Famous Magician Upholds Payment Of Artists

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 28, 23 December 1938, Page 4

Famous Magician Upholds Payment Of Artists

Clubs Who Want Services Free

AMOUS magician Nicola, who has been playing at His Majesty’s Theatre, Auckland, to capacity houses for weeks, is the laiest to lend support to the Auckland Intertainers’ Association, now fighting to see that elubs and Societies pay artists for their services with move than cups of tea. To secretary Isobel Langlands last week, Nicola expressed utter bewilderment when told that artists were expected to perform without a fee. ' Said Nicola: "I still can’t get into my head why some people want something for nothing." "Why not pay a potential Tibbett, Ruth Draper or a Nicola and help them to the ton? "tf these artists are good enough to listen to, they are worth encouraging. Take the case of magicians. Audiences who calmly sit and enjoy their entertainn :nt do not realise that it is nothing for a little pocket trick to cost as much as £10. "A magician has to have many tricks to. give a satisfactory performance, to say nothing of

packing and unpacking of paraphernalia. Every trick has to be paid for. | have paid as much as £1000 for one." Speaking of the lack ef apyreciation shown to local magicians, Nicola said there was one magiefan in Auckland who could easily command £26 to £30 nightly in London or New York. Had this particular man been in Auckland during his season, said Nicola, he would certainly have put him on in his show for a week to make the Auckland public fully conscious of his. brilliance. "Tt would have made them realise what they have in their midst and make them pay for it," "Said Nicola. Nicola said the standard of per formance above all, should be maintained. "You don’t want bad eggs because you can get them for nothing," he said with a humor ous twinkle. Nicola wished the Auckland Entertainers’ Association all the luck in the world. He said that, but for similar organisations in the United States, artists there would still be working for nothing.