AQUiLA MAGAZINE
SHOWSTOPPERS
Boo ! It ’ s Pepper ’ s Ghost !
POLLY ’ S mISSION
Imagine being a theatre-goer in Victorian England and witnessing an actual ghost appear on stage – you ’ d be completely terrified ! Pepper ’ s Ghost made its stage debut on Christmas Eve in 1862 during a performance of Charles Dickens ’ The Haunted Man . It worked by placing a tall piece of glass between the actors and the audience , angled at 45 °. To the side of the stage was a hidden area , kept dark for most of the performance . When the ghost needed to appear , the stage lights would be dimmed and a spotlight placed upon the ghost in the hidden area . Audiences were left with their jaws firmly on the floor when a ghoul materialised ! Let ’ s recreate this classic showstopping special effect at home – and then have a go dazzling your own unsuspecting audience !
GET STARTED
STEP 1 :
Block up any holes in the box .
STEP 2 :
Paint or cover the inside of your box to make it black .
STEP 3 :
Cut two doors in the box ; you might need a grown-up to help . Make one on the left of the front wall and one on the lid in the front right-hand corner . The doors in this shoebox are 7 x 5 cm , but you should to scale them to the size of your box . o
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ACTIVITY SKILLS
30 minutes
DIFFICULTY
YOU WILL NEED
Large cardboard box with lid ( a shoebox is ideal )
Black paint or paper Scissors
CD case ( this will not be destroyed !)
Protractor
An actor ( small enough to fit inside the box )
A ghost ( small enough to fit inside the box )
Bright torch o Sticky tack ( optional ) o
A helpful adult
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