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- Création : 25 mars 2015
- Mis à jour : 13 mars 2025
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GUERNESEY
Jean-Claude SEGUIN
Guernesey est une île anglo-normande (Grande-Bretagne).
1897
L'Eventograph de Charles W. Poole (St. Julian's Hall, 2->12 août 1897)
L'Eventograph de Charles W. Poole présente des vues animées en août :
POOLE’S MYRIORAMA.
Poole’s favourite entertainment attracted a very large and appreciative audience in St. Julian’s Hall last night. The greater part of the beautiful pictures in the Myriorama proper are the work of eminent and talented artists, many of whose names are household words, and nearly all the scenes are different from those seen here before.
Good as this part of the show is, we hesitate before giving it the premier position. Last on the programme but probably, first in the estimation of the audience are Bonnetty’s performing foxes, but this is a misnomer for the foxes are but a small part of the animal show. There are also some remarkably clever cats, some wonderfully tame rats, mice, fowls, geese, canaries, and others which must have taken wonderful patience to so effectually train them, while the way pigeons light on fiery hoops, and foxes and others leap through them is simply marvellous. Perhaps the bonne bouche ‘in this particular item is the monkey who rides a bicycle on a wire stretched from gallery to stage with a fox suspended beneath him. The eventographe is a variation of our old friend the cynematograph, the most effective pictures being perhaps the kiss and a busy street in Paris.
The Warrens are very clever instrumentalists and comedians, playing on the mandoline, banjo, some curious arrangement of bells and other things. Professor Carson is most amusing as a ventriloquist, and his figure of Ally Sloper is new and very well conceived Miss Marion Hemming is a very plevsing vocalist, she has a very sweet voice and as a violinist and in the duet with Mr. Hal-Bert she appeared to great advantage. Mr. Hal-Bert possesses a good robust voice showed well in the song ‘“Farewell for ever.” Mr. Stewart Braide in the song "The Jap," was highly amusing and earned trumultuous applause. His facial expressions being remarkable. Mons. Martivie is about as clever a bicyclist as any on the boards, the way he rides on one or two wheels indifferently and don’t care what size or shape the wheels are is simply astounding. The whole thing together is as well worth a visit as any show we have had for a long time. It must not be forgotten that Mr. J. J. Taylor makes a first rate guide and fully explains each picture and every item.
Guernsey Evening Press and Star, Guernesey, mardi 3 août 1897, p. 3.
The Star, Guernesey, jeudi 12 août 1897, p. 3.
1900
Les animated photographs de David Devant (St. Julian's Hall, 5-8 février 1900)
Si David Devant s'occupe depuis plusieurs mois de la Markelyne and Cooke's Provincial Company, il organise cependant une séance de vues animées à Guernesey, au cours du mois de février de 1900. Les projections prennent place dans un curieux spectacle organisé par The Royal Hand Bell-Ringers, un groupe de joueurs de cloches qui connaît une grande renommée dans ces années-là. La première a lieu le 5 février 1900, au St-Julian's Hall.
Elliott & Fry, Londres, The Royal Hand-Bell Ringers and Glee Singers (c. 1887)
© Footlights Notes
Les différents numéros du spectacle se combinent avec les projections de films. Même si le nom de David Devant figure bien comme responsable du biograph -nom utilisé dans The Star du 6 février 1900 -, il reste difficile d'affirmer que c'est vraiment lui qui est aux manettes. Ce qui est rare, c'est que la presse va détailler le programme de vues animées qui sont proposées aux habitants de Guernesey :
THE ROYAL HAND BELL-RINGERS
[...]
Additional attractions will be provided by the exhibition of David Devant's wonderful animated photographs. We append the list of the latter which will speak for themselves :
An Attack of the Devon Light Infantry.
"The Absent-Minded Beggar."
Troops and guns for the Transvaal.
The 1st Munster Fusiliers embarking on board the Arundel Castle.
The Arundel Castle laden with troops steaming out of Docks.
General Sir Redvers Buller embarking.
Lord Wolseley and Sir Donald Currie inspecting the Roslin Castle.
The Seaforth Highlanders leaving Cairo for the front.
Officers and Troops aboard the Kinfauns Castle.
Grand send-off.
President Kruger leaving for the Volksraad.
Seaforth Highlanders crossing the Modder River (in action).
Cavalry and Hussars crossing the River.
Boer versus Briton — -"The Battle."
"After the Battle,"' the Ambulance Corps and Sisters of the Red Cross.
The Star, Guernesey, samedi 3 février 1900, p. 2
L'annonce est assez exceptionnelle et même si l'on se sait pas quel est l'éditeur de ces films - plusieurs maisons, dont Paul, en proposent -, on est impressionné par le nombre de vues. D'ailleurs, il y a d'autres images animées comme le signale le même journal trois jours plus tard :
An exhibition of David Devant's biograph from the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, was then given. The first portion of this part of the entertainment was devoted to a series of amusing and interesting views. Particularly good was the train scenes in one of which the express is observed coming up rapidly and snatches away the mail-bag from the side of a post. The American express was most realistic and one could have imagined that the train was heading at full speed for the stage. The fight between the sweep and the miller was most amusing, and the water polo match was very good indeed. In the train scenes views were shown of how objects are overtaken and passed by an express train which went through several tunnels. The receding views taken from the end of an express were magnificently shown on the screen. These were particularly appreciated.
After a series of these views, some of which were not particularly distinct, and the screen for the most part being too small for the pictures to be seen entirely, the campanologists resumed their entertainment, the march “Norma," being magnificently performed.
[…] The last part of the entertainment concluded with the biograph which showed troops embarking at Southampton, games on board a troopship, etc. After a photograph of Lord Kitchener had been shown, the entertainment after a prolonged pause, during which the audience waited for more, most abruptly came to an end with the National Anthem.
Taking the campanological part of the entertainment it is really excellent, and the singing introduced very good. As for the biograph shown last night we have seen views from other cinematographs equally well projected upon the screen.
Those who intend patronising the Royal Hand-bell Ringers and the biograph should not forget that the last performance of the above will take place to-morrow under very distinguished patronage.
The Star, Guernesey, mardi 6 février 1900, p. 2
Les vues animées occupent ainsi une place très importante dans ces soirées. En revanche, le journaliste semble un peu plus réservé sur les conditions de projection, ce qui surprend tout de même, car David Devant n'est pas un novice en la matière et les projections animées se sont tout de même améliorées depuis 1896. L'ensemble du spectacle est offert pendant trois soirées et la dernière a lieu le 8 février 1900.
L'Eventograph de Charles W. Poole (St. Julian's Hall, 6-24 août 1900)
L'Eventograph de Charles W. Poole présente des vues animées en août.
Guernsey Evening Press and Star, Guernesey, jeudi 2 août 1900, p. 2.
Les séances se prolongent jusqu'au 25 août.
Guernsey Evening Press Monday, Guernesey, lundi 13 août 1900, p. 2.
1902
L'Eventographe de Charles W. Poole (St. Julian's Hall, 4->4 août 1902)
L'Eventographe de Charles W. Poole présente des vues animées en août.
Guernsey Evening Press and Star, Guernesey, jeudi 31 juillet 1902, p. 2.
1903
Le Myriograph de Joseph Poole (St. Julian's Hall, 5->5 août 1903)
Le Myriograph de Joseph Poole présente des vues animées en août.
Guernsey Evening Press, Guernesey, mercredi 5 août 1903, p. 2
1904
Le Myriograph de Joseph Poole (St. Julian's Hall, 1er->6 août 1904)
Le Myriograph de Joseph Poole présente des vues animées en août.
Guernsey Evening Press, Guernesey, jeudi 28 juillet 1904, p.
Quelques jours plus tard, la presse évoque quelques titres :
POOLE’S MYRIORAMA.
OPENING NIGHT AT ST. JULIAN'S HALL.
Shows may come and shows may go, but Poole’s goes on for ever. For many ears past, Guernsey folk have been favoured with a visit from one of the Messrs. Poole’s myrioramas, which have gained such world-wide fame. The visit is always eagerly anticipated, commencing as it does on the August Bank Holiday. Year after year fresh, up-to-date scenes are added, whilst talented artistes appear at intervals during the imaginary tour round the world and entertain the party with their clever doings and sayings.
The entertainment, submitted by Mr. Joseph Poole this year is one of the very best which has visited the Channel Islands, a fact which we have no doubt will be fully borne out by the bumper holiday crowd which filled St. Julian’s Hall last night. From the moment of entrance it was one continuous round of pleasure and everything went with a splendid swing, there being no waits and not a single dull moment.
Starting from High Holborn (under the aegis of Mr. Nat Abatt, one of the most racy and amusing of cicerones), we visit St. Paul's Cathedral, witnessing the illumination thereof, thence proceeding to Epsom in time to witness the Derby. Edinburgh is next visited en fête on the occasion of the Sovereign’s visit, after which we see Spithead with the “old wooden walls” of 100 years ago, and, by a wonderful dioramic change, those of to-day. Leaving Folkestone, a stormy passage is experienced to Boulogne and the passengers are noticed in the throes of mal-de-mer, visiting Paris we step inside Notre Dame Cathedral, then off to Constantinople and visit the Mosque of St. Sophia. Next follows some magnificent tableaux just added, illustrating the Russo-Japanese War. We first see the blessing of the Czar previous to the war, then the bombardment of Port Arthur, the blowing up of the Russian cruiser Yenesi at Dalny Bay, the landing of troops at Chemulpho, and, whilst on the subject, a number of equally interesting scenes are shown by means of the myriograph. These depict Japanese sailors on board a man-o’-war, quick-firing guns, wrestling on the the quarter-deck, a torpedo boat steaming 30 knots an hour, firing a missile, etc. Resuming the journey we catch glimpses of St. Peter’s Cathedral, Rome, Cairo, the Nile Cataract, Johannesburg, British Somaliland, Adelaide, Sydney, Bombay, Mandalay, Madrid, showing a bull fight, Havannah, St. Louis Exhibition, Toronto, Niagara Falls, New York, the great yacht race, numerous British ironclads, Dublin, Southampton, the whole series of pictures concluding with a splendid representation of the Diamond Jubilee Procession.
Coming to the variety turns, first mention should be made of Mr. Felix De Marce's miniature circus, which consists of ponies, monkeys and dogs, which have been trained to perfection. The monkey riders caused much amusement, the ponies, considering the limited space, go through hoops, etc., whilst the mimic sketch which concludes the performance, in which one of the ponies dressed as a policeman, arrests one of the monkeys, who has stolen some provisions, produced hearty laughter.
Mddle. Orbasany’s wonderful troupe of performing cockatoos is another entertainment in itself. The birds hoist flags, roll balls, dance, perform on the triple bar, turn somersaults, pick out letters called by the audience, wheel one another in chairs, sea-saw, cycle, fire cannons, march, keep guard, go through ambulance work and many other things. Their performance can only be described as marvellous, and should be seen to be appreciated.
Miss May Finch, a vocalist well-known to Guernsey, appeared in two songs, "The love that lives for ever" and "All for the sake of Ireland," in which she achieved great success and was loudly applauded.
The Veronas (lady dancers) gave a pretty kaliedoscope dance and later on in the programme sang a charming duet entitled “ Won’t you try and love me.”
That old favourite Felix Somers, who deserves his appelation of "The Facial King," appeared in his unique entertainment, entitled "People we know," impersonating amongst others The Emperor of Germany, Buffalo Bill, Kruger, Chamberlain, Gladstone, Roberts,Buller, Ally Sloper, an old Guernsey Lady, Varmer Giles, etc., whilst his imitation of a young man smoking his first cigar was productive of considerable hilarity.
A series of intensely amusing pictures are shown by means of the myriograph. These include "The Unexpected Bati," "Mary Jane, who lighted the fire with paraffin.” “Diving Lucy,” “Two's company,” and one of the most amusing pictures conceivable entitled, "Mrs. Brown off for the holidays.” In addition several other fine fims are shown including “ A Fire Brigade Call,” “ The American Game of Push Ball on Horseback,” “Launch of the Newquay Life-boat,” “His Master's Voice.”
A word of praise is due to Mr. John Hilton, the director of the fine orchestral band, which plays the entracte music in inspiring fashion. Mr. Fred Mayer is the general manager, Mr. Felix Somers, Secretary, and Mr. H. Grey, advance agent. The entertainment is with us for a short season only. and judging from the hearty send off last evening, one can predict for Mr. Poole a very successful visit.
Guernsey Evening Press and Star, Guernesey, mardi 2 août 1904, p. 3.
