Difference between revisions of "Charles du Val"

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[[Charles du Val]] (1846-1889) was a 19th century solo performer and transformation artist.
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[[Charles du Val]] (1846-1889) was a 19th century British born elocutionist, performer and journalist.  
  
 
Also found as '''[[Charles Du Val]]''' or '''[[Charles Du-Val]]'''
 
Also found as '''[[Charles Du Val]]''' or '''[[Charles Du-Val]]'''
  
(18**- ) British born elocutionist, performer and journalist. 
+
(18**- )  
  
 
== Biography ==
 
== Biography ==
Line 12: Line 12:
  
 
As a journalist he wrote for many journals, including the Weekly Irish Times and the Pall Mall Gazette.  
 
As a journalist he wrote for many journals, including the Weekly Irish Times and the Pall Mall Gazette.  
 
  
 
He died in 1889.
 
He died in 1889.
  
 
== Du Val in South Africa ==
 
== Du Val in South Africa ==
 
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 +
According to Boonzaier (1923), Du Val was most admired in South Africa as a transformation artist, but was also a singer, dancer, reciter and mimic.
  
 
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.  
 
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 Camp''was 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.
+
On 25 December 1880, a thrice weekly news-sheet called ''News of the Camp'' was 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.
  
 +
In April 1881, the company departed for Kimberly where they resumed their performances after an interval of five months.
 
He also performed in Durban and later came to Tarkastad and Port Elizabeth, before they headed for home in 1882.  
 
He also performed in Durban and later came to Tarkastad and Port Elizabeth, before they headed for home in 1882.  
  
 +
Before Du Val’s return to England in 1882, he lectured in Cape Town on the war. Once home he wrote a two volume chronicle of his journey called ''With a Show Through Southern Africa, and personal reminiscences of the Transvaal War'' (London : Tinsley Brothers), which remains a valuable source of information about South Africa, the war and the siege of Pretoria.
  
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..  
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According to Boonzaier, Du Val apparently made another appearance in the [[Mutual Hall]], Cape Town, in November 1888, though this seems highly unlikely.  
 
 
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
Line 51: Line 52:
  
 
The two, who had been joined by the Pole Checheffski in Port Elizabeth, arrived in Pretoria on18 November 1880. They joined the Pretoria Carabineers, also known as D’Arcy Horse. In December, Du Val was attached to the staff of the British garrison commandant Lt.-Col. G. F. Gildea of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. On 25 December 1880, a news-sheet called News of the Camp,with a circulation of 500, was published with Du Val as editor, assisted by Charles W. Deecker. The paper was distributed thrice weekly and the last edition was printed on the press of De Volksstem and published on 9 April 1881. Du Val took part in the skirmishes at Sesmylspruit, Swartkoppies, and Elandsfontein during the siege of Pretoria by the Boer commandos.
 
The two, who had been joined by the Pole Checheffski in Port Elizabeth, arrived in Pretoria on18 November 1880. They joined the Pretoria Carabineers, also known as D’Arcy Horse. In December, Du Val was attached to the staff of the British garrison commandant Lt.-Col. G. F. Gildea of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. On 25 December 1880, a news-sheet called News of the Camp,with a circulation of 500, was published with Du Val as editor, assisted by Charles W. Deecker. The paper was distributed thrice weekly and the last edition was printed on the press of De Volksstem and published on 9 April 1881. Du Val took part in the skirmishes at Sesmylspruit, Swartkoppies, and Elandsfontein during the siege of Pretoria by the Boer commandos.
 
In April 1881, the company departed for Kimberly where they resumed their performances after an interval of five months. Before Du Val’s return to England, he lectured in Cape Town on the war. He wrote With a show through Southern Africa, and personal reminiscences of the Transvaal War (2 vol.,1882), which remains a valuable source of information about South Africa, the war and the siege of Pretoria.
 
  
 
Du Val returned to England some time after 1882.
 
Du Val returned to England some time after 1882.
  
 
He most admired as a transformation artist, but was also a singer, dancer, reciter and mimic
 
  
 
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
 
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
Line 63: Line 60:
 
He and his wife toured South Africa for two years in the late 1870s and beginning of the 1880s 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, travelled to Kimberly 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. Also performed in Durban and later came to Tarkastad and Port Elizabeth, before they headed for home. His chronicle of his journey (''With a Show Through Southern Africa'') is a valuable resource on touring theatre conditions at the time.  
 
He and his wife toured South Africa for two years in the late 1870s and beginning of the 1880s 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, travelled to Kimberly 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. Also performed in Durban and later came to Tarkastad and Port Elizabeth, before they headed for home. His chronicle of his journey (''With a Show Through Southern Africa'') is a valuable resource on touring theatre conditions at the time.  
  
According to Boonzaier, he apparently also performed in the [[Mutual Hall]], Cape Town, in November 1888, though this is surely a mistake.
+
 
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==

Revision as of 07:43, 13 December 2018

Charles du Val (1846-1889) was a 19th century British born elocutionist, performer and journalist.

Also found as Charles Du Val or Charles Du-Val

(18**- )

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

According to Boonzaier (1923), Du Val was most admired in South Africa as a transformation artist, but was also a singer, dancer, reciter and mimic.

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 Camp was 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.

In April 1881, the company departed for Kimberly where they resumed their performances after an interval of five months. He also performed in Durban and later came to Tarkastad and Port Elizabeth, before they headed for home in 1882.

Before Du Val’s return to England in 1882, he lectured in Cape Town on the war. Once home he wrote a two volume chronicle of his journey called With a Show Through Southern Africa, and personal reminiscences of the Transvaal War (London : Tinsley Brothers), which remains a valuable source of information about South Africa, the war and the siege of Pretoria.

According to Boonzaier, Du Val apparently made another appearance in the Mutual Hall, Cape Town, in November 1888, though this seems highly unlikely.

Sources

http://www.vivien-allen.co.uk/duval_tonight.htm

http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/charles-du-val

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Biography

Born in Manchester, England in 1810 of Irish parents.

Du Val 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, when they were interrupted by the siege of Pretoria during the First Anglo-Boer War.

The two, who had been joined by the Pole Checheffski in Port Elizabeth, arrived in Pretoria on18 November 1880. They joined the Pretoria Carabineers, also known as D’Arcy Horse. In December, Du Val was attached to the staff of the British garrison commandant Lt.-Col. G. F. Gildea of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. On 25 December 1880, a news-sheet called News of the Camp,with a circulation of 500, was published with Du Val as editor, assisted by Charles W. Deecker. The paper was distributed thrice weekly and the last edition was printed on the press of De Volksstem and published on 9 April 1881. Du Val took part in the skirmishes at Sesmylspruit, Swartkoppies, and Elandsfontein during the siege of Pretoria by the Boer commandos.

Du Val returned to England some time after 1882.


Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

He and his wife toured South Africa for two years in the late 1870s and beginning of the 1880s 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, travelled to Kimberly 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. Also performed in Durban and later came to Tarkastad and Port Elizabeth, before they headed for home. His chronicle of his journey (With a Show Through Southern Africa) is a valuable resource on touring theatre conditions at the time.


Sources

Charles du Val. 1882. With a Show Through Southern Africa. And Personal Reminiscences of the Transvaal War (Volume 1) London : Tinsley Brothers.(Facsimile version, HathiTrust Digital Library)[1]

Charles du Val. 1882. With a Show Through Southern Africa. And Personal Reminiscences of the Transvaal War (Volume 2) London : Tinsley Brothers. (Facsimile version, HathiTrust Digital Library)[[2]

Charles du Val from South African History Online (SAHO), www.sahistory.org.za [3]

D.C. Boonzaier. 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: p. 396.

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“(name of article)” from South African History Online, www.sahistory.org.za]

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