MIDGETS AND CONJURERS

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1926, Page 13

MIDGETS AND CONJURERS

NOVEL VAUDEVILLE COMPANY. So much vaudeville has a sameness these days that it is refreshing to find something that is different. Irving’s Imperial Midgets and the Chefalo-Pal-ermo company of conjurors and illusionists are certainly different. They appeared last night at the New Plymouth Opera House under the direction of John Fuller and Sons, and if the audience was not large there was no doubt it was very well pleased. The midgets are really alive and differ only in size from their larger brothers and sisters.' The smallest of them is only 23 inches high and the largest 36 inches, just a yard, and their ages range from 19 to 42 years. These 13 little people are good-looking and perfectly formed, and their show last night was most ’ entertaining. One of them performed a balancing act on a tower of chairs and ladders that required uo small measure of strength and adroitness, and a lady member of the troupe did marvellous feats gracefully on a tight rope. Others sang and danced and even did the Charleston, and there was a melodramatic sketch enacted in. an Apache cafe. A dance duo by two of the ladies during thia scene charmed with its daintiness. Several ballet dances in costume were particularly good, especially the parade of the wooden soldiers and another of a military character. Mr. Willie Rolle, who conducted the orchestra, and made the announcements, soon established himself in popular favour with' his humorous interjections and his droll "Thank you,” at the conclusion of the applause for each item. But lie saved his best card till later. As he facetiously remarked, “the show was now to begin.’ To hear him play a silver-coloured xylophone with a silver tone was to realise that one of the best, if not the best item had begun. He produced real music, delightful to listen to, from an instrument whose usual. -function is to be hammered into jazz. These miniature actors of maiiy different nationalities give a performance that is m no sense small.

With the aid of his assistants. Chefalp Palermo staged a clever., series of conjuring tricks and illusions. He showed some old tricks and many new. but whether old or new they were perform cd so dexterously to the accompaniment of entertaining patter that keen interest was maintained throughout. Mr. Palermo did things with six small balls and a pack of cards that set the audience marvelling that hands could be so useful or so speedy in movement. In fact, th? conjuror explained that his special intention in these manipulations was to show how quickly he could move. He succeeded. z Of the more elaborate illusions the always popular disappearing lady prove! as mysterious as ever. She lay on a thin table-top supported on four legs, and was covered with a sheet. Then, at the bidding of the magician, she rose slowly in'the air, her stiffened form plainly visible through the covering. She lay there floating in the air. Suddenly the cloth was snatched away. Underneath it was—nothing! A large packing case was brofight on- to the stage. It must, have .been a . sound one, for .1' passed the inspection of a committee oi young men from the audience. They nailed Mr. Palermo apparently securely inside it. But the momentary privacy of screens enabled him to escape, though the fastenings were still in place. When the boards were prised open an imprisoned assistant stepped out. Much amusement was caused at the diseomforture of men and boys from the audience when touched with magic wands or magic hands. Some of them beat a hasty retreat for the stalls, but one found lie simply could not move his feet just as he was about to step down (o the sanctuary of the auditorium. Another touch from the wand released Mm from his predicament, however. The company will perform again tonight.