Charles Du Val

(18**- ) British born elocutionist, performer and journalist.

Biography

Born in Manchester of Irish parents in 1846, Manchester, England. Became one of the most popular solo entertainers of his day. Living in Dublin for many years, making his debut there and giving the first of his famous female impersonations. He also travelled widely in Ireland and England with it, before moving to London.

He wrote his own material, including the music and had several long seasons in London’s West End, even being commanded to appear before the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII).

As a journalist he wrote for many journals, including the Weekly Irish Times and the Pall Mall Gazette.

He died in 1889.

Du Val in South Africa

He and his business manager and long-time associate, Arthur Fry, arrived in Cape Town at the end of 1879. They toured South Africa until 1881, with his one-man show Odds and Ends, claiming to have visited every "dorp" (= town) in the process. Twenty two of the shows were done in Cape Town, then they travelled to Kimberley for 20 performances in the Theatre Royal. On to Bloemfontein, Middelburg, Senekal, reaching Pretoria at the start of the first Anglo-Boer war in 1880, where he was asked to perform in the camp and they joined the Pretoria Carabineers, also known as D’Arcy Horse.

On 25 December 1880, a thrice weekly news-sheet called News of the Campwas published, with Du Val as editor, was distributed thrice weekly and the last edition was printed on the press of De Volksstem and published on 9 April 1881. Du Val also took part in the skirmishes at Sesmylspruit, Swartkoppies, and Elandsfontein during the siege of Pretoria by the Boer commandos.

He also performed in Durban and later came to Tarkastad and Port Elizabeth, before they headed for home in 1882.

His chronicle of his journey (With a Show Through Southern Africa) is a valuable resource on touring theatre conditions at the time, as well as on the war and South African conditions at the time..