PHILLIPPE.
Phillippe [Talon] was born at Alais, near Nimes (France). He carried on the trade of confectioner first in Paris, afterwards in Aberdeen, Scotland. Failing to make a success of the sugar business, he adopted conjuring as a profession, and was remarkably successful. He was assisted by a young Scotchman named Macalister, who on the stage appeared as a negro, “Domingo.” Macalister, a clever mechanic, invented many of the best things in Phillippe’s repertoire. From some Chinese jugglers, Phillippe learned the gold-fish trick and the Chinese rings. With these capital experiments added to his programme, he repaired to Paris, in 1841, and made a great hit. Habited like a Chinaman, he performed them in a scene called “A night in the palace of Pekin.” The fish trick he ostentatiously named “Neptune’s Basins, and the Gold Fish.” The bowls of water containing the fish he produced from shawls while standing on a low table. He followed this with a production of rabbits, pigeons, ducks, and chickens.
Robert-Houdin in his memoirs, gives a brief but pointed sketch of Phillippe. On page 163 I reproduce one of his unique programmes (London, March, 1846).
NEW STRAND THEATRE
Lessee, M. PHILLIPPE, 4 Strand Lane
TRIUMPHANT SUCCESS
PHILLIPPE’s
SOIRÉES
MYSTÉRIEUSES
The Entertainments will commence with M. PHILLIPPE’s Celebrated and Unrivalled
Which he has exhibited in Paris, Vienna, Berlin, St. Petersburgh, and before all the Courts of Europe, with truly unparalleled Success.
THE ENTERTAINMENT WILL BE
DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS
PART FIRST
Will comprise peculiar and unequalled
The Miller of Amsterdam
The Modern Confectioner
The Obedient Cards
The Enchanted Handkerchief
Il Diavolo
The Grand Distribution
The Rose Tree of Granada
The Accomplished Harlequin
The Flying Watches
New Method of Making Coffee
Concluding with the universally admired and elegant Tour d’Addresse, entitled
In which Mons. PHILLIPPE will perform some of the most Extraordinary and Startling
The Turtle Dove and the Flying
PAS DE CARACTERE
Handkerchiefs
BY
La Fille des Fleurs
La Fille des Fleurs
Kitchen of Parapharagaramus
The Inexhaustible Hat
And concluding with the celebrated DELUSION
Les Bassins de Neptune et les Poissons d’or
AND THE GRAND MENAGERIE!
Unanimously pronounced to be the most inexplicable and surprising Tour de Physique ever witnessed