arrangement of mirrors, some by the ray of light thrown in a certain way upon them; others are purely mechanical, and in some cases you are not looking upon a living person at all, but upon a reflection in a mirror. Here is Thauma, the illusion being that of tho head, shoulders, and bust of a lady upon a swing. This illusion has been produced in many different ways, one of which is for the young lady to lie on a couch extended backwards, and resting upon a specially made pedestal which reveals only her shoulders and head. By an arrangement of the lights every part of the canopy or tent is thrown into absolute darkness, while the head, neck, and bust are subjected to an intensely powerful stream of light. I may here say that I am exhibiting under a serious disadvantage, for my illusions are all subject to a continuous stream of daylight instead of being exhibited in a dark room. 1

‘ So much more credit to you, Professor,’ our representative ventured to remark, ‘ for succeeding in completely mystifying your audience.’ * Yes, I do take credit for that, and Mr Bailey is going to help me in a little with respect to the light. Well, let us get along. This is our canopy for Rhoda, which represents the head of a young lady floating in space. This is done by a cunning arrangement of mirrors, lenses, and powerful electric- lights, and I will leave you to judge 1 for yourself whether you really see a head floating in mief-air or a reflection. Next we have the living mermaid.’ -

‘There is no deception, gentlemen,’ interpolated our reporter. ‘Oh yes, there is, though. And I think a good many people will find it difficult to say how I produce the illusion of half a woman half'a fish floating in a basin of water. But you see she moves at will, and she really is alive. La Sibylle du Cumes is the title I give to this next illusion, which you see represents the head and bust of a young lady, in an urn shaped box, without arms or lower limbs. The box, as you see, rests upon a single thin wooden leg, yet there is no sign or appearance of the remaining portion of the lady’s body.’ ‘ I presume that is somewhat on the principle of Thauma ?’ ‘ A little, bub I must not let you into all my secrets, for I have found that interest in asecret is lost when the secret is made public property. Fatima is the half body of a lady seen resting upon a table. Rolla, Stella, and Omega are similar illusions, showing the head and bust, or the head alone, resting in space without any visible means of support.’ ‘Now I come bo the two most important illusions that I have—Galatea, which is the literal realisation of the mythological story of Pygmalion and Galatea, and Aphrodite. In the first of these a figure of stone, which the audience is permitted to examine, is seen in full view to change into a living human being, a lady of rare beauty, who converses with the audience, and who then gradually turns to stone again. The second illusion is a scene representing the ocean waves, with the Northern Lights in the distance. From out of the water a beautiful female form appears, is seen to rise into space above the water, performs several different movements, and finishes by diving head foremost beneath the surface. Now, as I have said, every one of these illusions can be easily explained by the laws of optics, and they are entirely produced by means of utilising those laws. It is probable that any student of that science would be able to explain at once any. one of them. 1 know that I never see a new illusion without going to work at once to reproduce it. But then I have been studying and practising the science forever so many years. Before coming to Olympia I. took a' short trip on the Continent, in order to see if there. were any new things I had. nob got, aud I may tell you that I have instead more than one one illusion which no one else possesses,’ , The representative here thought he had obtained all the information he could. So, thanking the Professor for his obliging frankness, he bade him good-bye,