Dalle Case Company

The actor manager signor Luigi Dalle Case, who had arrived in Cape Town with a circus run by himself and a colleague Signor Severo in November 1847, split from his partner and started his own professional French theatre company in February 1848 in Cape Town. Members of his company referred to as the French Dramatic Artistes and included L. Victor, C. Crosset, X. Hus, Madame Dalle Case, Madame Victor, Madame Crosset, Mademoiselle Gabrielle and Mademoiselle Emilia. There is also mention of "die kleine Hamoy" ("the tiny Hamoy"), most probably a circus performer.

The company performed in the Hope Street Theatre (renamed to Sans Souci Theatre by Case) for two performances, after which three performances were held in the more comfortable Garrison Theatre. Programmes concentrated on pantomimes[1], vaudeville, singing (e.g. areas from various works), dancing, (comic or "grand") ballets and light farces, with various acts in between. Much of the anonymous material, one suspects, was created by company members themselves.

Their first performance on was 14 February 1848 and began with a "Grand Dramatic Presentation" which included a "Grootze Muzykale Interludium" ("Grand Musical Interlude"), with arias, dances and some scenes from a farce they call De Twee Savoyanen (Anon.: though it may have been scenes taken from the two act Belgian farce Arlekyn Savoyard by De Pauw). This was followed by the farcical ballet called De Gelukkige Man, of De Ontmoeting in het Donker (Anon. - also called a "landelike stuk" or a "rural play" by Bosman, 1928: p. 435).

On 24 February 1848 they opened with a "Comédie-vaudeville" (wrongly attributed to Eugène Scribe), which they called The Resources of Jonatha(s), or the Two Masters and one valet and a "Grand Pantomime" called Running Mad Through Love (Anon.), in addition to songs and dances.

Of the next three performances we only have information on the third performance, on 13th March, 1848 in the Garrison Theatre. The play performed was The Art of Avoiding to do Military Duty (Anon., most probably a one-man performance devised by the comic actor L. Victor), which was part of a full evening's entertainment including a "Grand Interlude of Music and Dancing"; choral dances by Mademoiselle Emilia and Madame Dalle Case, accompanied in song by Mr Russel; entertainment by the tiny Hamoy; seven tableaus of Ancient figures; a comic ballet called A Visit to the Military Prison... (Anon., "assisted by the Military" (Bosman, 1928: p. 347)" and "An English Dance".

Their final performance under the leadership of Dalle Case took place in the Hope Street Theatre once more and consisted of the Vaudeville of The Lying Valet, or The Masters Deceived (Garrick), a grand intermezzo of dance and music, and a comic ballet entitled The Family of Pierrotts (Anon.).

This short-lived company broke up in March 1848 due to financial trouble, though three members, messrs L. Victor, X. Hus and C. Crosset, sought to continue the work under a different name Theatre de L'Union), though not with any more success.

The signor and signora Dalle Case apparently went on tour with their own company, performing in the eastern Cape in 1850 and later reappearing in Natal, with a show encompassing acts with several wild animals.

(MN/TH)

Sources

Bosman, 1928: 435-7, 484, 487, 494, 500.

Fletcher, 1994

Laidler, 1926

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