The Topeka state journal., 1897-09-22
NEW HERRMANN.
Apparently as Good as the Other
Herrmann-Some New Features.


To the American public the name of
Hermann has always been synony-
nous of mystery and magic, and al
though the man who made 1T SO is dead,
a Topeka audience VIII pear testlmo-
ny that it still remains so under the
care of Leon Hermann, his nephew
and successor.
Leon Hermann made his debut in
Topeka in opening the theatrical sea-
son at the Grand Opera house last
night, and when he first made his ap-
pearance before the audience probably
no one in the house for a moment dis
tinguished any difference between him
and his famous uncle, Hermann the
Great except in stature. 1t is true
that those of the audience who from
repeatedly Witnessing his performances
had become familiar with the other
Hermann soon noticed that the young
magician was much smaller, that he
did not possess the comedy Qualifca-
tions of Alexander, and that to some
extent he was handicapped by his un-
familiarity with the English language,
yet the keenest observer could detect
but little difference in the features of
the young man. Leon Hermann has
the characteristic features of the Herr
mann family, the Mephistophelia,n
curling back from his forehead.
If Leon is not now the equal of Alex
ander Hermann in magician's art, to
use the expression of Madam Herr
mann, it must be considered that he
has not been in the business for so
years. He arrived in this country for
the first time last January, and with
with but three weeks of rehearsalS and
study took up the work where it was
cut short by the death of Hermann
the Great" No one who saw the young
magician last night but will believe
that the high standard created by Al
eXander Hermann as a king among
magicians will be for him easy of at
tainment.
In feats of legerdemain young Herr
mann is remarkably clever. And after
all this is the best work of the modern
magician. Mechanical tricks, optical
Illusions and other featS which call for
paraphernalia and confederates are all
very well, but it is the tricks done in
the full glare of electric light under the
very noses of the occupants of the the
ater which are the most mystifying to
them, and which earn a name for the
magician.
Many of the paln1ing tricks done by
Leon Hermann last night were old to
a Topeka audience, but as many more
were new, and the individual perform
ance of the young magician was any
thing but weariSOme. Several of the
tricks, prominently the clock trick, are
original with him.
The 'Trilby'' feature. the Asiatic
trunk mystery and the ARTISTS
Dream were creations of Alexander
Hermann but were seen in Topeka for
the first time last night as they were
adopted by the late magician only last
season. In the former Madam Herr
mann, costumed as Trilby. lies upon a
board supported by two chairs and sup
posedly falls into a hypnotic sleep. The
magician then proceeds to wave his
hand over her face. and behold, that
end of the board raises in midair and
the chair is removed. In like manner
the other end of the board raises and
the second chair is removed leaving
Trilby suspended before the audience.
To show the cleverness of the trick
young Hermann drew a pointer from
one side to the other above and below
the board and form to show that it was
not suspended by wires other me-
chanical devices.
In the ASiatic trunk mystery a small
maiden is tied securely in a sack,
placed in a trunk, the trunk placed in
a larger trunk, and the other trunk
strapped with heavy bands. The
trunks and their human burden is
placed on an oriental cabinet which
might be taken as miniature Chinese
pagoda, a second maiden, taller by at
least a foot and heavier by some so
pounds takes her place beside it and the
curtain is drawn. The magician waves
his wand before the curtain, presto, it
suddenly rises, and there standing
where the audience last saw the larger
girl is the maiden who was tied in the
sack and placed in the trunk The
trunks are then unstrapped and opened
terror of the trunks.
A series of four beautiful spectacular
dances was the part of the entertain
ment contributed by Adelaide Herr
mann, the widow of HERMANN the
Great. Ten electric calcium lights
were used and an effect produced
more magnificent and bewildering than
anything seen on the stage of the
Grand before. The dances are by no
means terpsichorean tests, as practic-
ally all Madame Hermann does is to
gracefully pose in the focus of the
powerful calcium lights. Her dances
are THE Star of the Night THE
Vesuvian dance,'' the Rays of the
Sun" and the Lilly of the ORIENT
They were arranged after her IDEAS
and some critics have gone as far as to
say that the effects produced are more
beautiful than any brought out by the
famed terpsichorean artist, Loie Full
Ter.
The Hermann entertainment ended
as 1t commenced with slight of hand by
Leon Hermann. The audience was
fair In size, and thoroughly enjoyed the