By proper assembling and electronic driving of two parallel single nematic liquid crystal cells with planar and vertical alignment of the liquid crystal molecules, respectively, arranged in a double cell, fast switching between bright and dark states, back and forth, is achieved. The switching rise and fall time of the device corresponds to the switching rise time of the cells from the relaxed to the switched state. The simultaneous transition of the cells from the switched to the relaxed state, however, remains optically hidden from the observer due to the optical compensation effect during this transition.