Murphy’s Town Hall Cinema Athenry 6 down the house when he recited extracts from David Copperfield and the speech of Daniel Pegotty was really brilliant. What a pity Mr Harcourt is not a fixture in Galway...” 6 The Galway Express 24th April 1915 carried an advertisement for Vernonne appearing in Clifden on 24th to 26th April 1915, Athenry on 28th & 29th April 1915 and Ballinasloe on 1st to 7th May 1915 inclusive: “COMEDY, DRAMA, TRAVEL AND THE Latest War Pictures. Magnificent Films – Never shown before. Mr Vernonne carries the finest Fit-up out of London...” The Galway Express 1st May 1915 further reported as follows on Vernonne’s appearances in Clifden and Athenry: “Mr HV Harcourt (Vernonne) had a splendid reception in Clifden, and the Town Hall was crammed on both evenings. The whole entertainment went with great vim, and was thoroughly enjoyed. The picture show was voted the best ever seen in Clifden, and the various songs and recitations given by Mr Harcourt were heartily applauded. On Wednesday and Thursday the performance was given in Athenry before crowded audiences, who were delighted. Miss Agnes Coulter presided at the piano with her usual care and ability in Athenry... Mr Harcourt, at the urgent wishes of the people, has rebooked at both towns for three weeks hence.” The East Galway Democrat newspaper of 1st May 1915 carried an advertisement for Vernonne’s Ballinasloe appearances in May 1915. 12th & 13th May 1915 – Vernonne performed in Athenry Town Hall again, as promised. Connacht Tribune of 1st May 1915, page 4 had carried the following in relation to performances by Mr Vernonne at Athenry and Clifden: “A large audience assembled at the Town Hall, Athenry, on Wednesday and Thursday, and gave Mr Vernonne a very enthusiastic welcome. He has re-booked Athenry for May 12 and 13...7 Mr. Vernonne delighted ...with his first class and up to date pictures, and his own incomparable songs and sketches... Miss Wren very ably presided at the piano.” The East Galway Democrat newspaper of 8th May 1915 gives us further insight into Vernonne’s performances in County Galway: “The pictures exhibited by Mr Vernonne in the Town Hall throughout the week were of a very high order of merit. The subject and their presentation proved conclusively that the proprietor is a very experienced person in his business. The pictures were particularly interesting, and absorbed one’s attention for every moment of the performance. They were of a fine size and very clear. At intervals Mr Vernonne, with an exceptionally fine voice, rendered some songs in perfect style, while his classic sketches were justly appreciated.” It would appear that Mr Vernonne performed across the water as well, as the Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 7th June 1916, carried the following on page 3: “Mr. Vernonne gave his humorous and character entertainment last night, to the wounded soldiers in the wards, at the Sheffield Royal Hospital...” In the News Archives, Vernonne (aka Henry Vernon Harcourt, Henry V Harcourt, Henri Vernon, H Vernon Harcourt, HV Harcourt, Vernon Harcourt, Henry Vernonne & Professor Vernonné) is variously described as a Character Actor, 8 Protean Actor, Mimic and Character Vocalist, 9 Impersonator and Character Vocalist, 10 as well as a Society Entertainer & Humorist. 11 The Stage, a UK theatrical publication, recorded as follows on 13th January 1910: “Vernonné, an impersonator, made his appearance in town at Collins, when he scored in some imitations of wellknown characters.” The same edition of The Stage quotes Henry Selwyn, Manager of Collins’ Theatre, Islington Green, as follows: “I can strongly recommend Mr Vernonne’s show. It is thoroughly artistic and a credit to any theatre.” 12th June 1915 – The quotes below, (relating to events in June 1915), are extracted from the Weekly Freeman 1st January 1916, page 10, and Connacht Tribune of 1st January 1916, page 2: “At Athenry Petty Sessions on Friday Stephen Jordan, Athenry was again charged with having been guilty of conduct calculated to prejudice recruiting on June 12 at a picture house performance in the Town Hall, Athenry...” “Evidence was given by Constables Doherty, Stafford, Murphy, Cullinane and Donohue to the effect that on the occasion of an exhibition of pictures they were in the Town Hall and heard the defendant hiss the pictures of King George, Lord Kitchener, and the crowned heads of Allied countries, and cheer pictures of the Kaiser and Turkish troops. Mr R Murphy, proprietor of the Town Hall stated that no lights were thrown, as alleged by the police, from the side 6 Vernonne performed in the Town Hall Galway on Thursday 15th April 1915. The Deathless Army is an 1891 song published by Boosey & Company with lyrics by Frederic E Weatherly and music by H Trotère. “...their gallant swords may broken lie, Their bones may bleach ‘neath an alien sky, But their souls, I know, will never die, They march in a deathless army...” The Green Eye of the Yellow God, is a 1911 dramatic monologue poem by J Milton Hayes. 7 This presumably is referring back to Vernonne’s appearances on 28th & 29th April 1915, as cited above 8 Bedfordshire Advertiser 2nd April 1909 9 Staffordshire Sentinel 12th May 1908 10 Staffordshire Sentinel 12th May 1908 11 Sheffield Daily Telegraph 9th June 1916 and 2nd July 1921
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