ENTERTAINMENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2471, 8 April 1909, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

<*> MASKELYNE AND DEV ANT'S MYSTERIES. Deception, when the method of working the deception is urikncv/n. has an irresistible charm for most people, but perhaps there is no method of deception so welcome to the deceived as the mysteries and magic of ‘•black art.” In such entertainments Messrs Maskelyne and Cook hare excelled for. the last forty years, and the entertainent presented before a crowded audience at His Majesty’s Theatre by Messrs Maskelyne and last evening vtas one .that avrakened alt the old-time charm of the wefM and the wonderful. Messrs Maskelyne and Devant presented their performance so perfectly, so rapidly, cleverly, and neatly, tint while the audience knew, they were being tijeked, they enjoyed the experience to the, utmost, they could not tell how it was done. The tricks presented wore chiefly of the illusionary order, and they were staged in such a manner that made them not only acceptable, but intensely enjoyable. and the audience alternately laughed until their sides ached or showered rounds of applause upon the magicians. Mr. Owen Clark presented a very neat turn of sleight of hand, and caused eggs to appear in the most unlikely places and to disappear in an equally mysterious manner. Banjos, flower pots, watches, and other articles vanished in full view of the audience. Dove 3 were found in empty flower ]X)ts, and were alternately turned into bouquets, and re-formed into doves in the twinkling of an eye. Mr Clark also showed a new illusicST “The Tub of Diogenes ” In this trick an empty barrel was shown, the ends were covered with white paper, and without the use of screens, curtains, trap-doors or even magic words of any kind, Diogenes, alive and well, was found inside. The trick was" most wonderful and mysterious and brought down the house. A romantic magical playette, entitled, "St. Valentine’s Eve,” was also shown. In the play a parcel of newspapers, sent anonymously to an old bachelor, turns, when lighted by a spirit flame, into a, life- ‘ sized valentine containing his former sweetheart, who speaks of her old love for him. The playette, while mysterious in conception, was intensely human. and its note of sentimentalism went straight to the hearts of the audience. The chief and the best illusion was a novel presentation of Mr. Maskelyne’s world-famous cabinet trick, entitled, “Will, the Witch, and the’ Watchman.” Mr. Alf. Bert was the witch, who worked the wonders or the quick changes. A sailor was put into the cabinet, the doors were locked, he disappeared, his place being ; taken by a huge ape. The witch turned the ape into the sailor and all were satisfied. The cabinet shown was the original one used by Mr-. Maskelyne. It was possible to see all around the cabinet, and two well-known local gentlemen 'were' 'allowed the free inspection of the stage-, during the performance, but were as mystified with the powers of the witch as the audience. The box trick, into, which a man was placed and the box > then locked and bound with canvas and ropes, was also shown. The man, needless to say, liberated hi me elf from his position with the greatest- appnr-A ent case and rapidity to the consternation of the house. A special feature of the magical portion of the programme was the amount of humour thrown into the work by the performers, and the illusions were thereby rendered all the more enjoyable. Mr. Barclay Gammon and his piano are an entertainment in themselves. Mr. Gammon is a new type of monologue entertainer. He is so delightfully crisp, witty, and candid alxmt himself. He talks about Mr. Gammon all the time critically. .He toils the audience he is doing so because, lie gets paid, or rather hopes to get paid, but the audience roars with laughter. Mr. Gammon is clever at the piano, but his playing is of the light tricky nature, and it gets home, keeping- the audience in a good tomper. Juggling is the special business of the Japanese. M. Gintaro, and he- is an adept. His performance ls tod clever to be described. His juggling can only be said to be expert and wonderful. He is so rapid and clean in all be docs that a mistake never occurs, and the audience left the theatre last evening more than satisfied with the varied programme provided. The same programme will be repeated again this evening and on Saturday evening. On Saturday afternoon- a.matinee performance will be given at 2.30 o'clock, at which children will be admitted to all parts of the theatre - for one shilling.