During the first third of the 20th
century, London was generally recognized as being the focal point of the
magic world. It could be argued that St. George's Hall was largely
responsible for this claim. The goal of most magicians was to eventually
trod the hallowed boards at Maskelyne's Theatre.
Anne Davenport
and John Salisse invite you to join them backstage to peek into the
Maskelyne workshop where so many classic illusions first saw the light
of day, to eavesdrop on board meetings where egos and personalities
often clashed, and to watch from the wings as the world's top conjurors
entertain generations of London theatre goers. It is a story that
encompasses the loftiest heights of theatrical artistry as well as the
darkest moments of a dying enterprise. It is quite simply the history of
magic in England during its glorious golden age. Take a seat in the
front row and watch as this incredible story slowly unfolds inside
England's home of mystery - St. George's Hall.
Pages: 475 - 8" x 10" - Hardcover with dust jacket - 175 photographs (18 in full-color).
A PEEK INSIDE "ST. GEORGE'S HALL"
Publisher's Note
Mike Caveney
It
didn't seem possible; writing a detailed history of St. George's Hall. I
say that because I have been to the room. On the top floor of John
Salisse's home in Hampstead, England there is a room that contains the
results of one man's passion. John has spent decades collecting not just
magic related ephemera but, more specifically, memorabilia pertaining
to the Maskelynes' theatres. The material is kept in this room because
it is the one room in the house large enough to contain what has become a
monumental archive.
John is not a collector of "pretty things"
although the lithographs that adorn the walls of the room will most
assuredly take the breath away from even the most ardent collector.
Rather it is the wall of black binders that forms the heart of the
collection. Here, meticulously arranged, are hundreds upon hundreds of
programmes, photographs, letters, playbills, reviews, advertisements,
post cards and legal documents, all pertaining to the Maskelyne's
theatrical ventures in London. Another shelf holds business records,
including a Maskelyne's Ltd. minute book that reveals the sometimes
rancorous tone of the board meetings.
When you consider that
J.N. Maskelyne and his friend George Cooke opened at St. James's Hall in
1873 and that twenty-eight of the next sixty years were spent at St.
George's Hall and that three generations of Maskelynes employed scores
of noteworthy magicians, you begin to realize that the history of the
Maskelyne family is actually the history of magic in England. One can
only wonder if Anne Davenport knew what she was getting herself into
when she decided to document the Maskelynes' tenure at St.George's Hall.
The complete story would have to include not just the wondrous view
from the front of house, but also the often acrimonious interaction that
occurred behind the scenes between brothers, sons and partners. At the
very least, it was a daunting task.
Herself a member of a
multi-generational family of magic (Anne married John Davenport, son of
Gus Davenport and grandson of Lewis Davenport, in 1977) she was not
intimidated by the enormity of the task and threw herself into it
wholeheartedly. Anne's research took her far beyond the room as she
delved into the Davenport family collection and tracked down elusive
newspaper and magazine articles. Months turned into years as the story
of St. George's Hall slowly took shape.
In 1996 John, Anne and I
agreed that the completed manuscript would be issued as a Magical
Pro-File and indeed it is number ten in our award- winning series of
books on the history of magic. While we busied ourselves with Servais Le
Roy: Monarch of Mystery (1999) and The Houdini Code Mystery (2000),
Anne and John continued working on their epic project. Huge e-mails
would arrive as each successive chapter was completed until the entire
book (over 120,000 words) had been transmitted half-way around the world
with a few simple key strokes. And as fast as I would Americanize
certain words and spellings, Anne would change them back to the
preferred British usage. And so she should. After all, the story of the
Maskelynes is a thoroughly English tale and it is best told using the
English language.Considering that the Maskelynes travelled less than a
mile each time they relocated to a new theatre, Anne, John and I have
travelled tens of thousands of miles in our effort to tell their story.
In 1999 and again in 2000, Anne and John Davenport visited Los Angeles
during which time we discussed progress on both sides of the Atlantic.
In 1999 I visited the Davenports' home in Leicester, England. Then early
in 2001 I made another pilgrimage to the room where I was once again
dazzled by the Salisse collection. The two boxes of original photographs
that I hand-carried back to California (and that now grace these pages)
represent the tiniest tip of John's magnificent archive.
I do
hope that John and Anne are proud of their accomplishment. Only through
the confluence of Anne Davenport's skill and persistence and John
Salisse's remarkable collection could the complete story of St. George's
Hall be told. Their book will serve as your backstage pass and it
grants you full access to all areas of England's Home of Mystery. Take
all the time you like and enjoy the tour. August 15, 2001
This product was added to our catalog on Monday 23 January, 2012.
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