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The Chang Archives
Chang in Buenos Aires |
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This article was originally published in The Sphinx, April 1944.
CHANG, the globe-trotting Chinese magician, returned to Buenos Aires in March after an absence of nearly seven years during which time he has visited the major Continents of the world, and played every important city with unqualified success. His outstanding performances at the Teatro Avenida in Buenos Aires during 1936 and 1937 when he created a record of 610 consecutive shows have earned for Chang a high place in the Annals of Magic, and it was with very real pleasure that his many friends and acquaintances in the Capital City of the Argentine Republic welcomed him back to the very theatre in which his name became a household word. In order to show his appreciation, and to afford an opportunity for the many who desired to meet him personally, Chang invited nearly 200 guests to an informal party at the theatre when he delighted everyone with a cine exhibition of the technicolor films he took during his extensive world tour. These took nearly an hour and a half to screen, and form a travelogue picture of the world of considerable value. In retrospect we joined Chang through South America, across to the European continent, through Darkest Africa where we saw him and a number of the charming lady members of his company at the Kimberley gold mines, admiring the stately Victoria Falls, with the Sultan of Zanzibar and his Court, amongst the devil doctors of Nyasaland. Then from Nairobi in Kenya Colony across Persia on to India. Chang at the Taj Mahal, Chang at Delhi, at Calcutta, down to Rangoon, Bangkok and on to Siam. The views of the Malay States showing the religious penances inflicted on the people of those lands were of absorbing interest. By 'plane, 'steamer, rail and sampan the Chang company travelled through the South Seas, Australia and on to China. These latter shots were perhaps the most interesting in view of Chang's stage personality. In Hong Kong, Shanghai, Foochow, Pekin, we saw Chang the guest of many highly placed mandarins and then on to Honolulu with Chang filmed with the hula-hula girls and so on to the United States, down to Mexico, through the West Indies and Cuba, the West Coast of South America to arrive in Buenos Aires. The whole filming took some 90 minutes yet, the world tour occupied nearly seven years during which time Chang played the largest theatres and gave many thousands of performances. Concluded the performance, Chang invited all those present to a champagne buffet when a large number of noted members of Argentine society, press and friends congratulated him on the successful termination of his trip, and announced their pleasure at seeing him once again after his long absence. The opportunity was taken to admire the many souvenirs and gifts of Rajahs and Chinese dignitaries, some of rare value, which had been placed on exhibition in the foyer, as well as a number of tapestries and Chinese costumes that Chang had acquired during his travels. Chang opened his season on March 9th and for the first time for many years a Buenos Aires theatre had the sign "House Full" at the booking office. This was due partly to Chang's remarkable personality, his extraordinary success seven years ago, subtle publicity and the news that he brought with him the cream of the products of the United States magical factories of recent years. Neither was the public defrauded. From the word "go" the whole show was a two and half hour riot of magic, colour, music and mystery. Chang worked much faster than he usually does, maybe because his present programme contains double the quantity of magic. His delightful misuse of the Spanish language (of which he is naturally a master) causes a continual laugh. Following a long series of well presented productions, Chang offered no fewer than forty different tricks and illusions, those calling for special comment are: Flying birdcage, triple escape, levitation, card between glass, blooming rose bush, dove vanish, rising card from swinging houlette, rabbit vanish, improved duck pan, linking rings, cocktail shaker, new parasol and silks, paper tearing, Max Sterling egg, stack of water bowls, aerial fishing, silk production, 20th century silk, catching pigeons in the air, zipper fastener egg bag, water bowl and vanish, Indian basket trick, spirit materialisation, doll's house illusion, patriotic boxes, vanishing radio, devil's tubes, bouquet production, Chinese lanterns, untying knots, turban, floating ball, canary, lemon and egg, black light, shooting thro' a woman, vanishing clocks, and many others. The outstanding impresion of the Chang show is its lavishness, each and every trick and illusion being presented with appropriate scenery, many of the special sets being nothing short of luxurious. His many changes of costume were greatly admired, and the scenic and lighting effects, together with a well trained body of assistants, played no small part in the general success of the production. Chang, Chinese magician and gentleman. The Argentine welcomes you!
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