Theatre of Jersey
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The history of theatrical performances in Jersey can be traced back to the 18th century. The Opera House, opened by Lillie Langtry in 1900, and the Jersey Arts Centre are the main performance spaces, although performances also take place in parish halls and other venues.


History

On 14 November 1778 the
States of Jersey The States Assembly (french: Assemblée des États; Jèrriais: ) is the parliament of Jersey, formed of the island's 37 deputies and the Connétable of each of the twelve parishes. The origins of the legislature of Jersey lie in the system o ...
adopted an Act forbidding the staging of stage plays or farces without the prior permission of the Bailiff and Royal Court. This legislation remains the basis of the current licensing of public entertainment in Jersey: public entertainment, including stage works, is licensed by the
Bailiff A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their offi ...
(advised by the Bailiff's Panel for the Control of Public Entertainment). The fact that the States deemed it necessary to pass such an Act suggests that theatrical performances were at that time frequent enough and of sufficient concern to the authorities to require the setting up of a regulatory system. However, there is little direct evidence of which plays were being performed as there were at that time no established theatre and no newspapers. During the 16th and 17th centuries as drama developed in France and England, culture in Jersey was controlled by a strict Calvinist régime, and even the imposition of
Anglicanism Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the ...
after 1660 did not alter the basic attitudes to entertainment in Jersey. Sitting between the cultural poles of France and England, Jersey was further isolated by the language situation. Visiting theatre troupes from England would not have been understood by the
Jèrriais (french: Jersiais, also known as the Jersey Language, Jersey French and Jersey Norman French in English) is a Romance language and the traditional language of the Jersey people. It is a form of the Norman language spoken in Jersey, an island i ...
speaking population, and French troupes were deterred by the frequent states of war or suspicion that existed between France and England during this period. The language question continued to impede the development of theatre even once theatres had become established, as commented upon by
Henry David Inglis Henry David Inglis, pseudonym Derwent Conway (1795–1835) was a Scottish travel writer and journalist. Life The only son of a Scottish advocate, Inglis was born in Edinburgh, and was educated for a business career. He spent time travelling abro ...
in 1834. The first location known to have been used as a theatre in Jersey is the Long Room above the Corn Market in the Royal Square, Saint Helier. This was described as "La salle de la comédie" in ''La Gazette de l'Île de Jersey'' of 23 March 1788. This assembly room had been used for public presentations before, including meetings addressed to crowds of between 500 and 600 people by
John Wesley John Wesley (; 2 March 1791) was an English people, English cleric, Christian theology, theologian, and Evangelism, evangelist who was a leader of a Christian revival, revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The soci ...
on 28 and 29 August 1787. Before 1788 it appears that acting was an amateur pastime, and that the States were concerned that young men were spending too much time in idle distractions. The first specific record of a particular troupe of actors is of an amateur club of 12 gentleman in 1786 proposing to present a season of plays by famous playwrights. The first record of a professional theatre company in Jersey is the visit of a French troupe under a man named Desroches which performed in Jersey between March and May 1788 – the last visit by a French theatrical company until after the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Desroches' company performed ''L'Amant bourru'' (by Monvel) and ''
Le Médecin malgré lui ''Le Médecin malgré lui'' (; "The doctor/physician in spite of himself") is a farce by Molière first presented in 1666 (published as a manuscript in early 1667) at le théâtre du Palais-Royal by la Troupe du Roi. The play is one of sever ...
'' (by Molière) in one programme on 25 March 1788 – the first plays known by name to have been performed in Jersey. English theatre companies visited in the summers of 1792 and 1793. The first English-language play known to have been performed in Jersey was ''
The West Indian ''The West Indian'' is a play by Richard Cumberland first staged at the Drury Lane Theatre in 1771. A comedy, it depicts Belcour, a West Indian plantation-owner, travelling to Britain. Belcour tries to overcome his father's lingering disapproval ...
'' by
Richard Cumberland Richard Cumberland may refer to: * Richard Cumberland (philosopher) (1631–1718), bishop, philosopher * Richard Cumberland (dramatist) (1732–1811), civil servant, dramatist * Richard Cumberland (priest) (1710–1737), Archdeacon of Northa ...
on 5 May 1792, followed, amongst others, by '' The School for Scandal'' by Richard Brinsley Sheridan on 12 May 1792 and ''
Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals *Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking *Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil W ...
'' by
John Home Rev John Home FRSE (13 September 1722 – 4 September 1808) was a Scottish minister, soldier and author. His play ''Douglas'' was a standard Scottish school text until the Second World War, but his work is now largely neglected. In 1783 he wa ...
on 26 May 1792. The first plays recorded by name to have been performed by amateurs were '' Alzire'' and '' Mérope'' by Voltaire, in French, in 1795 and 1796. Between 1792 and 1796 there were plays advertised as being performed at the "Théâtre Royal". It is not known whether this refers to the Long Room, but the description of a gallery suggests that this might be a different building unless the Long Room had been altered during this period. Plays were also performed in the 1790s outside Saint Helier. The annual midsummer fair in Saint John attracted huge crowds and the English companies of Fisher and Henry Lee are known to have performed in tents there in 1793 and 1795. The Saint John's fair and its entertainments became such an annoyance to the authorities that it was suppressed by Act of the States in 1797. The first identifiable dedicated theatre space in Jersey was opened in 1802 (not counting the unidentified "Théâtre Royal" which appears not to refer to the same building) by James Shatford, proprietor of the Salisbury theatre, to house his visiting English company. It consisted of a converted barn in what now bears the English name of Regent Road and the French name of Ruette de la Comédie in Saint Helier. The French name preserves the memory of the existence of this theatre. Few records survive to give an idea of the layout or appearance of this theatre which was named "The Theatre Royal", but it was described in 1809 as being "neat and sufficiently extensive". Shatford's company were not in permanent residence; in their absence performances were staged by officers of the British regiments garrisoned in Jersey, under the title of "Garrison Theatricals". These performances were open to the public, and raised money for the relief of poor British prisoners of war in France during the Napoleonic Wars. Once the wars were over, the theatre was used intermittently by both English and French visiting troupes but with little financial success. This theatre was superseded in 1828; the fabric survived until demolition in 1947. On 5 May 1828 a new theatre was opened in Royal Crescent, Saint Helier. This theatre was also named the "Theatre Royal" and was Jersey's first purpose-built theatre. The opening production was ''
A New Way to Pay Old Debts ''A New Way to Pay Old Debts'' (c. 1625, printed 1633) is an English Renaissance theatre, English Renaissance drama, the most popular play by Philip Massinger. Its central character, Sir Giles Over-reach, became one of the more popular villains ...
''. A backdrop painted to depict a panoramic view of the entrance of Saint Helier Harbour and the whole of
St Aubin's Bay ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...
from the viewpoint of Fort Regent was particularly admired on opening night. In 1834 the newspaper ''Le Constitutionnel'' stated that the owners of the theatre had never broken even. Also in 1834 Henry D. Inglis described the situation as follows: :"There is a theatre indeed; and there are winter assemblies: but the latter are few in number; and not particularly attractive; and as for the former, there is so little encouragement given to the drama in Jersey, that the company is most commonly indifferent. The native inhabitants do not sufficiently understand the English language, to relish English drama; and the residents are not rich enough to afford of themselves, sufficient encouragement to the theatre. It must also be admitted, that naval and military men, are not those amongst whom a taste for the drama is most likely to be found. Companies of French actors, however, are tolerably well supported by the native inhabitants." The Theatre Royal in Royal Crescent burnt down on 31 July 1863. It took two years for a new theatre to be built: Henry Cornwall opened the Royal Amphitheatre in Gloucester Street on 17 April 1865. This theatre was sold to
Wybert Rousby William Wybert Rousby (14 March 1835 – 10 September 1907) was an English actor, in later years a theatre proprietor and actor in Jersey. Life Rousby was born in Hull on 14 March 1835, son of a London tradesman. He made his first appearance on th ...
in 1869, and became known as the Theatre Royal, and later as the Theatre Royal and Opera House. In April 1891 Lillie Langtry made her first appearance in a Jersey theatre at the Theatre Royal. Fire broke out in the night of 29 March 1899, destroying the building. A new theatre on the ruins of the Theatre Royal and Opera House. The Opera House was opened by Lillie Langtry on 9 July 1900, who performed in the first play produced in the new premises, ''The Degenerates''. A fire on 12 May 1921 partly destroyed the building, requiring reconstruction. The Opera House, which had been showing films in alternation with live entertainment, became a dedicated cinema in 1931, leaving Springfield Hall as the main venue for theatrical entertainment. Edward Clarence "Teddy" Boielle (1872–1941) abandoned a less than successful business career for a career in entertainment. He brought concert parties to Jersey, was a key organiser of the Coronation celebrations for Edward VII and George V, noted especially for his part in the organisation of the inaugural
Jersey Battle of Flowers The Jersey Battle of Flowers is an annual carnival held in the Channel Island of Jersey on the second Thursday of August. The festival consists of music, funfairs, dancers, majorettes and a parade of flower floats alongside various street entert ...
, was stage manager of the Caesarean Operatic and Dramatic Society. Boielle also performing as the title rôle in ''The Mikado'', as Sir Joseph Porter in ''HMS Pinafore'', Bunthorne in ''Patience'', Mr Pockett in ''The Magistrate'' and others. He was founding Secretary of the Jersey Eisteddfod. He dramatised Charles Dickens' '' The Haunted Man'' for the Saint Helier's Church Literary Society (another of Dean Samuel Falle's cultural projects besides the Jersey Eisteddfod) in 1908 and staged it at the Oddfellows' Hall in Saint Helier in December 1908, followed by two public performances in January 1909. The success of these performances persuaded cast and author-director to form a regular company for the production of an annual Dickens stage adaptation: 1909–1910 '' The Chimes''; 1910–1911 ''
The Battle of Life ''The Battle of Life: A Love Story'' is an 1846 novel by Charles Dickens. It is the fourth of his five "Christmas Books", coming after ''The Cricket on the Hearth'' and followed by ''The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain''. The setting is an ...
''; 1911–1912 '' The Cricket on the Hearth''; 1912–1913 ''The Christmas Carol''; 1913–1914 a revival of ''The Haunted Man''; 1914 ''Scenes from Pickwick''; 1915 ''The Chimes''; 1916 ''Edwin Drood''; 1917 ''The Battle of Life''; 1918 '' The Old Curiosity Shop''; 1919 ''The Cricket on the Hearth''; 1921 ''
Oliver Twist ''Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress'', Charles Dickens's second novel, was published as a serial from 1837 to 1839, and as a three-volume book in 1838. Born in a workhouse, the orphan Oliver Twist is bound into apprenticeship with ...
''. The Oddfellows' Hall was then turned into a cinema, and the Dickens Players moved to the Opera House for their final productions: 1922 a revival of ''The Christmas Carol''; 1924 '' David Copperfield''. E.C. Boielle's commitments as manager of Wests Picture House and competition from new forms of entertainment led to the suspension of the annual Dickens dramatisations, but members of the amateur troupe moved on to other associations. Besides the Oddfellows' Hall, among the smaller halls used for staged performances at this time was the Cercle St Thomas in New Street, Saint Helier. Originally built in 1819 as the Albion Baptist Chapel, it was acquired in 1842 for use by the French-speaking Roman Catholic congregation as a chapel dedicated to Saint Thomas, in which function it continued until the construction of the large Saint Thomas's Church nearby in 1887 left the chapel redundant. It found new use as a Catholic clubroom with billiard tables and a stage for performances. The Cercle St Thomas building was modernised in 1908 and equipped for showing films. The Jersey Entertainment Society commissioned CW Blanshard Bolton, architect, in 1935 to enlarge the building to house a new theatre. The striking new Art Deco frontage of the New Playhouse was revealed in 1938, and from then until the outbreak of the Second World War a repertory theatre was operated, mostly by actors and crew from England, including Laurence Naismith and Donald Pleasence. In 1946 the Denville Players, a repertory company from England led by Len Laurie and Marjorie Denville, took a lease of the Playhouse from the Brotherhood of Saint Thomas. Laurie and Denville had honeymooned in Jersey in 1925, had liked the Island so much that they returned to perform summer season in the 1930s and only escaped from being stranded during the Occupation by the fact they had refused the offer of the 1939 season. They returned to make their home in Jersey in 1946. They operated the Playhouse theatre until 1963 when the Brotherhood sold the building and it was converted to a retail store.


Theatre during the German Occupation (1940–1945)

The problem of providing entertainment and maintaining morale under the
German Occupation German-occupied Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly occupied and civil-occupied (including puppet governments) by the military forces and the government of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 an ...
was tackled by Jersey's amateur dramatic societies. The Jersey Opera House, which had been run as a cinema before the war, Wests Picture House, parish halls, church halls and other venues were used for theatrical entertainment. The Playhouse was taken over by the Germans for food storage. By the beginning of 1941 a number of productions were nearing readiness but there was uncertainty as to which company would take the initiative. The Opera House reopened on 6 January 1941 with the Jersey Amateur Dramatic Club's production of ''Housemaster'' by Ian Hay, followed on 17 February with a production by the Green Room Club of "The Light of Heart" by Emlyn Williams. A pattern of a new play or theatrical production (revue, variety) every other week was quickly established as associations, such as the Green Room Club, the Amateur Dramatic Club, the Island School of Dancing and Elocution, and the Fifty-Fifty Club, rallied to keep morale up and provide alternative entertainment under conditions of shortage of films and the banning and confiscation of radios. Times of curtain up varied according to the curfew imposed; on occasion when the population were collectively punished for acts of resistance by earlier curfews, the curtain had to rise as early as 6pm. The electricity supply became increasingly erratic. The Opera House was forced to resort to improvised lighting consisting of 3 car headlights in the orchestra pit and lights powered by car batteries in the wings, a system also put into effect at other halls. Appreciation for the actors' efforts were frequently expressed in the form of gifts from audience members in the form of supplements to rations, such as potato flour, sugar beet syrup, butter and other provisions. Scripts were subject to arbitrary German censorship: innocent remarks were struck out, while blatantly patriotic statements were sometimes passed without objection. The mention of "red, white and blue" was forbidden, and the wearing of military uniforms on stage was prevented. A production of '' The Merchant of Venice'' was considered insufficiently anti-Semitic, and the lead actor was summoned by the censor and ordered to act more Jewish and with more venom. Remarks that had been censored were occasionally put back in when the performers thought they could get away with it, and topical ad-libs were quietly inserted. Generally the Germans did not attend these entertainments, although the loneliness and isolation felt by many soldiers impelled them to attend performances even when they were unable to understand the content. Since listening to radio broadcasts was forbidden by the Germans, the latest popular tunes could only be incorporated into shows by clandestine listening and noting down of tunes and lyrics. In October 1943 a light opera ''The Paladins'', with libretto by Horace Wyatt and music by PG Larbalestier, was mounted. The German censor passed the text despite the inclusion of a stirring and anthemic chorus "Faithful and Free" that became an expression of patriotic longing that produced an emotional response in the audience. When the Germans realised the reaction of audiences the Green Room Club was suppressed, although after some negotiation productions were allowed to resume but only if they were billed as being mounted by the "Dramatic Section" of the Club. In July 1943 the Opera House and other places of entertainment were ordered to be closed for a month, and again following
D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D ...
on 6 June 1944 until 9 August 1944. In 1944, the popular German film actress
Lil Dagover Lil Dagover (; born Marie Antonia Siegelinde Martha Seubert; 30 September 1887 – 23 January 1980) was a German actress whose film career spanned between 1913 and 1979. She was one of the most popular and recognized film actresses in the Weimar ...
arrived to entertain German troops in Jersey and Guernsey with a theatre tour to boost morale. When the electricity supply ended on 25 January 1945, performances at the Opera House ended. Immediately following Liberation on 9 May 1945, the Opera House reopened for a grand variety show on 10 May 1945 for released prisoners.


Post-Liberation theatre

Following the Liberation in 1945, Springfield Hall regularly hosted trade exhibitions, plays, pantomimes, shows, the Jersey Eisteddfod, and other attractions.


Jersey Opera House

Theatrical impresario Tommy Swanson purchased the Opera House at the end of the 1959 summer season. He undertook major renovations, adding 15 extra boxes, and returning it to live entertainment. In 1995 the States of Jersey became the new owner of the Jersey Opera House at a cost of £1.3 million. In January 1997 the theatre closed for a major restoration project. A proposition was presented to the States of Jersey for a loan of £5.5 million to add to the £1.5 million that had been raised by the good will of the people and businesses of Jersey. This was successful and this major programme of work started in August 1998. After an extensive programme of rebuilding and renovation the new theatre opened its door on 9 July 2000 exactly 100 years to the day when the first Opera House had opened its doors to the public of Jersey.


Jersey Arts Centre

Work on the Jersey Arts Centre started in 1981 when the Education Committee made available the redundant domestic science building in Saint Helier. The complex was opened by the Bailiff in January 1983 and various components of the building were subsequently completed: the Berni Gallery opened later in 1983, and the first performance took place in the shell of the auditorium in January 1985 although the performance space was not completed until August 1986. In 1992 the public acquired the former garrison church of St James and work started in 1998 to convert it into an arts venue. From 2000 the Jersey Arts Centre has undertaken artistic programming for St James. St James was closed in 2013 for a further refurbishment by the States of Jersey and the Jersey Arts Centre was given use of The Old Magistrates Court in St Helier Town Hall, until 2016. The Jersey Arts Centre continues to provide a theatrical space in Phillips St, in the 250 seater Benjamin Meaker Theatre, as well as performances in Care Homes, Historic Sites and Tours to the Other Islands and Europe.


Controversy

The Bailiff's powers of theatrical censorship were the subject of controversy during the term of office of Sir
Peter Crill Sir Peter Leslie Crill (1 February 1925 – 3 October 2005) was Bailiff of Jersey from 1986 to 1991. Early years Crill attended Victoria College, Jersey between 1932 and 1943. He started work, during the German occupation of Jersey, for th ...
who refused permission for a visiting amateur theatre group to perform
Howard Brenton Howard John Brenton FRSL (born 13 December 1942) is an English playwright and screenwriter. While little-known in the United States, he is celebrated in his home country and often ranked alongside contemporaries such as Edward Bond, Caryl Chur ...
's play ''
Christie in Love ''Christie in Love'' is an early play by Howard Brenton concerning the life of serial killer John Christie, who murdered at least seven women between 1943 and 1953, after which he was caught, tried and hanged. Stage history The play, Brenton's ...
'' and required changes to the staging of a production of Shakespeare's '' Coriolanus'' by the Tricycle Theatre Company to prevent an actor's naked buttocks being visible to the audience. On several occasions, however, 'he suggested that the role of chief censor should not lie with him, but should be at taken on by the elected members of the States'.Antonia Windsor, 'Sir Peter Crill', obituary in ''The Guardian'', 27 January 2006


Theatre in Jèrriais

The development of
Jèrriais literature Jèrriais literature is literature in Jèrriais, the Norman dialect of Jersey in the Channel Islands. The literary tradition in Jersey is traced back to Wace, the 12th century Jersey-born poet, although there is little surviving literature in ...
has included theatre in
Jèrriais (french: Jersiais, also known as the Jersey Language, Jersey French and Jersey Norman French in English) is a Romance language and the traditional language of the Jersey people. It is a form of the Norman language spoken in Jersey, an island i ...
(the
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...
dialect spoken in Jersey). The first book published in Jèrriais ''Rimes et Poësies Jersiaises'' (1865) included dramatic duologues, which may have been performed at traditional ''veil'yes'' (social neighbourhood gatherings) or read as closet dramas. Satirical playlets were also published in newspapers in the 19th century. ''Élection de St. Martin'', a playlet in Jèrriais and French published in the newspaper ''Le Constitutionnel'' on 24 November 1838, was probably never staged, but rather read in company. Henri Luce Manuel's ''Queur de Femme'' (in modern spelling: ''Tchoeu d'Femme'' – "heart of a woman") of 1861 was published in pamphlet form. Esther Le Hardy's three-act play ''L'Enchorchelai, ou les très Paires'' (in modern spelling: ''L'Enchorchélé, ou les Trais Paithes'' – "The Bewitched, or the Three Pears") was published in 1880. Both plays are in rhyming couplets. In the early 20th century, E. J. Luce wrote plays and presented them around parish halls and other halls. ''En chèrche d'femme'', ''L'Învitâtion'' and ''L'Annonce X Y Z'' were all written before the First World War, subsequent to the setting up of the Jersey Eisteddfod. The most frequently performed of his plays ''Lé Procès'' was published in pamphlet form and was revived as a touring fundraiser during the First World War, remaining a favourite long after. During the German military Occupation of Jersey 1940–1945, the inability of the Germans to understand Jèrriais enabled the performance of dramas that would otherwise not have passed the censor. A Jèrriais play performed at a parish hall was "as patriotic as could possibly be" but the Germans who attended the production did not understand it. George F. Le Feuvre took part in amateur dramatic performances, including in works by E. J. Luce, as a young man. Later in life he wrote plays for performance by L'Assembliée d'Jèrriais and at the Jersey Eisteddfod. 8 plays and 2 duologues written by him between 1946 and 1968 were published as a collection in ''Histouaithes et Gens d'Jèrri'' (1976). Amelia Perchard (1921–2012) was one of Jersey's foremost contemporary writers, writing many one-act plays for performance at the Jersey Eisteddfod.


Actors and dramatists from Jersey

Lillie Langtry, the ''Jersey Lily'', is the island's most widely recognised cultural icon. Other stage actors from Jersey have included Seymour Hicks,
Ivy St. Helier Ivy Janet Aitchison (1886, Saint Helier, Jersey – 8 November 1971, London, England) better known as Ivy St. Helier was a British theatre, stage actress, composer and lyrics, lyricist. Stage On the stage, St. Helier played Manon la Crevette in ...
,
Alma Stanley Alma Stuart Stanley (26 October 1854 – 8 March 1931) was a British actress and vocalist once popular on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. She was perhaps best remembered as Lady Teazle in Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Sheridan's ''The School for ...
and Sylvestra Le Touzel. Playwright
Frederick Lonsdale Frederick Lonsdale (5 February 1881 – 4 April 1954) was a British playwright known for his librettos to several successful musicals early in the 20th century, including '' King of Cadonia'' (1908), ''The Balkan Princess'' (1910), ''Betty'' (1 ...
was born in Jersey.


References


External links

* {{Europe topic, Theatre of, GR=Modern Greek theatre Culture of Jersey