..."SORCAR Show ran two and a half hours, and we want to go on record as saying, it was the finest all round magic show we ever saw, and that includes Thurston, Blackstone, Dante, Kalanag, and any other of the greats we have seen in our long magic lives.....everything he did was in the best magic tradition"......

-Jay & Frances Marshall,
Editor of The New Phoenix Magazine and Associate Editor of
The Linking Ring magazine respectively, USA.
.

Sorcar performs his BY AIR MAIL: A mystery in Egypt
.

"I am writing this on October 10, 1966 in New York. To this point 1966 has been a bad year for the "It Can't Be Done" fraternity. All over the world the magical performers are reporting that it has been a difficult year to secure bookings for their mystical wares. Performers who have worked for years to establish their sales values find that their earning powers have become less potent.

In 1966 if one spoke of that one time glory of the field - the full evening illusion shows - the answer was always, "It Can't Be Done". In 1966 lack of public demand, economic pressures, union demands, bookers' apathy all combined to make it virtually impossible to sell a full evening illusion show.

By October 10, 1966, the Chang show had vanished like its own Asrah assistant.

By October 10, 1966, the Fu Manchu show had reduced its size to virtually a suitcase show, but even this heroic effort had not solved the problem.

By October 10, 1966, the Kalanag show had changed hands and Helmut had shuffled off muttering his last "Nicht Nazi". Richardini Jr. had closed his own big full evening show and had made a try with the Kalanag show under Mrs. Kalanag's management. It wouldn't work - it wouldn't work at all. So the wondrous, the graceful, the "Dynamo of Deception", Aldo Richardini went back to a short twelve minute act for Night Clubs, revues and all points West and East.

By October 10, 1966, the wonderful Latin American Tichardine show had "tossed in the towel", and Richardo Richardine, a charming performer had attached his abilities as a dancer to his illusions, and with the most salable act of our generation. In spite of this Richardo is having booking problems.

By October 10, 1966, Blackstone had left us and not a living soul in the whole world was interested in buying any part of the Blackstone titles. There was no show to buy. Warehouse charges had long since consumed it.

By October 10, 1966, the Virgil show, one of the most beautiful in the world, had reduced its load and is operating on its spot dates with the emphasis on the "Mental and Hypnotic". Virgil and Julie are now "talking a show".

By October 10, 1966, the Cecil Lyle show had lost its creator and is rotting away in its crates.

The Dante show - rotting, chopped, ruined.

Cantarelli - gone - forgotten.

Chefalo - gone - forgotten.

Tihanyl - stranded his big show in Mexico.

John Daniel - talking.

Arhtur Leroy - pulling puppet strings and looking longingly at my unused illusions.

October 10, 1966, one of the finest illusion shows in the United States, the Mac Birch show, sold pieces by piece. The man who was the logical and planned successor to Howard Thurston has called it quits. He wants no more of a big show.

October 10, 1966, Prince Charming SORCAR has built the biggest, most stupendous illusion show of our times. "It Can't Be Done" but Sorcar IS doing it.

From a small start just a few years back P. C. has built, created, improved, borrowed, financed, and best of all sold the illusion show to end all illusion shows.

When there appear to be no future for the full scale mystical Razz Ma Taz P.C. has brought forth a "Wonder of the World" that appears to be highly salable.

Sorcar has built, purchased, created opulent sets, beautiful costumes, big time lighting effects, and best of all wonders, mysteries, illusions, deceptions from every country, every age, every period. Wondrous forgotten marvels such as "Birth of a Pearl" are part of Prince Charming's world of enchantment.

Sorcar believes in his future, and unlike so many others, in the future of MAGIC as a means of entertainment. He spends fortunes in advertising. Some of his mailing pieces are brilliant beyond belief. He invests as if his product was not general magic but GENERAL MOTORS. He appears to be determined that fabled, fabulous India will once again become the Home of Mystery, and Prince Charming Sorcar its High Priest.

October 10, 1966, the Sorcar show, product of India, is not only the largest full evening illusion show in the world today, but because one man appears to have "guessed right" while the rest of us "guessing wrong", IT IS THE ONLY FULL EVENING ILLUSION SHOW EXISTING in its dizzy old world. Sorcar, a product of India, a nation that exports few theatrical attractions - Prince Charming Sorcar has produced for himself, his country, his profession, his love, a show that at this moment is the only one of its kind in the world.

Over a period of twenty years I've watched the Sorcar show in pictures and advertising matter get bigger, glossier, fatter. One thing bugs me, as I look over a collection of twenty years of Sorcar photos I observe the show gradually becoming bigger - fatter and Prince Charming he's moving along with his show - he's becoming bigger and fatter too. The rest of us starve - Prince Charming Fattens.

This is confusing because it plays 'hell' with an awful lot of rich nation - poor nation propaganda. My be P.C. is proving that riches are creative, not material, but I do wish that Prince Charming would continue to fatten his show but reduce his tummy.

October 10, 1966, It Can't Be Done But Pratul Chandra Sorcar Did It. It Must Be Magic." (end)

                              "HE REALLY IS THE WORLD'S GREATEST MAGICIAN"

        (Written by Jay and Frances Marshall, Magicians, Authors, & Editors, Chicago, USA. Reprinted from TRICK TALK magazine, Chicago, USA)

     P.C. Sorcar is known to everyone in magic in the entire world, and to millions in the many countries and continents wherein he has worked. We knew he had to have a great show, and when we arrived in Calcutta  to look him up, we were thrilled to find he was about to open a long run in the New Empire Theatre there. We changed our flight - what magician wouldn't have? This we could not miss.

We found him backstage at rehearsal and set-up, a task which takes about forty hours. In fact, the theatre closed completely for one day to permit this. We found a dozen lovely Indian girls working on silks and flowers, a stage crew  of men lifting an automobile from the alley to stage level (two floors up), a native orchestra (Sorcar's own) playing wonderful Indian music with bells, flutes, drums, etc. Everybody had a job, everybody was busy.

At the box office where Sorcar kindly fixed us up with seats, we saw the advanced booking sheets, page after page of sell-outs and growing sales, or weeks in advance. The line at the box office was evidence itself. Just for fun, as we moved bout the city, we asked all sorts of people if they knew P. C. Sorcar. Everybody knew him.

By opening night, he had the front of the theatre alive with his publicity. The house was full, quiet a few more men than omen, and of every Indian type and region, as characterized by their turbans, dress, hair, etc.

The show ran two and half hours, and we want to go on record as saying it was the finest all around magic show we ever saw, and that includes Thurston, Blackstone,Dante, Kalanag, and any others of the greats we have seen in our long magic lives. We base the comparison on the fact that he had more personnel, more equipment, more variety, his own orchestra, had taken over a big theatre for months, etc. etc.

Complete description is impossible here. The show is one of large illusions, and beautiful stage settings, opening with production number that fills the stage not only with silks, flowers, clocks, numerous other items, but with people as well. Sorcar has an ability to get laughs out of the most unlikely situations.  In this production number, girls and boys kept  bringing out racks,  stands, T bars, etc. so that each time he seemed to have finished, they brought out another empty one,  and sighing, he went back to producing. The audience got good laugh out of it.

     His "Water from India" produced with a dozen assistants each in the garb of a region of India, and bearing empty glasses, is a charming thing. A priest, in an orange robe, comes in first, bearing a silver pitcher (very small in appearance) on a tray. He tells Sorcar it is "Water from India". Now as the assistants come with their glasses, Sorcar calls out the name of the Indian region, and fills their glasses. Finally they are all lined up across the stage in a most colorful pageant. Then they begin to leave the stage one by one, emptying their glasses in a silver Lota as they go. This Sorcar uses as a running effect throughout the rest of the show. "May next effect - Water from India". It tickles the crowd.

His "Broomstick" number was captivating. The stage was bathed in dark blue light, with a city street scene. Dawn began to come on the city, and people began to move about. A little boy on crutches was selling newspapers. Sorcar took him off is crutches, used one in lieu of a broom and put the boy upon it. As the boy remained in midair, poised on a crutch, Sorcar  took the hula hoop away from another playing kid, and used it over the levitated boy. At the finish of the trick, the little lame boy threw his crutches away and skipped off stage. (The boy was played by Sorcar's college student son.)

And so it went - number after number, beautifully staged, costumed, and presented. He vanished a motor car full of  people, he did an "Eayless Vision" type of routine loaded with laughs and with a large committee from the audience on stage - verything he did was in the best magic tradition.

.

                                          SORCAR IN JAPAN

    (Written by Gasho Ishikawa, Magician, Author and Journalist, Tokyo Japan.  Reprinted from SORCAR:
                     Maharaja of Magic with permission from All India Magic Circle)
     In June 1937, one twenty-four year old Indian magician, fresh from college, visited the shores of Japan by the P. & O. liner Sirdhana with his selected magic show. He gave successful magic performances in Kobe on June 20th at the India Club, attended by the Prince of Mysore, Mr. & Mrs. Saxsena (Indian Trade Commissioner), Mr. & Mrs. Inamdar, Dr. Godbole (delegates to the World Education Conference), members of the India Club, the Indian Social Society, the President, Indian National Committee and Indian Trade Association in addition to all the Indian residents of Kobe and Osaka. This show proved very successful and lavish reports were published in all the Japanese newspapers. He later gave shows in Kobe under the joint auspices of the Kansai Japan-India Society and the Federation ofBuddhist Associations. Sorcar also performed in Tokyo under the arrangement of Late Rash Behary Bose and others. Ananda Mohan Sahay of India lodge, Kobe organized his Japan tour, which received very good receptions from both the press and public of Japan.      But the real hit was on June 15, 1937 when Sorcar visited Nakaza Theatre, Osaka, where Japan's Number One (Lady) Illusionist Ten Katsu was giving her full stage show. Sorcar mystified her and she received Sorcar most enthusiastically and gave various letters of introductions to the important persons. This news of Sorcar and Ten Katsu appreciating each other's shows was published throughout the world through the United Press news agency.      I was then the manager of Ten Katsu's Company From my young age I am very fond of magic and allied arts and my association with Ten Katsu (one of the world's outstanding stage illusionists at that time) gave me ample opportunity in learning more about this most ancient Art of Magic. Even in this advanced age, I could not get rid of
the Magic bug. I now devote most of spare times in the researches on Magic, about the Art and Science and Psychology of Magic. I regularly contribute articles on Magic in the various Japanese magazines and newspapers. I have in the meantime authored several text books on Magic for the juveniles and have written introductions for a good number of top magicians who have visited Japan.
     After an interval of many years Sorcar visited Japan again in 1954 with his big illusion show comprising tons of equipment and dozens of assistants. He was brought to Japan by the Russian Impresario V.O. Dziubinski mainly for the entertainment of the U.S. troop stationed in Japan. Sorcar gave his shows at the Kurits Kodo Theatre, Tokyo, sponsored by the Nippon Beer Company; Octagon Theatre, Yokohama and notably Takarazuka Theare, Tokyo at that time known as Ernie Pyle Theatre. This mammoth Takarazuka Theatre which is comparable to only the Radio City Music Hall, New York, is very gigantic and requires very big eye-filling apparatus and company to properly stage a show. On Friday, the 14th March 1954, Sorcar had his opening show i the Takarazuka Theatre and made a hit with his visible sawing through a lady with buzz saw and the vanishing of a new Ford car on the open stage and many others spectacular stage illusions. Sorcar was then made Honorary Member of The Japan Magic Association on 18th March 1954, and was accorded Reception by the various small and big groups of  Japanese Magicians. Sorcar was given a big reception in the Dinner Party of Tokyo Amateur Magic Circle, of which he was
already the first non Japanese Honorary Member since June 1937, while Dr. T. Ogata was its President. At that time Sorcar's Magic was filmed, taped and photographed from the different angles for the future reference and records. Urataro Uehara IBM, Iwaji kodama, T. Sakamoto, and many others became his first friends, and rendered every possible help to the visiting Indian Magician. Sorcar with his  amiable nature, friendly disposition, and big eye-catching stage illusion show made a great hit amongst all the Japanese Magicians. No wonder that his photographs appear in many of the Japanese books on Magic. He got spontaneous receptions from the Press and the Public of Japan. But the Great Sorcar show IND-DRA-JAL made the real hit during his Cultural Exchange tour to Japan in 1964. On 6th February 1964, I was present along with hundreds of journalists and many hundreds of press photographers during his opening performance at San Kei Hall, Tokyo, under the arrangement of the Art Friend Association and the Embassy of India in Japan. I was delighted to meet Sorcar both on and off the stage and
I wrote many illustrated articles about his fabulous Magic show in the Japanese newspapers and magazines. All the National magazines and newspapers of Japan published Sorcar news and stories most lavishly. The Mainichi Graphic on 8th March 1964 and The Asahi Picture News of 21.2.1964 (these magazines of America in quality and size) devoted their valuable four Full Pages with the multi-colour action pictures and portrait of SORCAR and his world famous INDDRAJAL. His Cutting a Lady in Half with Electric Saw on an open table, Water of India spectacle, feats of X-Ray Eyes, The Dragon Illusion, Floating Lady (Aerial Suspension) were lavishly featured in all the Japanese National Magazines and newspapers. Open any periodical, newspaper, even the monthly juvenile magazines and you will find fantastic reports and dozens of action photographs of Sorcar performing his miracles. On 3rd February 1964 his show was televised by the Japanese Government NHK-TV.
     After full one month's run with full houses daily at the San Kei Hall, Tokyo, the great IND-DRA-JAL party moved to other important cities of Japan with the same show. That a Magic show can be so popular, so much lucrative and so much astounding, was still beyond our imagination before this visit of Sorcar to Japan. Japan has been visited by all the topmost illusionists and magicians of the world but none of them ever got such fantastic reception like the Great Sorcar. He has made the people of Japan Magic conscious once again. The report of Sorcar being honoured by the President of the Government of India by offering the award 'PADMASHRI' was known to the people of Japan. The Yomiuri, National English Daily Newspaper of Japan in its issue of February 6, 1964 stated under bold three lines heading . . . "Invaluable Living Asset from India Brings Black Art". George V. Nikolaidis published in another English Daily The Mainichi Daily News in its issue of February 29, 1964 a big report about "Traditional Art of Indrajal". On 28th February 1964 evening Sorcar and Company was given a Grand
Reception Party by the Indian Ambassador Lalji Mehrotra which was attended by the top diplomatic officials of other countries in Tokyo. Sorcar easily became the star attraction in Tokyo. Sorcar easily became the star attraction and everywhere his fans gathered in thousands to have his autographs and photographs. During the shows, after the shows, in the airports, railroad stations, everywhere Sorcar was received with profuse flowers garlands and bouquets. The highest record was in Kushiro City (Hokkaido) on 27th April 1964 at 3-30 P.M., where Govt. Brass bands played, the Mayor of the City led the procession. There was the traditional red carpet and the mile-long motorcade. Each car had one big English Alphabet on it specially made of flowers and flower garlands so that from the aerial view it will read: "THE GREAT SORCAR OF INDIA WELCOME TO KUSHIRO". We have yet to see any top foreign dignitary ever to receive such a fantastic reception. In every city Sorcar had full houses, they clamoured  for extra shows and further extensions. But Sorcar stayed only FOUR months and then had to
leave Japan, due to previous engagements in other countries But he assured another visit in his earliest opportunity.
     Sorcar kept his promise. Sorcar and company visited Japan with bigger and better show . . . they came to Tokyo from India on 29th December 1965. He repeated his same success again this year and toured for full FIVE months. This year the authorities booked the biggest possible theatres, sometimes the sports centers and stadiums to accommodate the maximum number of audience in each show. He opened at the Koshei Nenkin Hall, Tokyo having a seating capacity of over two thousand in each show. the house was completely sold out weeks in advance, so extra matinee shows had to be laid everyday at 2 P.M. at Yen 1500 top admission prices. Unfortunately, I could not attend the Gala Opening Show of Sorcar this time, as I was in hospital. But luckily the whole show was fully televised by the Fuji television directly from the koshei nenkin Hall.
     I enjoyed the whole show from my hospital sick bed. I saw the familiar face, I heard the familiar voice addressing the crowd and the sky-rocketing applause of the most enthusiastic Japanese audience. Sorcar's wardrobe is always exotic and flashy, his orchestra in complete harmony with his illusions, his smart assistants work with precision, flawless and perfect. His set, scenery and lighting effects are most stupendous and above all his strong personality and showmanship was prolifically commanding.    I have seen him appearing from the huge BOOK OF MAGIC on the pages of which are the pictures of
Houdini, Robert Houdin, Kio, Kalanag and our own Ten Katsu. The whole audience howled in joy when they saw the life-like picture of Ten Katsu. There was a tear of joy in my eyes when I found the King of Magic, my friend Sorcar appearing from the blank India page. Sorcar showed illusion after illusion in quick succession. In his hands everything worked like a miracle. Motor car vanished with many passengers on board, the girl vanished from the suspended net, lady astronauts took their aerial flight via Sputnik (Rocket) Illusion. Girls were made to appear, disappear mostly from unlikely places, cut into pieces with electric saw. There was an amazing Black art routine ending in beautiful Cleopatra. The whole show ran like a well tuned engine. Later, I met Sorcar on many occasions even in private, his hotel room where we had long long heart-to-heart talks on Magic. Sorcar says, "When asleep I breathe Magic; when awake I work Magic." Really SORCAR himself is MAGIC. When shall I see him again???
 
 

Sorcar performs his "Fastest Trick in the World"

                                   SORCAR: THE MASTER MAGICIAN

      (Written by Krishan H. Gandhi, Journalist, Nairobi, Africa). Reprinted from The East African Illustrated Weekly Picha,
                               Nairobi, Kenya State, Africa, March 1, 1959)
     A magician of international fame, P.C. Sorcar, has arrived in this country. He opened his East African tour in
Nairobi last week at the Liberty Cinema in the presence of a capacity crowd. He had arrived in Nairobi earlier,
accompanied by his troupe of 15 assistants and about 10 tons of equipment, direct from Tehran.
     Sorcar is an expert in his art and is considered to be the greatest magician in the world. He proved this during
his shows here.
     The highlights of the gala performance in Nairobi was the sawing of a woman in half. This he did in a very
realistic manner by a power-driven circular saw. The woman was at first hypnotised and then placed on an open
table on the stage and then cutting half through her stomach, to the amazement of all present. It was not just the
cutting of the woman in half, the woman was actually lifted from the table and shown to the public in two halves! To
the relief of the audience, the woman who was sawn in half, later appeared on the stage-hale and hearty. It is said
that during the performance of this item in Singapore at least 30 people fainted. To perform this very same trick,
Sorcar and his entire party was air-lifted from Calcutta to New York to appear on the Coast to Coast colour
television network of American National Broadcasting Corporation. For this act, Sorcar was paid a sum of 15,000
U.S. dollars.
     Another item which created a sensation was when Sorcar cut off a piece of tongue of one of his assistants,
who, he said, "talked too much". Before he did this, he invited all the doctors and press reporters present, to the
stage to enable them to have a closeup view of this act. Sorcar explained that he was able to do this extraordinary
operation by sending back all the blood in the tongue to the heart. A pin was pricked in the tongue to confirm this
and when no blood was left in the tongue, a piece was cut off and was inspected by those present on the stage. This
piece was later on joined to the tongue. The doctors and reporters confirmed that the tongue was genuine and not
that of an animal or an artificial one made of rubber or sponge.
     He performed many other equally good and interesting items. One, which brought the house down, was when
he asked several members of the public to write on a blackboard any figure or sentence in any language of the
world. No sooner had those concerned written whatever they wished than Sorcar immediately read back the figures
and sentences or copied the drawings on the same board- all this when completely blind-folded with a dark thick
handkerchief tied on his eyes which had also been plastered with wet flour dough. Other items included a number of
card of tricks and several items in which he vanished his assistants as well as several birds from the stage. In one
scene he produced four alive ducks from an empty trough by firing a shot in the air with a gun. During the last item
of the show, while performing on the stage, he disappears from the stage and reappears in the auditorium of the
theatre while the onlookers are all wonder struck to see him appear in the auditorium from nowhere.
     Sorcar's own orchestra provided excellent Indian background music during the performance. The stage was
very nicely decorated and the background curtains were really very attractive and provided good settings for each
individual item. At the end of the programme, Sorcar praised the beauty that is Nairobi. He said that he was greatly
impressed by the hospitality of its people and commended on the number of cars that were to be seen in the City.
     Sorcar, who is 46, was born in India in a family of magicians. He has travelled around the world though this
is his first trip to Africa. We are indeed fortunate to have amongst us a really great and world-renowned artist in the
name of Sorcar.
                                                  ..

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