The Victor Hugo in Guernsey Festival
Organised by: The Victor Hugo in Guernsey Society
Organising team:
Roy Bisson (Festival Director, design & graphics);
Dr. Gregory Stevens Cox MBE (Society Chairman, French liaison);
Melissa Mourton (Society Secretary, communications);
David de Garis (Competition & Inner Street);
Victoria Kinnersly (Artistic & scene setting);
Gérard Pouchain (Victor Hugo Consultant – Paris).
RESUMÉ
• The Victor Hugo in Guernsey Society was motivated to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the
publication of Toilers of the Sea Victor, Hugo’s great tribute to Guernsey.
• It was judged that a week long Festival of Arts and Literature would be the best way to bring
Hugo’s life and work in Guernsey to the whole Island community.
• Much of what was planned was intended, and proved to be, a significant tourist attraction. Ship
and air carriers included the Festival in their publicity. International media attended and articles
were published in France, UK and Canada.
• The six strong Organising team each agreed to be responsible for specific functions from the start.
• The 50+ Society members were kept informed by newsletter and meetings and their opinions/
advice/assistance frequently sought.
• The Festival goal to foster and develop public awareness of Victor Hugo’s life and work while in
Guernsey has been achieved, particularly through an extensive educational programme.
• Victor Hugo’s ethos of community and giving was followed throughout.
THE STORY
Dr. Gregory Stevens Cox MBE is a lifelong admirer and student of Victor Hugo. In spring 2015 he
recognised that 2016 was to be the 150th anniversary of the publication of Toilers of the Sea by Victor
Hugo. He had been working closely with WEA Chairman, Roy Bisson in planning and presenting
lectures about Hugo’s life and work. Together they were inspired to celebrate the anniversary using
Gérard Pouchain – creator of a new book about Hugo’s exile in Guernsey scheduled to be published
by Gregory in 2016; and his ‘expert’ French friends.
Gérard Pouchain is a French academic, expert in Victor Hugo. He is based in Paris and is a leading
collector of printed caricatures of Hugo. He is a frequent visitor to Guernsey and brings and guides
groups of French visitors on Victor Hugo tours. Gérard wanted to produce a book describing the
caricatures published about Victor Hugo during his exile in Guernsey and approached Gregory’s local
publishing company, Toucan Press.
Both Gregory and Roy saw this as an excellent opportunity to increase local awareness of Hugo and
to publicise Guernsey (as Hugo’s place of exile) to the French and British tourist market.
They immediately realised that a substantial team would be required to fulfil these dreams and invited
the many Islanders that had attended Gregory’s lectures to a general meeting. The whole idea was
greeted with great enthusiasm by the 40+ Islanders attending and The Victor Hugo in Guernsey
Society (TVHIGS) was then formed in summer 2015.
1
It was always recognised that this should be a project for the entire community – including children,
families, companies and retired islanders. All meetings were open to the public and the cost of
Society membership kept at a nominal £10 for the first 18 months.
Immediate meetings were arranged with ‘Visit Guernsey’ and
The Guernsey Arts Commission.
As the team proceeded to seek support, cooperation,
sponsorship, etc. it was clear that TVHIGS members’
enthusiasm was replicated among the whole Guernsey
community. Wherever the organisers went they were greeted
with equal enthusiasm and assistance.
Such was the enthusiasm among the French guest speakers
and the Canadian singer/pianist that they volunteered their
services, as did Hauteville House Manager Odile Blanchette
and Maisons Hugo Director in Paris, Gérard Audinet. Their
expert advice and co-operation were invaluable.
The Bailiff, Sir Richard Collas, who not only opened the
Festival but went on to attend most of the events.
Although the planning and management largely fell to the Organising team, the Festival
could not have happened without the enthusiastic assistance of the Society members who
could be found wearing their tricolor rosettes, meeting, greeting, assisting, serving, building
and demounting, cleaning and sweeping at the many venues.
While the project began as the serious promotion of an academic publication, the Festival’s
celebration of Toilers of the Sea was soon the significant theme and allowed for many entertaining
and interesting projects that involved the whole Island.
VIN D’HONNEUR
The Festival began with a Vin d’Honneur to welcome all
the guests, thank all the supporters and members. 150
people met in the Market Inner Street where opening
speeches were made by the Society President, The
Bailiff, Gérard Pouchain and Hélène Waysbord (with
greetings from the Minister of Education, France.)
The very successful event brought together all parts
of Guernsey’s French, Arts and Literary community in
a beautifully decorated space among the 24 enlarged
Caricatures about Hugo. Even the canapés proved to
be an artistic work by the chef of Petit Bistro - each
depicting a scene from Travailleurs de la Mer!
I
TO
LE
RS
OFE
TH
A
SE
S
UR
E
ILL
Islanders enjoying the Opening
Reception in the Market Inner
Street among the enlarged
caricatures exhibition.
Left, Seminar speaker Florence
Naugrette explaining the
context of Gill’s Cartoon about
Hugo’s “L’Homme Qui Rit.”
PROGRAMME
Although the events of the Festival had begun as early as January (Education
programme of art, story writing, drama, dance and photography) and then
EY
EY
S
S
again at the beginning of March (Shop Window Competition in 24 shops
E
N
RN
ER
E
U
throughout St. Peter Port.) The Festival week began on Saturday 2nd
U
G
G 6
6
1
1
0
April - a date timed to match the first Day of French school holidays,
2
20
IL
IL
R
R
yet still have Guernsey children in school for their Hugo events.
V
A
AP
Flyers in French and English had announced the programme.
A
AV
TR
.
.
r
me I]
W
la
de YIVR
rs
leu VX+
ail XIV4S
av
Tr 4I
R7X
M
Ą
J RILĀþÿ
es
V]S AP
ed
VWE EP Āÿþ
air val
MZI WXMZ
ers Festi
RR E*I
niv r un
th E
L
MX
e an
a
þ
0 ré p
ÿă XIH[
I
15
b
8L PIFVE
Le a célé
'I
ser
r
me ey
la
s
de erne
u
rs
leu t, G
ail r Por
av
Tr Pete
t.
àS
IL
2à
10
R
AV
16
20
2
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
Left: Seminar speakers Gérard Pouchain, Jean-Marc Hovasse, Gregory Stevens Cox, Florence Naugrette and Gérard Audinet answering
questions and on the right Florence in mid lecture on the content of Juliette Drouet’s letters to Victor Hugo. She was his life-long mistress.
Saturday 2nd April All day Seminar on the life of Victor Hugo in exile.
At Les Cotils - 85 delegates.
Four acknowledged world experts on Hugo. Gérard Pouchain, (caricatures). Jean-Marc Hovasse,
(biographer of Hugo), Florence Naugrette, (editor of Juliette Drouet’s letters to Hugo), Gérard Audinet,
(director of the Hugo houses in Paris and Guernsey).
The Festival provided English translations for those presentations given in French.
Saturday 2nd April Victor Hugo Concert.
St. James – 400+ audience.
Featured International Canadian pianist, singer and
songwriter, Alain Lecompte and leading Guernsey
choir Bel Canto. (Illustrated right.)
Sunday 3rd April Hugo’s Banquet des Enfants.
100+ diners.
A lunch with live entertainment in the Market Inner Street. Hugo’s mantra of ‘meat & wine for poor
children’ was replicated by local youth community charity Caritas who provided excellent and
appropriate catering - beef casserole with mashed potatoes. The wine was only for the ‘poor’ adults!
Guernsey Ice-cream producers Hechet Farm, provided special Calvados flavour which sold out
quickly. Many local music and Theatre groups also participated - GU 10, shown left above behind the
diners and Bob Thompson with his ‘Mr Hugo’ rendering of Travailleurs de la Mer using many of the
visiting guests as his cast! Jean-Marc Hovasse was particularly amused at having to act as Gilliatt.
3
Monday 4th April
‘Travailleurs’, Creating the Stamps.
OGH – 60 diners.
A much acclaimed lunchtime lecture by artist
Keith Robinson about how he tackled the
design for the new Toilers of the Sea issue of
stamps.
Tuesday 5th April
Lecture and Live Performance at the Princess Royal Centre for the Performing Arts –
200+ audience.
Art Mirrors Life
A talk by Gregory Stevens Cox on the relationship of Toilers of the Sea to local events at
the time of writing - particularly those recorded in local newspapers. Video recorded.
The Soul of the Sea.
Magnus Buchanan’s poem performed by
members of GADOC and Elizabeth and
Ladies College actors.
All against the backdrop of Charlie
Buchanan’s paintings projected on set.
Video recordings on sale.
Victor
Tuesd
ay 5 th
A balla
April
Hugo
2016,
in Gue
rnsey
val
The So
ul of th
e Sea
d by M
at the
Prince
ss Roy
al Cen
Festi
tre for
the Pe
rform
ing Art
s
The
S BUC dramatic pr
esenta
HANA
tion of
N and
Direct
illustr
ed by
ated by
Music
JI
CHAR
compo LL SPRO
AGNU
sed an
ULE an
LIE BU
d MAZ
CHAN
ed by
CAM
AN
MICH
AEL SP PBELL
ROUL
E
d play
Cast
Na
SWAN rrators
, JOH
N GAIS
FORD
Gi
JAMIE lliat
HARD
IE
Deruc
he
tte
JESSIC
A COBU
RN
RODNE Letheirry
Y COLL
ENET
TE
Eben
JAMES ezer
COTT
AM
Pr
BRIAN iest
GARN
ER
Gilliat
as a
LOUI
S KENNboy
EDY
KATE
Gilliat
OLIVI ’s Mother
A YOUN
GER
Th
A YOUNe Sea & Gu
lls
GE
CHLO R, LILY D
AVISO
E
CHAR
N,
LOTT CURTIS,
E THO
Gian
MPSO
HARRY t Octopus
N
(Pieuv
BE
OLIVE NSON, NO re) & Stor
m
AH W
R MAN
H
HAMIS CINI, MAX ITMORE,
HUGO H MCMAH EVANS,
O
LE M
ARQUA N,
Peop
ND,
All Mem le of St. Sa
mpson
bers of
Chorus
Sea co
Thanks
above
to the
Physica stumes by
Prince
JO HUD
l Thea
ss Roya Video by NI
tre by
CK CR
l Cent
SAM BESON
re for
EED
NSON
the Pe
rform
ing ar
ts for
all its
assista
nce.
OLIVI
Wednesday 6th April
The Art of Hugo. 80 people attended. Free entry.
Lecture by Martin Morgan on Victor Hugo’s artistic work. Martin was the instigator of the Folio Society
publication of Toilers of the Sea.
Thursday 7th April
Victor Hugo & The Sea. WEA Maritime Heritage Series Lecture. Frossard Theatre.
So popular 50+ persons denied entry! Gregory Stevens Cox spoke on Hugo’s relationship with the
sea, shipping, fishermen and sailors with particular reference to Toilers of the Sea.
Friday 8th & Saturday 9th April
Victor Hugo Dinner. At the Victor Hugo Restaurant, St. Pierre Park Hotel.
A menu based upon dishes served by Victor Hugo to dinner guests at Hauteville House.
4
EXHIBITIONS
Cartoons of Victor Hugo in exile. Free entry.
24 Enlargements of Gérard Pouchain’s extraordinary collection of
caricatures by France’s leading artists were exhibited in the Market Inner
Street. The exhibits, stands, etc. were designed and prepared by the
Festival. The Pouchain book became the Catalogue – in French and English.
Cartoons of Victor Hugo in exile. Free entry.
Original prints were on display at the Archive Centre, Cornet St.
Hugo’s Guernsey. Free entry.
At The Priaulx Library. An exhibition of photographs and objects associated with the period of Hugo’s
exile. Many from private collections, on public view for the first time.
Toilers of the Sea.
At Candie Museum. An exhibition of books, publications and posters
by or about Victor Hugo. Pictured right.
Victor Hugo’s house in exile.
Hauteville House, where Hugo spent from 1856 to 1870. This
extraordinary home is just as he left it, beautifully cared for by The
City of Paris. Tickets were able to be booked on the Festival website.
ACTIVITIES
In the Footsteps of Hugo. Morning and afternoon guided walks and
coach tours of St. Peter Port and Guernsey, showing Hugo’s favourite
haunts and places incorporated in his books led by Accredited Guides.
A new Hugo map (left) was given to all ticket holders.
Festival desk. Market Inner Street. Open throughout the Festival for
information, ticket sales and souvenirs. The Festival designed and
commissioned a wide range of souvenirs which sold very well and proved to
make a significant financial contribution.
Festival educational programme.
The Society organised an extensive programme from January 2016 to stimulate interest in Hugo
in island schools, youth organisations and among adults. Competitions for art, writing, poetry,
photography, dance and drama were arranged for all age groups.
Many schools participated - La Mare de Carteret Primary
(pictured left) went on a trip to the Haunted House at Pleinmont
to take photographic entries. Herm School devoted time and
space for Hugo, made many entries and based their year end
concert on Toilers of the Sea.
Winning entries were exhibited at the
Guille Allez Library. Some poetry was
used at the Banquet des Enfants.
Victor Hugo’s famous feeding the
poor. The Festival encouraged local
Primary Schools to recreate Hugo’s
famous “Meals for the poor”.
Many arranged in-school events
with much of the food provided by
sponsor - Waitrose.
5
FULL PROGRAMME (AB Design)
3,000 Programmes were produced and were used to “wrap” the detail
programmes for each event. Sponsorship enabled these to be given out
free of charge. Samples attached.
Victor Hugo in Guernsey Festival
Seminar, Saturday 2nd april 2016
the life of Victor Hugo in exile
9.30am
ViCtOr HuGO CariCatured
With particular reference to the years 1855-1870
Gérard pouchain
10.30am
Coffee & Tea Break
11.00am
le trOiSiÈme eXil de ViCtOr HuGO
Jean-marc Houvasse
12 noon
Lunch Break
2.00pm
Juliette drOuet
A companion in exile & the first reader of Les Misérables
Florence naugrette
Université Paris-Sorbonne
3.00pm
Tea & Coffee Break
3.30pm
a ViSit in GuernSey
The Toilers of the Sea first illustration by François Chifflart
Gérard audinet
4.30pm
QueStiOn panel
Chairman: dr Gregory Stevens Cox
The Panel will include all the speakers,
5.00pm
Close
SUCCESSES
Community involvement: The Organising Team’s drive to involve the whole Island community
was an undoubted success. The idea of Hugo’s exile in Guernsey is now included in the education
system. Hundreds of Islanders attended the events and thousands read about it in the Guernsey
Press and experienced interviews on radio and television.
Publicity: Guernsey’s media were enthralled by the project and from the very start gave extensive
coverage that assisted greatly in smoothing paths for organisation and funding.
In the fortnight before the Festival, the Guernsey Press ran numerous double-page
spreads on the various aspects of the Hugo Festival.
The publicity plan – other than through advertising and articles in the media – included
a Shop Window Competition for children (stimulating knowledge of the Festival
throughout St. Peter Port and the island);
Schools Art and Writing Competitions (bringing the message into island homes);
RS
T
LE
OI
S
UR
LE
AIL
V
A
TR
EY
EY
ES
NS
R
RN
E
E
U
G
GU 6
6
201
201
RIL
RIL
P
AV
A
EA
OFE S
TH
.
.
mer
la VRWI]
de
rs X+YI
illeu 4SV
va
ra 4IXIV
T R7X
M
þÿĄ
s
SJ APRILĀ
de
l
WEV]ZEP Āÿþ
re
IV
rsai Festiva
MZ
WXM
RR E*I
niver un
th E
MXL
e an
þ
pa
ÿă IH[
150 bré
8LIPIFVEX
Le célé
'I
sera
15,000 4 page Flyers in French and English for circulation at Visit
Guernsey exhibition Stands (Gregory actually attended 3 French tourism/
travel shows at his own expense – Rouen, Rennes and Paris); Similar looking posters
in French and English were distributed via contacts in France and UK; publicity on the
Victor Hugo Place des Vosges website to 3,500 French Hugophiles;
mer
la esey
s de rn
ur Gue
ailler Port,
av
Tr . Pete
à St
6
2à
10
L 201
RI
AV
A superb Festival Identity and Website was provided and maintained by AB
Design. The team also produced a Weekly Newsletter that was emailed widely.
Sponsorship and funding:
It was decided that all sponsorship should be event based so that each sponsor
could be directly and solely associated with a concert or exhibition, etc. Additionally,
each event required different amounts allowing for sponsors with varying budgets.
This proved to be very popular and the Society secured support from private individuals, local and
International companies (particularly with French links) and of course the Guernsey Arts Commission
and Visit Guernsey.
The support enabled many of the events to enjoy free entry or a very low ticket price.
The thorough financial planning, combined with careful and continuous monitoring of income and
expenditure resulted in a small surplus once all the bills had been paid. (Accounts on page 9).
6
The Soul of the Sea: Of particular note was the staging of The Soul
of the Sea, a 50 minute dramatic representation of local poet Magnus
Buchanan’s epic interpretation of Toilers of the Sea, locally designed,
directed and performed, by a team of 25+ adults and students. The
production was spectacularly enhanced by the projection of Charlie
Buchanan’s exceptional paintings. A video is available.
Commemorative stamps:
The Guernsey Post Office agreed with The Society to issue a
commemorative series of stamps and to launch them at a lunch at the
OGH. Artist/designer Keith Robinson’s described his work, widely acclaimed
as the best Guernsey stamps ever issued.
The Priaulx Library.
As well as showing islanders and visitors what Guernsey was like during
Hugo’s exile, the library mounted a superb exhibition from its own collection
of Hugo material and previously unseen exhibits contributed by other
Islanders.
This included a photograph of Hugo’s great friend and editor of La Gazette,
Henri Marquand shown left.
Victor Hugo’s Guernsey Map.
The Festival commissioned an excellent map depicting
Victor Hugo’s Guernsey. Written in French by Gérard
Pouchain, translated by Colette Bearder and designed by
Roy Bisson it is based on maps kindly loaned by Digimap
Ltd. It is now widely on sale to visitors.
7
LEGACY
•
The Victor Hugo in Guernsey Society was established to promote
the study and celebration of the life and works of Victor Hugo and his
family during their years of exile in Guernsey. So the work will go on with a
programme of lectures, meetings, celebrations and other events.
• There can be no doubt that the status of Hugo in Guernsey has been
greatly raised by the Festival. In fact, the Festival stimulated interest
worldwide including reports in France, Canada, UK and elsewhere - it
even heightened interest in GADOC’s presentation of Les Miserables the
following week.
• Victor Hugo’s exile will be included in Guernsey’s education syllabus
in future and the production of many relevant publications has been
stimulated.
• The WEA will be running a further series of talks this Autumn and the Society intends to present
more lectures from visiting experts, together with visits to locations in the island that took Hugo’s
interest.
• Plans are in hand for the Caricatures Exhibition to go on-tour to Alderney, Jersey, UK and France.
• Already the Society is planning a trip to Hugo’s Paris for Islanders in 2017 and has entered
discussions over events in 2018 when Hauteville House will be closed for 18 months.
• The Organising Team of six was responsible for conceptualising and organising The Victor Hugo
in Guernsey Festival. It sought to secure sufficient sponsorship to ensure that much of the
festival was offered free of charge and ticket prices were unusually low. The team was closely
involved in the creation of the festival website and many of the exhibitions. It was personally
involved in local and international marketing. The team organised the necessary logistics of
bringing distinguished international speakers and entertainers to Guernsey.
• The Festival spanned 8 days and included twelve events, five exhibitions, an extensive school
program, and a competition that involved local businesses. With unbounded enthusiasm, the
Team worked countless hours over many months to organise a Festival that attracted visitors to
Guernsey and provided islanders with an activity filled, educating, and entertaining insight into the
life of Victor Hugo.
8
The Victor Hugo in Guernsey Society
Statement of Accounts 13 July 2015 – 23 May 2016
Income
Subscriptions
£ 510.00
Sponsors & donations
£ 23,510.00
Product & book sales
£1,785.73
Ticket sales
£ 4,697.00
Other income
£ 2,313.00
Total Income
£ 32,815.73
Expenditure
Administration
£ 3,461.51
Marketing & Publicity
£ 7,306.62
Speakers & Performers
£ 3,374.48
Product & book purchases
£ 3,510.02
Equipment & staging
£ 7,599.14
Venue hire & costs
£ 3,874.78
Other expenses
£ 2,160.00
Total expenditure
Surplus of Income over expenditure
£ 31,286.55
£ 1,529.18
Balance sheet
Assets
Stocks of saleable books & maps at cost (est.)
£ 1,600.00
Debtors (maps sold)
£ 256.20
Balance at bank
£ 1,529.18
Total assets
£ 3,385.38
Liabilities
Outstanding creditor (Performing Rights) (estimate) £ 200.00
Total liabilities
Balance
£ 200.00
£ 3,185.38
Honorary Secretary: Le Caprice, Cobo Coast Road, Castel, Guernsey, Channel Islands, GY5 7HE
Telephone: 07781 100 296. Email: [email protected] Registered Charity number: CH507
Bankers: HSBC Bank plc. Sort code: 40-22-25. Account number: 04411242
9