W.F.H. Parker - Revision history

Satj: /* Cape Town career as manager 1847-1851 */

2020-03-03T14:10:10Z

Cape Town career as manager 1847-1851

Satj: /* Cape Town career as puppeteer 1837-1839, 1849-1851 */

2020-03-03T02:52:06Z

Cape Town career as puppeteer 1837-1839, 1849-1851

Satj: /* Return to */

2020-03-03T02:46:40Z

Return to

Satj at 02:38, 3 March 2020

2020-03-03T02:38:43Z

Satj: /* Sources */

2020-03-03T02:30:54Z

Sources

Satj: /* Return to */

2020-03-03T02:30:28Z

Return to

Satj: /* Cape Town career as puppeteer 1837-1839, 1849-1851 */

2020-03-03T02:26:12Z

Cape Town career as puppeteer 1837-1839, 1849-1851

Satj at 04:14, 11 May 2017

2017-05-11T04:14:36Z

Satj: /* Cape Town career as puppeteer 1837-1839, 1849-1851 */

2017-05-11T04:07:08Z

Cape Town career as puppeteer 1837-1839, 1849-1851

Satj: /* Sources */

2017-05-11T03:54:05Z

Sources

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:10, 3 March 2020
Line 31:		Line 31:
	Listed among the company members (which included officers from the [[Garrison Players]] and other amateur actors from local groups), by were [[H. Hughes]] (who was both actor and stage manager), [[Mr Miller]], [[Mr Etton]], [[Mr Rogers]], [[Mr Herbert]], [[Mr Tilbury]], [[Mrs Parker]], [[Mrs Hughes]] and master [[C. Hill]].		Listed among the company members (which included officers from the [[Garrison Players]] and other amateur actors from local groups), by were [[H. Hughes]] (who was both actor and stage manager), [[Mr Miller]], [[Mr Etton]], [[Mr Rogers]], [[Mr Herbert]], [[Mr Tilbury]], [[Mrs Parker]], [[Mrs Hughes]] and master [[C. Hill]].

−	The company's repertoire under Parker's management included ''inter alia'' the above mentioned ''[[Luke the Labourer]]'' (Buckstone), as well as ''[[Victorine]]'' (Buckstone) , ''[[The King's Command]]'' (Thompson) ~~and~~ ''[[Damp Beds]]'' (Parry), ''[[Woman's the Devil]]'', ''[[Matteo Falcone]]'' (Merimée, tr. Wilson)~~, ''[[The King's Command]]'' (Thompson),~~ ''[[The Midday Ashore]]'' (Bernard).	+	The company's repertoire under Parker's management included ''inter alia'' the above mentioned ''[[Luke the Labourer]]'' (Buckstone), as well as ''[[Victorine]]'' (Buckstone) , ''[[The King's Command]]'' (Thompson), ''[[Damp Beds]]'' (Parry), ''[[Woman's the Devil]]'', ''[[Matteo Falcone]]'' (Merimée, tr. Wilson) and ''[[The Midday Ashore]]'' (Bernard).

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 In 1838 the company took their show on the road to Stellenbosch, Worcester, Swellendam, George and Uitenhage, finally ending in Cape Town again.
-In 1839 they were in Grahamstown.
+In in December 1839 they were performing in the [[Commercial Hall]] Grahamstown.
 In 1847 or 1848 he was back in Cape Town with the [[Automata]], and apparently continued showing them till some time in 1851.

@@ Line 57: / Line 57: @@
 Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]]
 Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
 Return to [[Main Page]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[W.F.H. Parker]] was a  puppeteer, magician and impresario from England.
-He was the owner of a theatrical company (sometimes referred to as [[Mr Parker's Theatre of Mechanics]]), which toured internationally showing huge, life-size [[Automaton]] figures. They “worked automatically through wires, ropes, steam” or through someone inside the huge puppets.
+He was the owner of a theatrical company (sometimes referred to as '''[[Mr Parker's Theatre of Mechanics]]''' or the '''[[Mechanical and Picturesque Theatre of Arts]]'''), which toured internationally showing huge, life-size [[Automaton]] figures. They “worked automatically through wires, ropes, steam” or through someone inside the huge puppets.
 == Cape Town career as puppeteer  1837-1839, 1849-1851==
@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 ==Cape Town career as manager 1847-1851==
-With his second period in Cape Town,  Parker apparently  also moved into more formal theatre by leasing the new [[Drury Lane Theatre]] for one season as manager, to present the semi-professional  [[New English Theatrical Company]] (also referred to as [[Parker's Company]] in some sources) in a season of light dramas and operas. (There are some doubts about the exact dates. According to [[W.G. Groom|Groom]]'s reminiscences  in the ''[[Cape Illustrated Magazine]]'' of 1899 (cited in [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]], 1928: p. 419),  he saw Parker in 1847 and 1848, but [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]], expresses some doubts about the 1847 date, stating that his research shows that while Parker was definitely in Cape Town in 1848 with his "[[Theatre of Mechanics]]", and at that time thus ''could'' have taken the [[Drury Lane Theatre]]. There is evidence however of a seasons in 1849, 1850 and possibly 1851. The company sometimes appeared in the [[Drury Lane Theatre]]  and at others in the [[Hope Street Theatre]] (by then known as the [[Victoria Theatre]]).
+With his second period in Cape Town,  Parker apparently  also moved into more formal theatre by leasing the new [[Drury Lane Theatre]] for one season as manager, to present the semi-professional  '''[[New English Theatrical Company]]''' (also referred to as '''[[Parker's Company]]''' in some sources) in a season of light dramas and operas. (There are some doubts about the exact dates. According to [[W.G. Groom|Groom]]'s reminiscences  in the ''[[Cape Illustrated Magazine]]'' of 1899 (cited in [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]], 1928: p. 419),  he saw Parker in 1847 and 1848, but [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]], expresses some doubts about the 1847 date, stating that his research shows that while Parker was definitely in Cape Town in 1848 with his "'''[[Theatre of Mechanics]]'''", and at that time thus ''could'' have taken the [[Drury Lane Theatre]]. There is evidence however of a seasons in 1849, 1850 and possibly 1851. The company sometimes appeared in the [[Drury Lane Theatre]]  and at others in the [[Hope Street Theatre]] (by then known as the [[Victoria Theatre]]).
 After that he seemed to have disappeared from the scene, though a company called the [[English Amateur Company]] now appeared to perform in the [[Garrison Theatre]], till some time in 1853. Whether Parker was still part of the company is uncertain. Given his proclivity to advertise himself, it seems  unlikely.

@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 http://www.silentclown.com/history-page.htm
-Go to [[South African Theatre/Bibliography]]
+Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 == Return to ==

@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 == Return to ==
 Return to [[ESAT Personalities P]]
 Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 Return to [[Main Page]]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 == Cape Town career as puppeteer  1837-1839, 1849-1851==
-In 1837 Parker arrived in Cape Town and impressed audiences with the [[Automaton]] figures, billed as the "Mechanical and Picturesque Theatre of Arts" (Bosman, 1828: p. 231).  It was one of the first recorded puppet displays in Cape Town (a [[M. Decanis]] preceded Parker, showing only one [[Automaton]] figure in June 1837).
+In 1837 Parker arrived in Cape Town and impressed audiences with the [[Automaton]] figures, billed as the "[[Mechanical and Picturesque Theatre of Arts]]" (Bosman, 1828: p. 231).  It was one of the first recorded puppet displays in Cape Town (a [[M. Decanis]] had preceded Parker, showing only one [[Automaton]] figure in June 1837).
 The first performance by the [[Automata]] - or as they were billed as "[[Mr Parker's Theatre of Mechanics]]" was on 5 December 1837 and consisted of ''[[Polander]]'' , ''[[The Enchanted Turk]]'', ''[[Children in the Wood]]'' (Morton) and ''[[Joey Grimaldi's Trip to Brentford]]'' (possibly their version of the classic comedy riding act called ''[[Billy Buttons, or the Tailor's Ride to Brentford]]'')

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 == Sources ==
-[[F.C.L. Bosman]]. 1928. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika'', Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: [[J.H. de Bussy]]. [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/bosm012dram01_01/]: pp. 417-423,502.
+[[F.C.L. Bosman]]. 1928. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika'', Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: [[J.H. de Bussy]]. [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/bosm012dram01_01/]: pp. 231-2, 384-6, 417-423,502.
 [[P.J. du Toit]]. 1988. ''Amateurtoneel in Suid-Afrika''. Pretoria: Academica.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 In 1837 Parker arrived in Cape Town and impressed audiences with the [[Automaton]] figures, billed as the "Mechanical and Picturesque Theatre of Arts" (Bosman, 1828: p. 231).  It was one of the first recorded puppet displays in Cape Town (a [[M. Decanis]] preceded Parker, showing only one [[Automaton]] figure in June 1837).
-The first performance by the [[Automata]] - or as they were billed "[[Mr Parker's Theatre of Mechanics]]" was on 5 December 1837 and consisted of ''[[Polander]]'' , ''[[The Enchanted Turk]]'', ''[[Children in the Wood]]'' (Morton) and ''[[Joey Grimaldi's Trip to Brentford]]'' (possibly their version of the classic comedy riding act called ''[[Billy Buttons, or the Tailor's Ride to Brentford]]'')
+The first performance by the [[Automata]] - or as they were billed as "[[Mr Parker's Theatre of Mechanics]]" was on 5 December 1837 and consisted of ''[[Polander]]'' , ''[[The Enchanted Turk]]'', ''[[Children in the Wood]]'' (Morton) and ''[[Joey Grimaldi's Trip to Brentford]]'' (possibly their version of the classic comedy riding act called ''[[Billy Buttons, or the Tailor's Ride to Brentford]]'')
-The company apparently performed daily from November 1837 till January 1838 in a space described as "[[The Mechanical and Picturesque Theatre of Arts]]", Long Street (opposite Mr Bam's.
+The company apparently performed daily from November 1837 till January 1838 in a space described as "[[The Mechanical and Picturesque Theatre of Arts]]", Long Street ("opposite [[Mr Bam]]'s").
 Later he also showed the [[Automata]] in ''[[The Enchanted Witch, or Mother Shipton]]'', along with scenes from London life, including the Vaux-hall Gardens, the "Ascent of Mr Sadler's Balloon", etc.

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 == Sources ==
-[[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]], 1928: pp. 417-423.
+[[F.C.L. Bosman]]. 1928. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika'', Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: [[J.H. de Bussy]]. [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/bosm012dram01_01/]: pp. 417-423,502.
-Du Toit,  1988;
+[[P.J. du Toit]]. 1988. ''Amateurtoneel in Suid-Afrika''. Pretoria: Academica.
-Fletcher, 1994
+[[Jill Fletcher]]. 1994. ''The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930''. Cape Town: Vlaeberg.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circus_clown