ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 16, 19 June 1913, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THE MYSTERIOUS HUOARD. Since Dean Swift's professors in Brofodignagia made sunbeams from cucumbers, conjuring has become a popular and attractive pastime. It has been presented clothed in many garbs, but surely one of the brightest and most attractive of all was that produced by Hugard at the Theatre Royal last night. His rifle act has never before been attempted here, and it is difficult to imagine a more thrilling or spectacular effect than that obtained by him. The sight of three young Territorials with loaded rifles in hand, preparing to execute tho calm and imperturbable Hugard needs to be seen to be fully appreciated. The Territorials brought their own rifles and ammunition. Hugard procured a person from the audience to mark the cartridges, and the rifles were then loaded in full view of the audience. Then the squad retired to the body of the hall, and Hugard asked that aim should be taken at his heart. When the volley had been fired, spots immediately appeared in the velvet heart Hugard held in front of his body, and the bullets fell to the floor. On the stage again, the riflemen opened the breaches of their •runs and ejected the smoking sheila. They then identified the bullets, which were marked with the grooves of th* rifle, and were still hot. The success of this startling performance may best be judged from the fact that if tho interval had been ten hours instead of ten minutes, the large audience would not then have finished debating the question of how it was done. Chung Sung T.oo, a Chinese magician, fills the second half with an Oriental act entitled "A Night in a Chinese Palace." The feats performed were all new, and a distinct advance on anything ever before presented here. During the evening, variety was added to the entertainment by a quaint musical act given by Miss Myra Errington, a young lady who includes in her repertoire a splendid exhibition of zvlophone playing. To-night Hugard will again perform here.