A few racy remarks about each shadow lend an interest to the performance and serve to keep the spectators amused. Always be quite sure of what you are going to do and how you are going to do it; arrange your fingers quickly and correctly; do not keep the same figure upon the screen too long, and you are sure to succeed.
A mistake is fatal, as nothing is more dreary for the visitors than to watch you bungling with your fingers—uncertain how they should be placed.
Figure Shadows
These are, perhaps, more entertaining than hand shadows, but require much greater space, it being necessary to arrange them somewhat after the manner of tableaux.
A white sheet must be drawn completely over one end of the room, as S in [Fig. 8], whilst near the opposite wall three boxes of varying height should be arranged as A B C in that figure, a candle being placed upon the middle one.
There should be no other light in the room, upon either side of the screen.
Fig. 8.—Arrangement of screen for figure shadows.
When the performer enters by the door D his shadow is thrown upon the screen in a natural size, but as he retires from the screen and approaches the candle, his shadow increases to enormous dimensions, and very funny effects will be produced.
A couple of performers may have a fight, the one near the candle apparently being of gigantic stature, whilst the other close to the screen is of ordinary build.