The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-12-27
STAGE INTERRUPTIONS.

THAT dodge of ready-made Interrupt
tions isn't confined to politics." said
theatrical manager who had listened to
an old campaigner's remarks, says the
New Orleans Times-Dcmocrat. 1T has
been used on the stage with great suc-
cess. Old man Bltz, the conjurer-I mean
the Blitz whose right name was Sch
wartsmann-used TO carry around fell
low whose sole duty was to expose the
tricks. The scheme proved a hit, and was
really one OF the foundations of Blitz's
fame and fortune. tFf
THE way he worked II was quite In
genious. At about the middle of his pro-
gram he would undertake to shift cam
non ball from one silk hat to another.
The hats were placed at opposite ends OF
a long table, and while the trick was In
progress the interrupter, who was seated
In the audience In the role OF spectator.
would suddenly raise a shout OF Lift the
clothr Blitz would stop In apparent con-
fusion and after wordy alteration,
during which the other would insist ON
his point, ne would snatch up the cover
angrily and -isclose a boy In the act OF
passing a cannon ball through a trap In
the table top. Now are you satisfied? he
would exclaim. letting the cloth drop
again. You ought TO have sense enough
to know that every trick has its mechan-
ism
clear victory for the interrupter, and the
audience would generally howl I'm deri-
sion. At that Blitz would pretend TO get
furious. III do that trick, anyhow. Just
TO spite your he would exclaim: and.
taking a couple OF glass vases. he would
place the hats on top. thus raising them
clear OF the table Then he would lift the
cloth. and. 10 and behold! the boy had
vanished into the airl With the cover still
elevated and held in place by pins. the
feat OF shifting the ball would be trium-
phantly performed, and. needless TO say,
the spectators would shout themselves
black in the face. The trick was nothing
but a piece OF clever palming, and tho
disappearance of the bogus confederate
was effected by simple arrangement of
Inclined mirrors. but. all the same. II was
n very effective piece of work and never
failed to make n profound impression on
the audience. Blitz had dozen varia-
tions OF the interruption scheme. some
much better than the one have do
scflbed. and. while they would be a trina
too obvious for the up-to-date theatres
goer Of the present. they never missed
fire In the unsophisticated early days.
Fake interruptions i'm a slelght-of-hand
or conturing performance have the double
advantage OF giving eclat to the trick ard
intimidating any real siepics in the
house who might otherwise prove troi-
blesome After man hears some other
fellow get badly worsted IN an encounter
with the magician he will hesitate 20 put
I'm an oar himself. no matter how certain
he may be that he sees through the fllii-
sion. In his younger days Hermann used
ready-mada Interruptions TO some slight
extent. but afterward discarded them Us
being too dangerous. As far rs he ever
went was 10 get an usher TO call out:
He's got Il up his sleevcv or Look under
that boxy or course. the article In ques-
uon wouldn't be there. and Hermann
would get a round OF applause. while the
usher retired, apparently crestfallsn."