Le Cinematescope de C. W. Locke (septembre 1896)
C'est vers la fin du mois de septembre que le magicien Doublas Beaufort organise une brève tournée en Écosse. Il a donné une séance privée, à Glenmuick House, le samedi 26 septembre dans l'après-midi, donnée par Lord Glenesk (Aberdeen Press and Journal, Aberdeen, 28 septembre 1896, p. 5). Même si le nom de Charles Woolnough Locke n'apparaît pas, il est l'opérateur du cinematescope. À Aberdeen, c'est Messrs Marr, Wood, and Co qui ont fait appel à Beaufort pour organiser trois soirées dans le Music Hall de la ville :
THE ANIMATED PHOTOGRAPHS
The fine of a series of three exhibitions of animated photographs was gives yesterday evening in the Music Hall, Aberdeen. This is the first occasion on which the results of Mr R. W. Paul’s marvellous invention, the cinematescope, have been shown in Aberdeen, and the entertainment was naturally looked forward to with considerable interest, a fact which was amply demonstrated by the magnificent gathering that filled the hall. The exhibition was remarkably successful. The scenes reproduced were of the must varied description, the enthusiasm of the spectators was unbounded. In all no fewer than eighteen views, or about night of ten more than are usually given at a performance, were thrown upon the screen, and they included the arrival of the Paris express at Calais, the serpentine dance (in brilliant colours), Westminister Bridge, cycling Hyde Park, the coronation of the Emperor of Russia, an engineer’s workshop, the Boulevards of Paris, Brighton beach, and foot racing in addition to the photographs, the entertainment embraces a very clever and enjoyable performance by Mr Douglas Beaufort, who is an admirable conjurer and ventriloquist, and gives in addition an excellent musical sketch, a la Grossmith. Messrs Marr, Wood, & Co. deserve to be complimented for having arranged with Mr David Devant, of the Egyptian Hall. London, for the production of the entertainment, which will continued to-night and to-morrow.
Aberdeen Press and Journal, Aberdeen, 29 September 1896, 5.
Dans les vues présentées, on retrouve bien entendu des films du catalogue Paul, mais également des tableaux provenant d'autres éditeurs. Doublas Beaufort, quant à lui, séduit par ses qualités de magicien et ses dons de ventriloque. Les séances publiques vont avoir lieu du 28 au 30 septembre (Aberdeen Journal, and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland, 18 septembre 1896, p. 4). Après ces trois séances, l'équipe se rend à Peterhead...
