WIZARD ROBES FILE CLAIM FOR FULL CREDIT ON LIVE PERFORMANCE; ACTOR 'WAS ALSO THERE'

A set of wizard robes, a patterned hat and one pair of round spectacles have lodged a formal claim for top billing in Wizarding Fun, the 2020 clip of Mr. Samman performing live in costume, arguing that "the outfit did the talking and he simply stood inside it."

In a week in which this paper reported that Mr. Samman's T-shirts spoke on his behalf for three decades, wardrobe lawyers say the claim "has precedent," though an inspector's hat, which has done all the work for decades while its owner took the credit, has filed in support.

Mr. Samman disputes it. His notes on the clip are about live performance, timing and audience energy, and the fact that "every show demanded something different." "The robes were the same every day," said a fellow performer, who is fictional. "He wasn't. That's the job. The costume gets you onto the stage. It can't do the show for you."

Costume historians add that this was the first outfit in Mr. Samman's career chosen for the audience rather than against it, a reversal they describe as "significant, and beautifully tailored." The hat disputes this, but concedes the robes were "at least the right outfit for the room."

The claim will be heard next month. The spectacles have asked to appear by video.