Science Meets Magic on Stage

In late eighteenth-century Paris, Nicolas Philippe Ledru (1731–1807), also known by his stage name Comus, performed shows of amusing physics consisting of a mix of experiments in electricity and phantasmagoria. As theater historian Arthur Pougin (1834–1921) later wrote, “Ledru was one of those hybrid beings, half-entertainer and half-scholar, who seemed to instruct and amuse.” 1 Comus was one of many performers of the time who presented themselves as physicists, physicists-mechanic, or professors and staged shows of amusing physics and skillful tricks. During the French Revolution, the “Italian physicist” Pinetti (1750–1805) performed physical experiments and surprising tricks at the Cirque National, the physicist-mechanic Bontout presented demonstrations of mechanical automata and experiments of physics at the Salles des Petits Comédiens de Beaujolais, the performer Val gave “representations of amusing physics with experiments and new tricks” at the Waux-Hall d’Été, and the physicist Paulmier performed experiments and skillful tricks at the Salle des Bluettes Comique on the Boulevard du Temple. 2 These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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• Transforming Paris

  Donald Reid, David P Jordan et al.•Technology and Culture•1996

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