Pepper’s Ghost

This is one of the oldest SFX, pre-dating Star Wars and Spiderman by over 100 years. A large sheet of glass, angled from stage towards auditorium, optically combines a reflected actor – the ‘ghost’ concealed beneath the stage, out of the audience’s sight line – with other actors on stage who are seen directly through the glass. Experiment with light levels to make this ghost fade in and out of sight. Lift the side panel to expose the theatrical contrivance.