Le Cinématograph et le Kinetescope de Maurice Charvet (St Andrew's Hall/Music Room, 27 avril->4 mai 1897)

La presse annonce l'arrivée de Maurice Charvet et de ses cinematograph et kinetescope :

Professor Maurice Charvet, who arrived to-day by the French mail steamer, has come on to Hongkong from Paris to exhibit the "Cinématograph" and the "Kinetescope," the twin marvels of the age. Theses marvels have never been shown in Hongkong or the Far East before, and the Professor anticipates a large share of the popular patronage during his stay in Hongkong. Amongst the pictures exhibited are "Loie Fuller's Serpentine Dance," a boxing bout between Corbett and Mitchell, &c., and the performances will be repeated at various hours of the day in the Music Room, City Hall. By the aid of the "Cinématograph" and electricity, these pictures are projected on to a screen, and are life-size. Every detail of movement and facial expression is therefore plainly visible to the whole of the audience, and is marvellous in its effects.

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 The China Mail, Hong Kong, samedi 24 avril 1897, p. 3.

The China Mail, samedi 24 avril 1897, p. 2.

L'inauguration a lieu le mardi 17 avril :

Hongkong residents will to-morrow afternoon be able to see the working of thoese two wonderful Inventions, the cinematograph and the kinetescope. The exhibition will take place in the music room of the City Hall under the supervision of Professor Maurice Charvet and there will doubtless be a large audience. The marvels have not been in Hongkong before, but everybody has heard of the astonishing pictures they throw on to the screen. The subjects to be delineated are very numerous and interesting and it is set forth that every detail and movement can be plainly seen by the audience.

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Hong Kong Daily Press, lundi 26 avril 1897, p. 2.

La presse propose un compte rendu de cette séance :

Last night, Professor Charvet gave a preliminary exhibition of the latest invention in phantasmagoria in St. Andrew's Hall to a select party of press representatives and other gentlemen. An examination of the cinematograph shows that, like a great many other inventions which have at first been a source of marvel, the mechanism of the cinematograph is of the simplest description. A long strip of photographic film, containing very minute photographs, is wound from one cylinder to the other, the photographs passing the lenses, at the rate of fifty per second. The photographs are projected on a screen by a very powerful electric lamp. The rapidity with which the pictures are passed on the screen gives the impression of a life-like picture, every motion being clearly pourtrayed. Amongst the pictures shown last night was a march of French cavalry over a bridge. The troop moved over the bridge and passed away out of sight in a very realistic manner, every movement being shown with marvellous effect. The Czar's entrance into Paris was also shown, the horses drawing the royal equipage being shown at a alight cantor. A large number of other interesting sights were shown. The exhibition opened to-day, and particulars of the hours of exhibition will be seen in our advertisement columns.

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China Mail, Hong Kong, mardi 27 avril 1897, p. 2.

China Mail, Hong Kong, mardi 27 avril 1897, p. 2.	Hong Kong Telegraph, Hong Kong, lundi 3 mai 1897, p. 2.

Les séances se prolongent dans les premiers jours du mois de mai :

The Cinématograph continues to draw large attendances daily and nightly at St. Andrew's Hall, and the unanimous verdict of these who have seen the exhibition is that it is one of the cleverest scientific and artistic novelties of the age. The display of pictures is very varied indeed and the way in which action and light and shade effects are reproduced is truly wonderful. No less than 180 of the Queen's [....] arrended the exhibitions last week and Mr. W. Muskett's lucid and interesting "lectures" largely enhanced the pleasure of the young people. It is probable that  Professor Charvet will shortly introduce an entirely new set of pictures. The heads of educational establishments are reminded that special terms at a reduced rate are offered by the management to enable the children to have the pleasure of witnessing the display.

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Hong Kong Telegraph, Hong Kong, mardi 4 mai 1897, p. 2. 

L'animatoscope de H. Wellby-Cooke (Theatre Royal, 19.21.23.26.28 août 1897)

Harry Wellby-Cooke présente un animatoscope au Theatre Royal en août :

AN enterprising showman, named Mr. Welby Cook, has just reached Hongkong after a tour in the interior of China with an “ Animatoscope,” Mr. Cook left Tientsin and reached Peking in company. with Mr, Linton. Here he showed for 17 days with the utmost success, and be was engaged by Sir Claude MacDonald to give a display at the British Legation on the occasion of the departure of the French minister. Sir Claude is described is having keen delighted with the exhibition and at his request the picture of the serpentine dancer was repeated, The Chinese themselves were fairly captivated by the show and Mr. Cook has nothing but good to say of the treatment he received in the Imperial City. He also gave displays at the Spanish Legation and in public with the utmost success, The audience often included the Royal Princes and a son of Li Hung-chang, and a son of the Marquis Tseng was a patron every night M. Welby, who has a really firstclass collection of British and Continental views, opens at the Theatre Royal on Saturday night for short season.

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Hong Kong Telegraph, mercredi 18 août 1897, p. 2.

Un autre journal local propose lui aussi un article sur l'animatoscope :

MR H. Welby Cooke, who most with great success in Shanghai, Tientsin, and Peking, has just arrived from the north with his Animatoscope which he proposes to exhibit in the City Hall, opening on Saturday night. During his visit to’ Peking, Mr Wellby Cooke showed at the British and other Legations, and it may be interesting to state that Sir Claude Macdonald was so pleased with the skirt dancer, Lottie Collins, that he asked for a repetition of the picture. The pictures in Mr Wellby Cooke's collection are all likely to interest the Hongkong public—King’s Road, Brighton; cyclists in Hyde Park, the Czar's visit to Paris, a Review at Aldershot, Newcastle Railway Station, &c. None of the pictures are objectionable, and the exhibition may be visited by anyone. In fact, the animatoscope was exceedingly popular with ladies and children in the northen ports.

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China Mail, Hong Kong, mercredi 18 août 1897, p. 3.

The China Mail, Hong Kong, jeudi 19 août 1897, p. 2.

Un long article donne des informations plus précises sur la programmation, mais regrette que le public soit peu présent à la séance du samedi 21 août :

ON Saturday evening Mr Wellby Cook gave an exhibition of the Animatoscope before a somewhat meagre audience in the Theatre. It was disappointing to see the number of vacant seats, but those present had a very enjoyable and interesting entertainment for over an hour and a half. The mechanism of the Animatoscope is now pretty generally known; a series of photographs being shown upon a screen in rapid succession so that every movement in the scene is exhibited. The programme of scenes exhibited were excellently chosen, many of them calling to mind scenes at Home that are almost effaced from memory by a prolonged stay in the Colony. Although the atmosphere of the Theatre was somewhat warm, a sympathetic chill seemed to pass through the spectator of the scene depicting a large crowd of workmen leaving Portsmouth Dockyard on a cold winter's morning. The picture was very realistic, and one could almost imagine that they could hear the din and buetle as the men hurried along the street. Several of the men had evidently been attracted by the photographer taking the scene, as they gave hurried glances in the direction of the audience and then disappeared from the picture. This is a noticeable feature in each of the pictures. King's Road, Brighton, was shown in full swing. The immense amount of vehicular traffic was somewhat bewildering when compared with a scene in our local streets, and the endeavours of several foot-passengers to cross the crowded thoroughfare in safety were a source of considerable amusement. The arrival of a train at a suburban railway station and the disembarkation of the passengers was vividly pourtrayed. A very pretty picture was shown of a military church parade. A conjuror was shown in his exhibition of the vanishing act. The conjuror appeared leading a lady on to the stage, and seating her on a chair, he hid her from view under a sheet; making a few passes he raised the sheet and the lady had disappeared. He then produced a skeleton in her place, again covering the chair he made some passes, raised the sheet and revealed the lady to view. The lady and gentleman then bowed their acknowledgements of a round of applause, and retired. On Saturday night the spectators applauded the scene, and were greatly surprised at the re-appearance of the artistes, who again bowed their acknowledgements. Bicyclists in Hyde Park was a scene of much interest. The comic element was represented in a costume race, a flirtation over the telephone, a card party; and a scene representing Lottie Collins performing the serpentine dance was well received. Between the animated pictures some very pretty set pieces were shown. Excellent pianoforte selections were played during the entertainment.

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China Mail, Hong Kong, lundi 23 août 1897, p. 3.

La dernière annonce date du 28 août.

Hong Kong Telegraph, Hong Kong, samedi 28 août 1897, p. 2.

Le Cinematograph de Johnson et Charvet (Theatre Royal, 16-20 octobre 1897)

Maurice Charvet, associé à M. Johnson, inaugure des séances de projections animées au Theatre Royal à la mi-octobre.

Hong Kong Telegraph, Hong Kong, vendredi 15 octobre 1897, p. 4.

Répertoire (autres titres) : The Queen's Diamond Jubilee in London, A dispute between Bicyclists, The "Bolero," Spanish Dance, Place de la Concorde. Paris, French Cavalry returning from Drill, Love Scene. Columbine and Clown, Arrival of the Czar in Paris, Pleasure Boats on the Seine, Children playing on the Seashore, The Nurse Maid, The Lightning Artist, Arrival of the Express Train, The Magician, Place de la République. Paris, Workmen leaving a Factory, The Haunted Castle, A Troubled Dream (Hong Kong Telegraph, Hong Kong, vendredi 15 octobre 1897, p. 4.)

Hong Kong Telegraph, Hong Kong, mardi 19 octobre 1897, p. 4.