CHAPTER XXVII PAPERGRAPHY How an Excellent Entertainment may be Given with a Sheet of Paper

The greatest attraction wielded by Papergraphy is, perhaps, the extreme simplicity of the apparatus required.

At first sight it seems utterly impracticable that a first-class entertainment, of almost a quarter of an hour’s duration, can be given with a sheet of paper. Moreover, very little practice is necessary.

Cartridge paper is the kind usually employed by professional entertainers, and a suitable size is 54 inches by 36. A sheet of these dimensions may be purchased from any stationer’s or dealer in artists’ requisites.

The paper must be marked out lengthwise into five parts; the central section being 12 inches wide and the two on each side 6 inches in width. The paper should next be folded along these lines (Fig. 1), and once again folded into a series of pleats, as depicted in Fig. 2. A convenient width for these pleats is 1 inch.

All being now ready for the first demonstration in Papergraphy, commence by forming a Rosette (Fig. 3).

Close up the pleated paper, and pull round the corners of each until they meet.

Table Mat (Fig. 4). Keeping hold of the ends of the rosette, stretch out the pleats as far as possible.

A Primitive Boat (Fig. 5). With the pleats still fully extended, turn each end up, almost at right angles.

Church Window (Fig. 6). This is formed very similarly to the table mat, the difference being that one end is allowed to hang straight down.

Fan (Fig. 7). Close up the pleats and spread out one end in the form of a semicircle.

For the next series of transformations, the first fold (A, Fig. 1) must be opened.

Mushroom (Fig. 8). Pull both ends round to form a cylinder, with the open fold at the top.

Candlestick (Fig. 9). This is made by simply turning the mushroom upside down.

Clown’s Hat (Fig. 10). Press the top of the candlestick together, making it as pointed as possible, and place upon the head, with the folded bottom acting as a brim.

The second fold—on the same side as the fold already employed—must now be opened.

Flower Vase (Fig. 11). Keeping the two folds well open, pull the ends round, into the form of a cylinder.

Eastern Water-Jug (Fig. 12). Bend the paper round in the reverse direction to that forming the flower vase. Then close the bottom end, and place on the shoulder, as though carrying a pitcher.

Chinese Mandarin (Fig. 13). Turn the Eastern Water-Jug upside down, and place it upon your head. Slight facial contortions can always be made with good effect whenever the three hats included in this list are formed.

The first fold (A, Fig. 1) must next be opened on both sides.

Sentry Box (Fig. 14). Pull round the two corners of one end until they meet, allowing the other end to hang down to its fullest extent.

Wash Bowl (Fig. 15). Pull round the corners of both ends until they meet, and press the pleats together.

Foot-Bath (Fig. 16). Still grasping the ends of the wash bowl, draw the pleats out as far as possible.

Fatigue Cap (Fig. 17). Turn the foot-bath upside down and place upon the head.

For the remaining papergraphs, all the folds must be opened.

Dumb-Bell (Fig. 18). With the folds open on both sides, pull the pleats round into a cylinder. Then grasp the dumb-bell by the center with your right hand, and bending your forearm, flex the biceps as though exercising.

Bon-bon (Fig. 19). Bend the paper round the reverse way to that forming the dumb-bell.

Granny’s Cap (Fig. 20). Open out the pleats, and place the paper upon the head, pulling the sides down over the ears, to the chin.

After a little practice, all that it is necessary to do in order to give a successful entertainment is to learn the correct order in which the transformations take place.

For the first two or three performances it is a good plan to write out a list of the various “folds” upon a small slip of paper, which should be placed in such a position that a hasty glance can be thrown at it in case of the memory failing.

As will doubtless have been noticed, the different folds have been so arranged in the article that each transformation leads up to the next. It is therefore of great importance that the performer should remember their correct order. Otherwise he may suddenly find himself attempting to make a fold with only one pleat opened, when really three are required.

It is at such moments as these that the young entertainer wishes the ground would open beneath him, that a cyclone would whisk him away, or that any other phenomenon might occur which would carry him beyond the gaze of his inquisitive audience.

When making a fresh transformation, the performer should move his arms gently from side to side, and sway slightly from the hips—very much as though he were holding a concertina. This will lead the audience into the belief that he is engaged upon some extremely difficult fold, and will completely hide the simple movement he is really making.

If the performer is a good elocutionist, and possesses plenty of self-confidence, he might prepare some “patter” to go with the performance. An excellent alternative, however, is to ask somebody to play a dreamy waltz from the piano throughout the performance.

It will then only be necessary for the entertainer to make a few introductory remarks before commencing his “show”; to announce the name of each transformation as he makes it, and finally to thank the audience for the attention with which they have followed his few experiments in Papergraphy.

Fig. 18.—Dumb-bell.