By VIN CAREY

PUBLISHED BY

ABBOTT'S COLON, MICH.

WILL ALMA M.I.M.C. (LONDON)

J A P M I R A K 0 A C T

^Writing Upside-down and "backwards)

A Novelty Act

B Y V I N C A R E Y

This manuscript is written to f i l l an apparent gap in the

Magic Nove ltjf field which seems to have been totally overlooked.

In presentation before an audience, it is effective because it

suggests a phenomenal mind on the part of the performer a n

apparaent'exercisc of multiple-concentration ability. It is

ordinarily supposed that the normal mind might be capable of two

functions at the same time, but with this act, not only two, but

three four five operations are directed by the mind, and

simultaneously.

It seems to me that this form of entertainment lends itself

very well-to the demand for novelty in the floor shows of night

d u b s particularly, as well as-being a novelty addition to any

program anywhere. For the Magician doing shows in schools, it is

an invaluable adjunct to his repertoire, as he can sell it as an

educational feature when booking his shows.

These presentations are given with the use of two or more

blackboards as suggested in the sketches accompanying this

manuscript. By using a large pad of paper and a soft pencil which

writes a bold line, this act may be used as a "table stunt."

Always this act is worth while entertainment.

J n & t u f v

(Mftkrl z&/c do

Here is the stage setting for the act.

A good way to make a portable "blackboard of any large size is to make a frame of sections of pipe ani make a canvas painted with blackboard paint, which can be tied to frame as shown below,

i t . A C E I > V / l f r J ' B pf p e -

A suggested routine, -which starts simply and works up to

a grand climax, is as follows*

Your audience calls out a.number of proper names which you

write upside-down and backwards.

Using two of the names, write them so that one is correctly

written forward and the other is upside-down and backwards, and

both are intermingled as in the sketch herewith. Several such

sets may bo written.

Next, audience calls four words of four letters each. These

are written with two words correctly forward and two words upside-

down and backwards and all sixteen letters intermingled as .

in the skctch.

It will be noticed that the second letter of each word is

four letters from the first, the third letter is four from the

second and so forth. When the beginner has become more proficient

he may use words of five or six letters with equal ease.

For a climax, you can announce that you will do five different

things at one time although man is not supposed to be able to do

more than one thing at a time. Here is what you claim to dot Head

a selected paragraph from a boook or newspaper correctly forward,

write it upside-down, write it backwards, add a column of figures,

and recite a poem at the same time. Sounds impossible, does it

not"? Well, read on and learn you can do it with a minimum of

practice.

Naturally, the basis of the whole thing is to be able to

write the letters of the alphabet upside-down and backwards so we

will start our practice by writing the letters forward and then

3 A

First practice the alphabet by writing forward; then turn paper and write upside-down and backwards.

a

Second, vvrite the alphabet joined together; then reverse paper and write it upside-down and backwards.

Practice two proper names intermingled, one written forward, the other upside-down and backwards as Abbott-Carey,

^ o u s ^ "Tru^ufi s d & t t p - j & f a r v

J T V

- ' d o - v t o

s

. . J T This is how you intermingle the words, two correctly forward

and two upside-down and backwards.

When verifying thes words, erase each letter as you pronounce

and then turning the paper upside-down and backwards for some

study.

You will notice that the inverted letters arc in many cases

the same or similar to other letters when written correctly

forward. For example, h and y are the same when reversed. Other

example? d and p ; w and m; u and n, etc. These letters you

already can write upside-down.

Trace over the letters upside-down and backwards to find

out the formation and the part of the letter you must write first,

where to end the letter, etc.

Now write cach letter of the alphabet again, reverse your

paper and copy each letter as you see it in the reversed condition

directly underneath the reversed letters. Go over the lower

case (small) letters a number of times, then try the capitals and

figures.

When you have become familiar With the separate letters, and

in both the forward and upside-down-backward positions, try

writing the alphabet all joined together, then reversing it and

writing it upside-down and backwards all joined together.

If you come to a place where it seems difficult to join

the letters together, stop and practice these letters. Now try

some three- or four-letter words. You will be surprised what

you can do with this small amount of study and practice.

Now you have the basis

Let's assume you know a poem. Select a short paragraph in

your newspaper and placing it where you can read it and with your

paper and pencil before you, start reciting the poem which you can

do with ease aa the subconscious mind will carry on the recitation

as you copy the paragraph from the paper.

Now try to write the same paragraph upside-down and backwards

while reciting. That will be four of the things you promised to

do at one time, namely, reading correctly forward, writing

upside-down, briting backwards and reciting a poem. It only

remains to add the column of figures and you have the complete

act.

There is a trick to adding the column of figures which is

known to book-keepers, groccrs and others 'who have to add figures

rapidly. Suppose the figures in the example are the ones called

out by your audience. Write them so that they can be seen at a

glance while writing your paragraph upside-down. As you finish

writing the first or second word glance at the first row of

figures to be added.

Divide the first row of figures into groups

as you glance at them, thus: 5)8 ,".A 2)8

3) 6

Now add the groups: 8 plus 8 plus 1 equals 17.

Write the 7 under first row of figures and the one

above the second row of figures as usual. Now

write one or two more words and add the second wo

of gigures by groups as $du did the first:

7)10 7)13 6)7 3) 5) l ) Then 10 plus 13 plus 7 39 .

47863 S5876 43351 86473 93135

365597

Write the 9 under second row and the 3 just above the third ow.

Continue in like manner with the other rows of figures until you

have completed the addition, and at tho same time the paragraph

you are writing.

To the audience it seems that you have been doing

five things at the same time, but actually you were doing but one,

for as I have explained, you can recitd the poem without thought

or effort on your part. Continue writing and reciting until you

have reached the end of your poem and have rdaohed the beginning

of a sentence, where you can stop and recapitulate what you

have done.

If you are performing with blackboards, the board with the

figures on it is placed at your side las in sketch) who re you

can see it at a glance.

Now in case you are the one who does not know a poem, you

will find it is very interesting if you call out the capitals of

the 48 states which are callcd out by the aldience. A little

brushing up on your primary school geography and you can do this

easily. Want to cheat a little? Have them written in pencil on

the rim of your blackboard where you can see them but your

audience can't.

An additional stunt is to select two headlines in the news-

paper and write them intermingled as you did the two proper names.

These may also be written in advance on the newspaper, so that

as you hold the paper so the audience can see the headlines, you

have only to cop^ t what you have written in advance.