Cercle Funambulesque

The Cercle Funambulesque (1888–1898)—roughly translatable as "Friends of the Funambules"^[1]—was a Parisian theatrical society that produced pantomimes inspired by the commedia dell'arte, particularly by the exploits of its French Pierrot. It included among its approximately one hundred and fifty subscriber-members such notables in the arts as the novelist J.-K. Huysmans, the composer Jules Massenet, the illustrator Jules Chéret, and the actor Coquelin cadet. Among its successes was L'Enfant prodigue (1890), which was filmed twice, first in 1907, then in 1916, making history as the first European feature-length movie and the first complete stage-play on film.

^ The funambule of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was a rope-dancer and sometimes, as in the case of Madame Saqui, a mime. But by the late nineteenth century, the word would have conjured up specifically the old Théâtre des Funambules, where Jean-Gaspard Deburau forged his career (see next section).

[1] The funambule of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was a rope-dancer and sometimes, as in the case of Madame Saqui, a mime. But by the late nineteenth century, the word would have conjured up specifically the old Théâtre des Funambules, where Jean-Gaspard Deburau forged his career (see next section).

[1]