The Vanishing Man
Another good effect, which would act as an excellent climax to the entertainment, can be brought about as follows:
The performer makes his appearance carrying a large white shawl. This he spreads upon the ground. Taking the shawl by its two top corners, he holds it before him so that he is completely hidden.
Next he commences slowly to wave the shawl to and fro, to advance to the front, and then to retreat to the back of the stage. As he is advancing for the second time, however, the shawl is suddenly dropped, and—hey, presto!—there is nothing behind it; the illusionist has gone!
But at the very moment the shawl collapses, a loud shout is heard, and the illusionist is seen standing to the rear of the audience!
In this illusion, as in the others, the “black” assistant plays an important part. His task is not nearly so difficult, however, as those he has already been called upon to undertake. In fact, the whole illusion, although it can be made one of the most effective on the programme, is the easiest to accomplish.
Directly the illusionist picks up the shawl and holds it before him, the “black” assistant steps up and takes it. Still under cover of the shawl, the two slowly retreat to the back of the stage until they come to the opening in the partition-curtain (D, [Fig. 2]). It is then an easy matter for the illusionist to slip through the opening and get clear away. The assistant continues to wave the shawl slowly backwards and forwards, giving the audience the impression that the original performer is still behind it.
In the meantime the illusionist has made his way out of the room by a door in the vicinity of the stage. Thence he hurries to a door leading to that portion of the room containing the audience. Pushing this slightly open so that he may obtain a view of the stage, he waits until he sees the shawl drop, when he unexpectedly and dramatically makes his presence known.
The assistant being arrayed in black apparel will, of course, remain invisible.
The only drawback to this illusion is, that it necessitates there being two doors to the room in which the “black stage” is erected. Then again, although a room may possess the requisite doors, one of them may be so placed that it is impossible for the performer to reach it without being first seen by the audience. In such a case, however, the difficulty may be overcome by an ordinary screen placed from the door to the back entrance of the stage.
As already observed, these illusions can be easily added to and improved upon. In fact the “black stage” and its “black” assistant offer tremendous scope for a really first-class entertainment, teeming with bewildering and mystifying illusions.
If the stage is large enough, two assistants may be employed, and still more complex effects attempted. But having described several illusions of an entirely different nature, and having explained the principle upon which all such illusions are worked, it must be left to the reader to invent other “black stage” mysteries with which to entertain and bewilder his friends.