Les Living Pictures de David Devant (janvier 1898)

Depuis le mois d'août 1896, David Devant, le célèbre magicien, a organisé une entreprise afin de distribuer et présenter des films en Grande-Bretagne. Il compte, à partir du milieu de l'année 1897 sur plusieurs collaborateurs dont son propre frère, Ernest Wighton, parfois accompagné de J. W. Seers. À Reading, les séances de vues animées se déroulent dans le Queen's Hall, à partir du 24 janvier et pour une semaine. La presse n'est pas avare d'informations puisque dès le 15 janvier, elle annonce l'arrivée prochaine des " living pictures ".

READING
[...]
Animated Photos at the Queen’s Hall.— These wonderful “Living Pictures” will be seen at the Queen’s Hall, Reading, Monday, January 24th, and during the week, when Mr. David Devant brings direct from the Egyptian Hall, London, the largest and the most complete collection ever shown, including the largest film ever produced entitled "The Laboratory of Faust” containing the most weird and comic effects, and upwards of forty subjects of intense humour and excitement. Mr. Walter R. Booth, who has been gaining renown in the chief towns in the provinces, will vary the pictures with magic, ventriloquism and lightning cartooning, and the entertainment will include the latest beautiful spectacle produced by Mr. Maskelyne at the Egyptian Hall, called “The Rainbow Sylph” in which Miss Mabel Grey will appear, and which has created such enthusiasm in Bath and Bristol.

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Reading Mercury, Reading, 15 janvier 1898, p. 7.

L'accent est mis sur la production The Laboratory of Faust, le célèbre film de Georges Méliès, connu sous le titre Le Cabinet de Méphistophélès. Rien d'étonnant à cela, puisque d'une part David Devant est le distributeur des films Méliès en Grande-Bretagne, et que d'autre part, les fantasmagories commencent à connaître un succès significatif depuis quelques temps. En outre, la longueur exceptionnelle de la vue animée (75 m), pour l'époque, est évidemment un argument publicitaire. Mais grâce à une nouvelle annonce, nous connaissons également d'autres titres prévus pour ces séances :

READING
[...]
Next Week's Attraction at the Queen's Hall —Maskelyne and Cooke’s Animated Photographs, brought direct from the Egyptian Hall by Mr. David Devant, will be shown at Reading on Monday and during the week. This magnificent collection will include the most marvellous film ever taken, being “The Laboratory of Faust,” “The death of Nelson,” “Execution of Charles I,” and “the Rainbow Sylph,” (in which Miss Mabel Grey appears as the sylph, being the last production of Mr. Maskelyne), and the famous Lightning Cartoonist, Mr. Walter R. Booth. The Daily Telegraph says: “Mr. David Devant's Animated Photos, as now being exhibited in the Egyptian the Hall, and on tour, are certainly the very best have teen. It is very evident that no expense has been spared in getting together the finest films, and the most expert operators that can secured for this wonderful Exhibition, which is now drawing the public like a magnet.”

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Reading Mercury, 22 janvier 1898, p. 7.

L'intérêt de cette annonce c'est que nous voyons apparaître des films qui ne proviennent pas des catalogues habituels diffusés par David Devant, mais d'autres éditeurs comme Philipp Wolff. Dans un autre article, un autre titre est évoqué, il s'agit de The Prince and Princess of Wales interviewing the Chelsea Veterans dont on précise qu'il a été "exclusively taken by Mr. Devant with the special permission of their Royal Highnesses (Berkshire Chronicle, 15 janvier 1898, p. 5). Des séances vont avoir lieu tout au long de la semaine du lundi 24 janvier 1898 et, finalement, le samedi, c'est la dernière largement annoncée par la presse :

Mr. DEVANT’S ENTERTAINMENT AT THE QUEEN’S HALL.—Large and enthusiastic audiences have during the week been delighted by the programme provided at this great hall Mr. David Devant, who has been showing his splendid series of “animated photographs from Maskelyne and Cooke’s, Egyptian Hall, London, The pictures shown number between 30 and 40, and are of the most varied character. The films are of the very best, and they are really well operated, the result being one of the most attractive entertainments ever seen Specially wonderful and realistic are the charge of cavalry, a garden scene (in natural tints), the Spanish bull-fight, Soudanese diving, “the Laboratory of Faust” (said to be the longest picture ever taken), and the seven scenes of the Jubilee procession with which the entertainment concludes. Pleasant interludes are afforded by the appearance of Miss Mabel Grey as “the Rainbow Sylph” (Mr. Maskelyne’s latest wonder), and the really clever ventriloquial and conjuring performances of Mr. Walter R. Booth. Miss Grey’s “turn” is most fascinating and effective; and Mr. Booth proves himself a “lightning cartoonist,” ventriloquist, and conjurer of a high order. This (Saturday) night the last appearance in Reading of Mr. Devant's clever company, who are due in Maidenhead Monday ; and those who appreciate a really high-class entertainment should make a point seeing one of the best shows on tour.

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Reading Mercury, Reading, samedi 29 janvier 1898, p. 5.

Une information intéressante, c'est que la série des vues du Jubilé comprend sept vues. Et puis comme annoncé, l'équipe poursuit sa route vers Maidenhead pour une séance prévue le lundi 31 janvier 1898.

Les Animated Photographs de David Devant (novembre 1898)

Quelques mois après son premier passage, l'équipe de David Devant repasse par Reading pour présenter, à nouveau, des vues cinématographiques. Dans le lot, on trouve tout à la fois des vues déjà présentées en janvier et de nouvelles images animées. Les séances ont lieu à la Small Town Hall :

Mr. Devants Entertainments at the Town Hall.—During the whole of the past week Mr. David Devant (from Maskelyne and Cook’s, Egyptian Hall, London), has been giving a series of clever and amusing entertainments in the Small Town Hall, before numerous audiences, who have been charmed with the excellent series of animated photographs, illustrative (amongst many others) of incidents in the Soudan Campaign, the charge of the 21st Lancers at Omdurman, the return of the Grenadier Guards to London, and the arrival of the Sirdar at Dover. The other most striking views of the Cinematographe represent the scene at Mr Gladstone's funeral, as the procession wended its way through the Park Hawarden, Changing Guard at St. James' Palace, and the Launch of the Albion. A series of amusing films are also shown, the most remarkable being “the Diving Scene at Dinan,” which, when the film is reversed, had remarkable effect, namely of representing the bathers springing out of the water up on to the diving boards, in most extraordinary manner. The series of the Animated Photographs concludes with one of the most marvellous pictures ever shown, entitled “The Phantom Ride,” which represents the whole length of a railway journey through tunnels, past stations and hedges, taken from the buffers of the Flying Dutchman. The variety portion of the entertainment comprises some remarkable illusionary scenes called “Devant’s Zauberwunder” in which Mr. Walter Booth (as the Turkish Magician), Miss Violet Grey (as the Dwarf), and Miss Mabel Melville take part. These clever illusions (invented by Mr. Devant) include the wonderful “Jack in the Box” trick, and the Vanishing Lady, and the moving tables. Mr. Booth also proved himself a remarkably good ventriloquist, and caused much amusement by his “Talkative Tramps.” A musical humourist, in Mr. Hyam Long, also provides a fund of amusement by his quaint jokes and performances the banjo, concertina, trumpet, &c. Altogether the entertainment is well worth a visit, and fully maintains the reputation which Messrs. Maskelyne and Cook have gained. Those who have not yet seen the wonderful effects of the Cinematographe, should not fail to take advantage of the last two entertainments to be given in the Small Town Hall this (Saturday) afternoon and evening.

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Reading Mercury, 5 novembre 1898, p. 5.

Tous les films sont déjà connus et certains tournent depuis plusieurs mois. Le spectacle est complété par les tours du célèbre Walter R. Booth, et le numéro inventé par David Devant, Zauderwunder, également joué par Miss Violet Grey et Miss Mable Melville. La dernière a lieu le samedi 5 novembre.

Répertoire (autres vues) : The American express, 60 miles an hour, The return of the Grenadier Guards (Berkshire Chronicle, 5 November 1898, p. 5).