Got this effect I want to try.

I come on stage in a quick change costume with a mask. I carry my props + small table and with back to audience put them down in position. I then stand up and without turning around rip off costume and surprise I am actually facing the audience.

How do I make my legs appear to bend the other way around as I put down the table? The hands problem is no problem as I can just wear cleverly prepared gloves. To make the thumbs appear at the "right" end.

Cant think of a convincing way to do the knee bend though.

Any Ideas?

This sounds great, but aside from surgery, I don't know of a way to make your knees bend the wrong way.

Perhaps you can find a way around it, the basic idea is pretty cool.


Good luck!

How about NOT bending at the knees? Just keep your legs straight and make sure that you have a high enough table that doesn't require bending at the knees?

Really nice idea on the switch.

Great idea.

How about pretending the table is very heavy and side stepping on the stage - so facing the other way you simply pace sideways. Kinda like a person carrying a bookcase through a narrow corridor.

How bout the curtain opening with you already at the table bending over arranging props. Move somewhat naturally to the front of the table, apparently with your back to the audience.

Hope your up on your yoga.

Wear a cape or very loose fitting, baggy pants. The bend in the knees won't be seen.
Good luck

Or if you don't like a cape, put a long table cloth that will hide your legs.
Gary

Man, that's pretty crazy. Hope you find your method.

Great idea!

I see your problem, as I think to sell this to best effect you'd want to walk on stage
"apparently" facing audience, turn round to face away and then reveal you are facing them?

I can't help wondering about your feet too...

Pity you're not double jointed there.

Instead of "ripping off" a costume it would be great if somehow you could make it look like you turned round without turning round kind of thing.

Perhaps with lighting changes that hide your facial features at first and then reveal them?

Maybe your face is blacked out and maybe some prosthetics to make your face look rounded like the back of your head, then the prosthetics "dissolve off" - maybe I'm getting a bit too bizarre here... just thinking aloud.

Of course, it would be great if you turned this into a stunt where this happens with two spectators holding your wrists...

Could you walk on with costume on one way (the correct/normal way so you can walk normally), use misdirection while the costume rotated itself around you? Maybe turning yourself the opposite way, as it does so, you end up quickly having the costume on the other way so it looks like you are still facing the audience but in fact are facing away.

Continue with patter for 20 seconds or so and then turn round so the audience thinks you are facing away. Maybe get the spectators to help with holding your wrists and then reveal...

Just a simple mechanical idea which is angle sensitive:

Create a V shaped device, which is just two equally lengthed pieces of wood hinged together, (well one piece is the length of the top of your leg and the other the bottom to your ankle - minus a little bit on each)

Add straps so you can attach it to the back of your leg, (at the ankle and top of the thigh) Make the device so it can't bend inwards towards your knee, (hinge on the inside, next to the inside of your knee)

Now, if you bend your leg the device should bend an equal amount in the opposite direction (tape a bit of paper, like I currently have now onto your leg and you'll see what I mean.)

The above idea needs a little refinement but if you work at the device you can pull it off. Forseeable problems include, catching the back of your trousers where it opens up (you'll need to sheath it somehow) and locking of the device, making you unable to bend your knee at all and also not having enough room in your trousers (numerous ways around this)

Feet can be done with a pair of gaffed shoes. Cutting off the front of an old pair and attaching it to the back of the pair you are wearing.

Regards

Kris Sheglova

How about stomping on stage in a Frankenmagician kind of outfit? The imagery of stiff legs and arms would help it work? Limits your entrance to just Frankie or Mrs. Frankie, though.

Try a cape and some baggy pants.
Most people will be concentrating on your mask and prop case, not your knees.
I saw something similar on Cirque de Soliel once, a long time back. It will blow audiences away.

Vinnie

I would think that a robe is better than a
cape. A cloak and robes (for lack of a better example, something like Darth Maul wore, but nothing cheesier than that) using all black can help mask it in shadows.

If I were doing this, right before I revealed
my face I would "drop" something and
bend over, (yes backwards) and after coming straight up I would reveal that I am looking forward. The thing that I picked up would then go from being grasped behind me, to casually bringing it in front of me. That thing would then lead into a small opener routine.

Then again, I can bend all the way backwards and touch the ground. If you can, too, then maybe this would be helpful.

How about walking with knees faced outward? Walking in an extreme bowlegged fashion.

Hey,

that's a really clever idea. Thanks a bunch.

What about a table with fake legs, or mechanical legs in a table. I don't know!

I don't see the need to crouch down unless you have a tinny little table.

If you are wearing a cape or robe it should cover the fact that you bend your knees.

This sounds really cool. I think that you should come out facing the way you said you wanted to be facing in the beginning, and then in the act of ripping off your outfit, you could turn around. I know this sounds vague. But if you think about this, you will look the most convincing when you actually face the back of the stage. Depending on what you wear, and how you take it off, you could simply use body language to convince the audience that you were facing them the whole time. I hope this makes sense. I have a hard time putting my ideas in words.

Prosthetic lower legs can be bought where they are 'U' shaped on top. Attach them on top of your knees, (if you are sitting, they would be pointing upward with the feet facing away.) With some practice, you could stand on them, your real legs folded up behind yourself, which would give the appearance of your legs and feet being backwards. By slightly straightening out your real legs, you could cause the fake legs to bend at your knees, giving an opposite bend. If they're attached to your costume somehow, shoes as well, when you whisk it off, the legs would go with the costume and quickly straightening out your real legs would give the illusion of an instant reversal. Just a thought.

Magically, Jack

Walking sideways all the way, is the way forward, (pun intended) your real shoes should be black and some fake shoes in a brighter colour, it just would not look fishy.

And a gag out loud, "where's the audience gone?"

and someone shouts, "their behind you" you rip off the suit and say "no their in front of me after all"