Animation BA Hons, Illustration BA Hons and Graphic Design BA Hons students have recreated one of Westminster’s first director’s, Professor Henry Pepper’s, magical illusions, that could have inspired Doctor Who’s Tardis.
On 23 November the BBC will mark the 60th birthday of Doctor Who. On the same evening, the University of Westminster will celebrate its own 185-year anniversary. To mark the occasion, Stephen Ryley, Principal Lecturer of Animation, unearthed compelling evidence to suggest that the essence of the Doctor’s time machine was formulated some 100 years earlier at Westminster.
The Proteus box that sits at Harrow Campus is based on a design created in 1863 by one of Westminster’s first directors, Professor Henry Pepper. The box is a sentry box with a lamp at the top which makes people appear and disappear as if by magic. Inspired by Riley’s revelation, Westminster students have staged an exhibition which re-imagines the box by inverting the trick. By doing this, they have made the gallery outside the box disappear rather than the person within. In this way, Pepper’s Box becomes much bigger on the inside – resembling the power of the Tardis.
The University was previously known as the Royal Polytechnic Institution, and the Poly’s optical theatre at 309 Regent Street became world famous for magic lantern shows, later hosting the Lumiere Brothers, who first brought the cinema to Britain in 1896.
Professor Henry Pepper was an eccentric showman and developed a reputation for spectacular illusions. Along with the Proteus Box he terrified visitors to the Poly on Christmas eve in 1864 with the first demonstration of Pepper’s Ghost – a trick totally reliant on smoke and mirrors, which still thrills people to this day – as anyone visiting the Abba Voyage show will testify.
Ryley explains: “Pepper called his illusion the Proteus Box. He describes it as resembling a handsome sentry box, with a lamp at the top. Pepper’s Proteus Box makes it possible for people to appear and disappear, as if by magic, right before your eyes.
“We researched Proteus and were astonished by the weird parallels. Like the Doctor, Proteus is an immortal, he can see into the future, he is constantly on the move and can change his appearance at will.”
Felipe Paz, a second-year Animation BA Honours student, added: “Seeing Professor Pepper’s concept realised in our gallery was amazing. Using his effect, not only fooled our visitors but it was fun to see their reactions. The box was surrounded with Pepper’s ghosts, both a homage to Professor Pepper and also referenced the famous weeping angels from Doctor Who.”
Take a virtual tour of the exhibition created by Westminster students.
