Luigi Dalle Case - Revision history

Satj: /* Sources */

2023-06-12T14:42:24Z

Sources

Satj: /* Contribution to South African theatre and performance */

2021-12-27T04:19:05Z

Contribution to South African theatre and performance

Satj at 04:18, 27 December 2021

2021-12-27T04:18:43Z

Satj: /* Biography */

2021-12-27T04:17:59Z

Biography

Satj: /* Biography */

2021-12-27T04:16:07Z

Biography

Satj: /* Contribution to South African theatre and performance */

2021-12-27T04:13:56Z

Contribution to South African theatre and performance

Satj: /* Contribution to South African theatre and performance */

2021-12-27T04:12:44Z

Contribution to South African theatre and performance

Satj at 13:42, 13 September 2020

2020-09-13T13:42:44Z

Satj at 13:42, 13 September 2020

2020-09-13T13:42:19Z

Show changes

Satj at 13:39, 13 September 2020

2020-09-13T13:39:49Z

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 Graeme Skinner (University of Sydney), "A biographical register of Australian colonial musical personnel–D", ''Australharmony'' (an online resource toward the history of music and musicians in colonial and early Federation Australia)[http://sydney.edu.au/paradisec/australharmony/register-D.php]: accessed 1 July 2016
-Albert Weiner, "The short unhappy career of Luigi Dalle Case", Educational Theatre Journal 27/1 (March 1975), 77-84: http://www.jstor.org/pss/3206343
+Albert Weiner, "The short unhappy career of Luigi Dalle Case", ''Educational Theatre Journal'' 27/1 (March 1975), 77-84: http://www.jstor.org/pss/3206343
 Steve Ward, 2014 ''Beneath the Big Top: A Social History of the Circus in Britain''. Pen and Sword: pp. 72[https://books.google.co.za/books?id=HPtsBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72&dq=Luigi+Dalle+Case&source=bl&ots=R42xLIqE3X&sig=lX33aPTpwBFsja0W8dNqvVvQ9FA&hl=af&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjAnKifwdHNAhUGchQKHeHMAoc4FBDoAQggMAE#v=onepage&q=Luigi%20Dalle%20Case&f=false]

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:19, 27 December 2021
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	Shortly thereafter Case apparently now left the Cape (and show-business) for adventures in the interior for a while. However his wife (and [[Dalle Case]] himself?) seemingly continued performing in circus presentations, possibly with [[Noble's Circus]], since [[F.C.L. Bosman]] (1928, p. 437, f.2) notes a [[Signora Dalle Case]] (is this supposed to be ''signor'', or a reference to his wife?), who performed on the borders of the Cape toward the end of 1850 and then appears in Natal in 1852, performing with a number of wild animals, as in traditional South African circusses.		Shortly thereafter Case apparently now left the Cape (and show-business) for adventures in the interior for a while. However his wife (and [[Dalle Case]] himself?) seemingly continued performing in circus presentations, possibly with [[Noble's Circus]], since [[F.C.L. Bosman]] (1928, p. 437, f.2) notes a [[Signora Dalle Case]] (is this supposed to be ''signor'', or a reference to his wife?), who performed on the borders of the Cape toward the end of 1850 and then appears in Natal in 1852, performing with a number of wild animals, as in traditional South African circusses.
−
−	[[F.C.L. Bosman]] (1980, p. 371) also lists a short season of performances in the [[Oddfellows Hall]], Cape Town, in August of 1878 by a '''[[Mr Case]]''' and a [[Miss Egerton]] (i.e. [[Mrs Case]]). The plays performed included ''[[The Man in Possession]]'' (on the 7th), ''[[The Drawing-Room Floor]]'' (the 8th), ''[[The House Warming]]'' (the 9th), ''[[Odds and Ends]]'' (on the 10th) of

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:18, 27 December 2021
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	[[Luigi Dalle Case]] (18-18?) was a circus owner and performer, and theatre impresario.(Generally referred to as [[Signor Dalle Case]] or simply [[Dalle Case]] while in South Africa.)		[[Luigi Dalle Case]] (18-18?) was a circus owner and performer, and theatre impresario.(Generally referred to as [[Signor Dalle Case]] or simply [[Dalle Case]] while in South Africa.)
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		+	''Not to be confused with the actor '''[[George Case]]'''''

	=THIS ENTRY IS BEING EDITED=		=THIS ENTRY IS BEING EDITED=

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 He left Sydney in September, going to Hobart and Launceston, performing into 1843, before returning to Mauritius on or just after 22 March 1842 on the ''Phantom''.
-There was a rumour that Della Case had been executed shortly afterwards, but this is patently not true,  since he not only toured in Malacca, Penang, Batavia, and India in the ensuing period, but was active in South Africa from 1847 till at least 1852, but possibly even performing till 1878.
+There was a rumour that Della Case had been executed shortly afterwards, but this is patently not true,  since he not only toured in Malacca, Penang, Batavia, and India in the ensuing period, but was active in South Africa from 1847 till at least 1852.
 == Contribution to South African theatre and performance ==

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 == Biography ==
-Little is known of his origins or his earlier years, beyond the fact that he seems to come from Mauritius, had little command of English (though did know French, and may have been of Italian, Spanish or Portuguese extraction). However, he appears to have made a bit of a name for himself in Australia, for his name appears as a circus performer there. He arrived in Sydney on the ''Salages'', with a small company, on 10 July 1841 from Ile Bourbon and Mauritius.
+Little is known of his origins or his earlier years, beyond the fact that he seems to come from Mauritius, had little command of English (though he did know French, and may have been of Italian, Spanish or Portuguese extraction). However, he appears to have made a bit of a name for himself in Australia, for his name appears as a circus performer there. He arrived in Sydney on the ''Salages'', with a small company, on 10 July 1841 from Ile Bourbon and Mauritius.
 According Steve Ward (2014: p. 72)[https://books.google.co.za/books?id=HPtsBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72&dq=Luigi+Dalle+Case&source=bl&ots=R42xLIqE3X&sig=lX33aPTpwBFsja0W8dNqvVvQ9FA&hl=af&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjAnKifwdHNAhUGchQKHeHMAoc4FBDoAQggMAE#v=onepage&q=Luigi%20Dalle%20Case&f=false], Dalle Case was the first person to bring a full circus-style performance to Sydney in the 1840s, performing at the Australian Olympic Theatre.
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 He left Sydney in September, going to Hobart and Launceston, performing into 1843, before returning to Mauritius on or just after 22 March 1842 on the ''Phantom''.
-There was a rumour that Della Case had been executed shortly afterwards, but this is patently not true,  since he not only toured in Malacca, Penang, Batavia, and India in the ensuing period, but was active in South Africa from 1847 till at least 1852.
+There was a rumour that Della Case had been executed shortly afterwards, but this is patently not true,  since he not only toured in Malacca, Penang, Batavia, and India in the ensuing period, but was active in South Africa from 1847 till at least 1852, but possibly even performing till 1878.
 == Contribution to South African theatre and performance ==

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 Case, however, also acted as impresario for a professional French theatre-company (the [[French Dramatic Artistes]],  or also referred to as the [[Dalle Case Company]]), described as "freshly arrived from Mauritius", which made their debut in the [[Hope Street Theatre]] in 1848 with a show featuring mainly song and dance. His wife  and his daughter were also part of the company, ''inter alia'' doing  "[[koorddans|koorddanse]]" ([[Dutch]] for "tightrope walking"). However, Case failed to make a financial success of this venture, and the company soon abandoned him, becoming known as [[Thêàtre de L'Union]].
-Shortly thereafter Case apparently now left the Cape (and show-business) for adventures in the interior for a while.  However his wife (and [[Dalle Case]] himself?) seemingly continued performing in circus presentations,  possibly with [[Noble's Circus]], since [[F.C.L. Bosman]] (1928, p. 437, f.2) notes a [[Signora Dalle Case]] (is this supposed to be ''signor''?), who performed on the borders of the Cape toward the end of 1850 and then appears in Natal in 1852, performing with a number of wild animals, as in traditional South African circusses.
+Shortly thereafter Case apparently now left the Cape (and show-business) for adventures in the interior for a while.  However his wife (and [[Dalle Case]] himself?) seemingly continued performing in circus presentations,  possibly with [[Noble's Circus]], since [[F.C.L. Bosman]] (1928, p. 437, f.2) notes a [[Signora Dalle Case]] (is this supposed to be ''signor'', or a reference to his wife?), who performed on the borders of the Cape toward the end of 1850 and then appears in Natal in 1852, performing with a number of wild animals, as in traditional South African circusses.
 [[F.C.L. Bosman]] (1980, p. 371) also lists  a short season of performances in the [[Oddfellows Hall]], Cape Town, in August of 1878 by a '''[[Mr Case]]''' and a [[Miss Egerton]] (i.e. [[Mrs Case]]). The plays performed included ''[[The Man in Possession]]'' (on the 7th), ''[[The Drawing-Room Floor]]'' (the 8th), ''[[The House Warming]]'' (the 9th), ''[[Odds and Ends]]'' (on the 10th)  of

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 [[Luigi Dalle Case]] (18**-18**?) was a circus owner and performer, and theatre impresario.(Generally referred to as [[Signor Dalle Case]] or simply [[Dalle Case]] while in South Africa.)
-=This entry is being edited=
+=THIS ENTRY IS BEING EDITED=
 == Biography ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:39, 13 September 2020
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	[TH,JH]		[TH,JH]
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		+	=TO BE ADDED=
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		+	E-mail Notes from Alan Robiette (arobiette@fastmail.co.uk), 27 October and 2 November 2019
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		+	I was fascinated to read your respective accounts of the 19th century circus proprietor Luigi Dalle Case and his careers first in Australia and then in southern Africa. The reason for my interest is that I have, over a period of time, been trying to find records of a circus owner of the same (or similar) name operating in India a little later, in the mid-1850s.
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		+	Just recently I found a key reference in "The Times of India" which I hope might interest you too. It's a classified advertisement in the issue of 23 May 1855 and it reads (verbatim, including the various spelling and other idiosyncrasies):
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		+	"Signor Dalle Case has the honor to announce, that the Foreign Company under his management will give their second Performance on WEDNESDAY the 23rd instant; Tight Rope by the Young Chinese Girl Hamoi, Mademoiselle Emelia, Mr. Cottrell, Master Pithega; Equestrians, Miss Hamoi, Messrs. Albray, Capére, Ernest, Bottari, Pithega, Auguste, Fairy Ponies, Signor Dalle Case, Athletic and Acrobatic Division, by the young Chinese Girl Hamoi, Signor Bottari, Pithega, Coregraphye part Mademoiselle Emilia.
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		+	For particulars see Programme to be had at the Circus."
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		+	This must surely be the same Dalle Case as the man whose earlier career you have documented. The company looks to have a lot of new names in it, but Mademoiselle Emelia seems to have stayed the course; there is however no sign of his wife so perhaps they had by then parted company.
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		+	I have found no later newspaper references to Dalle Case and his troupe, but it is possible that the following year (1856) he succumbed to a cholera outbreak and died in Agra. The evidence for this is more equivocal as the surname is transcribed differently, but here it is and you can see what you think.
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		+	In the British India Office Ecclesiastical Returns for 1856, and specifically in the list of Roman Catholic burials, there is a record for Lewis (or conceivably Louis) Dellacase, buried on 28 June having died aged 55 from cholera, occupation "equestrian". Intriguingly on the same page of the register, three days earlier on 25 June, there is also the burial of Lewis James Dellacase, died aged 11 from cholera, and he too is listed as an equestrian. Were these perhaps father and son, performing in the same circus?
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		+	The Agra cholera epidemic of 1856 was the subject of a report by a medical officer, John Murray, Full text copies of this are viewable on various archive sites, see for example
		+
		+	https://wellcomecollection.org/works/uzbudbua
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		+	In a section describing the range of symptoms exhibited by the cholera victims, Murray says at one point "The most violent case of cramps was in an athlete, M. De la Casse, the proprietor of a Gymnastic Circus".
		+
		+	My personal feeling is that the Dalle Case of the 1855 advertisement and the Dellacase or De la Casse of 1856 are one and the same, and that by 1856 he had decided to adopt an Anglicised or Francophone form of his name, Lewis or Louis being the English or French forms of the Italian Luigi. If this interpretation is correct it provides us with a date of death for him, and a conjectured date of birth of 1801 based on the age stated in the burials register (though who supplied this, and how certain he/she could have been of his age at death, is not known).
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		+	Thanks for getting back to me, and I'm glad my findings are of some interest. Please feel free to make any use of them you like; I'm unlikely to want to publish any of this myself. BTW my reference to "The Times of India" was not quite correct, as in 1856 the paper was still called the Bombay Times - it didn't change over to the Times of India banner until 1860 or so.
		+
		+	Since emailing you I have come across one further reference to the two Dalle Case deaths in Agra, which confirms the identity of the father and son beyond any reasonable doubt. It's in the Indian Mail for 1856, which has been digitised by Google Books: the relevant URL is https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iHlNAAAAcAAJ. Search for "circus" in this volume and you'll find the death notices on p.369, for 'Pigetha', only son of Signor L. Dalle Case, aged 11 years and for Signor L. Dalle Case, Proprietor of the Royal Victoria Circus. I guess Pigetha must be a misprint for the stage name of Pithega which appears in the 1855 advertisement.
		+
		+	I also passed this further reference to Graeme Skinner who maintains the Australharmony site linked to on your ESAT page. Graeme has just emailed me today to say that he has done a substantial update to his Dalle Case entry, which now incorporates my 1855/6 India discoveries but also has a couple of new links, notably a baptismal record for the younger Lewis Dalle Case (the son) in 1843.
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	== Sources ==		== Sources ==