Tabarin
Encyclopedia
Tabarin was the street name assumed by the most famous of the Parisian street charlatan
s, Anthoine Girard (c. 1584 – August 16, 1633), who amused his audiences in the Place Dauphine by farcical dialogue with his brother Philippe (as Mondor), with whom he reaped a golden harvest by the sale of quack medicines for several years after 1618. Street theatre
was popular theatre, on an improvised stage with a curtain backdrop, to the music of a hurdy-gurdy and a set of viol
s. More formal contemporary performances were confined to the royal court or to the Hotel de Bourgogne, overseen by the medieval guild that had the monopoly of theatrical performances in Paris.
A contemporary woodcut shows Tabarin in the dress of a clown, but with a gallant moustache and pointed beard, carrying a wooden sword, like his distant puppet descendant Mr. Punch
, — which would trip him up— and wearing a soft grey felt hat capable of assuming countless amusing shapes in his deft fingers. Tabarin from French tabard denotes a short cloak of the kind the commedia dell'arte
figure Scaramouche
wears.
In more elaborate weekly performances others appeared, notably his wife. In these he based his bawdy jokes on the stock situations of commedia dell'arte troupes, which were amusing the French court at the time, brought up-to-date for Parisians by running banter of topical allusions and knowing local jokes, based on his original gifts for improvisation
. The Girard brothers retired about 1628, purchased a seigneurie and lived out their retirement as country gentlemen near Orléans
.
Numerous farces and dialogues were credited to him, and long series of cheap leaflets purporting to be his complete works began to appear as early as 1622. Stock characters besides Tabarin, with his famous felt hat that could be rolled into a variety of shapes to aid his characterizations (see "Chapeaugraphy
"), were two old men Lucas and Piphagne whose echoes still resound in the Barber of Seville, and the witty and self-reliant ladies Francisquine and Isabella. A Falstaff
ian old soldier (based on the miles gloriosus
of Roman comedy) named Capitaine Rodomonte, gave his name to the rodomontade
of French theater, an extravagantly inflated and drawn-out tirade of deluded self-confidence, vain threats and invective. Both Molière
and La Fontaine, who praised him, were influenced by the Tabarin tradition of coarse quick repartee, and he was also well spoken of, long after he was gone, by Boileau
and Voltaire
.
Tabarin became the French eponym
of any comic performer of a street booth. It was taken up as a cabaret
that was made immortal by a Paul Colin
poster which epitomized the 20s.
Operation Tabarin
was the codename under which the British Antarctic Survey originated in 1944, when the wartime dual mission was to deny Antarctic waters and abandoned whaling stations to enemy warships and submarines, yet at the same time positively to assert the UK’s informal territorial claims; the Operation left its mark on Antarctic topography in the Tabarin Peninsula
.
Charlatan
A charlatan is a person practicing quackery or some similar confidence trick in order to obtain money, fame or other advantages via some form of pretense or deception....
s, Anthoine Girard (c. 1584 – August 16, 1633), who amused his audiences in the Place Dauphine by farcical dialogue with his brother Philippe (as Mondor), with whom he reaped a golden harvest by the sale of quack medicines for several years after 1618. Street theatre
Street theatre
Street theatre is a form of theatrical performance and presentation in outdoor public spaces without a specific paying audience. These spaces can be anywhere, including shopping centres, car parks, recreational reserves and street corners. They are especially seen in outdoor spaces where there are...
was popular theatre, on an improvised stage with a curtain backdrop, to the music of a hurdy-gurdy and a set of viol
Viol
The viol is any one of a family of bowed, fretted and stringed musical instruments developed in the mid-late 15th century and used primarily in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The family is related to and descends primarily from the Renaissance vihuela, a plucked instrument that preceded the...
s. More formal contemporary performances were confined to the royal court or to the Hotel de Bourgogne, overseen by the medieval guild that had the monopoly of theatrical performances in Paris.
A contemporary woodcut shows Tabarin in the dress of a clown, but with a gallant moustache and pointed beard, carrying a wooden sword, like his distant puppet descendant Mr. Punch
Punch and Judy
Punch and Judy is a traditional, popular puppet show featuring the characters of Mr. Punch and his wife, Judy. The performance consists of a sequence of short scenes, each depicting an interaction between two characters, most typically the anarchic Punch and one other character...
, — which would trip him up— and wearing a soft grey felt hat capable of assuming countless amusing shapes in his deft fingers. Tabarin from French tabard denotes a short cloak of the kind the commedia dell'arte
Commedia dell'arte
Commedia dell'arte is a form of theatre characterized by masked "types" which began in Italy in the 16th century, and was responsible for the advent of the actress and improvised performances based on sketches or scenarios. The closest translation of the name is "comedy of craft"; it is shortened...
figure Scaramouche
Scaramouche
Scaramouche is a historical novel by Rafael Sabatini, originally published in 1921.It was subsequently adapted into a play by Barbara Field and into feature films, first in 1923 starring Ramón Novarro, Scaramouche , and a remake in 1952 with Stewart Granger. A romantic adventure, Scaramouche tells...
wears.
In more elaborate weekly performances others appeared, notably his wife. In these he based his bawdy jokes on the stock situations of commedia dell'arte troupes, which were amusing the French court at the time, brought up-to-date for Parisians by running banter of topical allusions and knowing local jokes, based on his original gifts for improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
. The Girard brothers retired about 1628, purchased a seigneurie and lived out their retirement as country gentlemen near Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
.
Numerous farces and dialogues were credited to him, and long series of cheap leaflets purporting to be his complete works began to appear as early as 1622. Stock characters besides Tabarin, with his famous felt hat that could be rolled into a variety of shapes to aid his characterizations (see "Chapeaugraphy
Chapeaugraphy
Chapeaugraphy, occasionally anglicised to chapography, is a panhandling trick in which a ring-shaped piece of felt is manipulated to look like various types of hats...
"), were two old men Lucas and Piphagne whose echoes still resound in the Barber of Seville, and the witty and self-reliant ladies Francisquine and Isabella. A Falstaff
Falstaff
Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. In the two Henry IV plays, he is a companion to Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. A fat, vain, boastful, and cowardly knight, Falstaff leads the apparently wayward Prince Hal into trouble, and is...
ian old soldier (based on the miles gloriosus
Miles Gloriosus
Miles Gloriosus is a stock character of a boastful soldier from the comic theatre of ancient Rome, and variations on this character have appeared in drama and fiction ever since. The character derives from the alazôn or "braggart" of the Greek Old Comedy...
of Roman comedy) named Capitaine Rodomonte, gave his name to the rodomontade
Rodomontade
Rodomontade \rod-uh-muhn-TADE; roh-duh-muhn-TAHD\ is a mass noun meaning boastful talk or behavior. The term is a reference to Rodomonte, a character in Italian Renaissance epic poems Orlando innamorato and its sequel Orlando furioso....
of French theater, an extravagantly inflated and drawn-out tirade of deluded self-confidence, vain threats and invective. Both Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
and La Fontaine, who praised him, were influenced by the Tabarin tradition of coarse quick repartee, and he was also well spoken of, long after he was gone, by Boileau
Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux
Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux was a French poet and critic.-Biography:Boileau was born in the rue de Jérusalem, in Paris, France. He was brought up to the law, but devoted to letters, associating himself with La Fontaine, Racine, and Molière...
and Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
.
Tabarin became the French eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
of any comic performer of a street booth. It was taken up as a cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
that was made immortal by a Paul Colin
Paul Colin
Paul Colin was one of France’s greatest poster artists.Made famous in 1925 by his poster for the Revue Nègre, which helped to launch the career of Joséphine Baker , he worked for over forty years in the theatre, creating not only posters but also numerous sets and costumes.Very Art déco at...
poster which epitomized the 20s.
Operation Tabarin
Operation Tabarin
During World War II, Operation Tabarin was a small British military expedition launched from the UK in 1943 to the Antarctic to establish permanently occupied bases.-Reasons for the expedition:There were several reasons for Tabarin...
was the codename under which the British Antarctic Survey originated in 1944, when the wartime dual mission was to deny Antarctic waters and abandoned whaling stations to enemy warships and submarines, yet at the same time positively to assert the UK’s informal territorial claims; the Operation left its mark on Antarctic topography in the Tabarin Peninsula
Tabarin Peninsula
Tabarin Peninsula is a peninsula 15 nautical miles long and 5 to 12 nautical miles wide, lying south of the trough between Hope Bay and Duse Bay and forming the east extremity of Trinity Peninsula in the Antarctic Peninsula. Discovered and charted by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition, 1901-04,...
.
External links
- Encyclopaedia Britannica 1911: Tabarin: his name given as Jean Salomon
- John S. Powell, Music and Theatre in France, 1600-1680 page 9
- "Scharlatanerie": (in German); illus. a contemporary print showing the street theatre set-up