THE HISTORY OF PSYCHIATRY The life of Leopoldo Fregoli

Graeme Yorston

The Fregoli delusion is one of a number of Count Pianciani in whose palace, close to the misidentification syndromes. It is charac Trevi Fountain in Rome, Leopoldo was born in terised by a patient recognising a familiar 1867. He was not a great success academic person, usually seen as a persecutor, in ally, preferring to spend his time throwing various strangers who, although they do not apples at passers-by, and he left school at 14 show physical resemblance, are believed to be with no qualifications. He worked briefly as psychologically identical to the familiar an apprentice clockmaker, railway mechanic person. It usually occurs in the context of a and waiter but his dreams were of a life on schizophrenic illness but has been reported the stage. He showed considerable talent for in affective disorders and organic psycho- mimicry and parody from an early age and syndromes (Förstlet cd, 1991). It was first was an able singer in his local church choir. described by the French authors Courbon & In his memoirs he tells how his uncanny Fail in 1927, who used the term 'Fregoli ability to change his voice and transform his illusion' after the Italian actor who enjoyed appearance was first appreciated by the enormous popular success on the Paris cardinals and bishops attending parish shows stage at the time. It has also been called (Fregoli, 1936). the 'illusion of negative doubles'. However, His formal stage debut was at the age of as the psychopathology is a delusional 15 with an amateur company famous for interpretation of normal visual stimuli rather having helped the early careers of several than an abnormal perception the terms Italian actors. As well as straight roles in Fregoli delusion or 'delusional hyper-identi full length plays he tried his luck at fication of the Fregoli type' are preferable. conjuring tricks in magic shows which were The original case description has recently often far from well received. Fortunately, he been translated and annotated (Ellis et cd, was young enough not to be put off by the 1994) but there remains little background boos and whistles. For another amateur information available on the figure of Fregoli company he performed his own adaptation himself. Biographies have appeared in of the finale of Donizetti's R Campanello dello French and Italian but there are few English Speziale in which he sang all the male and language references and this paper is in female roles. This was his first real triumph tended to provide an account of the life and and the format became the core of his act career of one of the most extraordinary for the rest of his career. entertainers in theatre history. However, he still had to persuade his In nearly 10 000 performances over a 35 year father. This he managed by appearing on period Leopoldo Fregoli thrilled his audiences his doorstep dressed as a young woman. of emperors, kings and commoners with his Falling into his father's arms, he tearfully virtuoso music hall entertainments. From a demanded to know where his son was, the stuttering start in his native Italy he advanced son who had seduced her and fathered her into Europe scoring critical and popular child, the faithless cad who was now dis successes in Spain, Germany and Russia. He owning the infant. In the few seconds his was acclaimed in New York and London and father took to find smelling salts to restore made several sell-out tours to South America the unfortunate swooning woman, Leopoldo but it was in Paris that his fame and popularity was transformed back to himself. "Now do grew to mythic proportions: there, he was you believe I can be a comedian." quite simply "Frégoli,roi"(Nohain & Caradec, At 20 he began his military service in 1968). Bologna but having volunteered to serve in Although born in a palace, his origins were Eritrea he found himself in a small culture- humble. His mother was from a family of starved colonial town. His commanding offi musicians and his father was the butler to cer heard of his reputation and he was asked

764 Psychiatric Bulletin (1995). 19, 764-766 THE HISTORY OF PSYCHIATRY

LEOPOLDO FREGOLI.

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Photographs from Fregoli's 1897 Alhambra Theatre programme. Theatre Museum, V & A. to entertain the troops and civilians of fin de secolo'. At last he had the formula Massawa. Obliged by the scarce means at right, the theatres filled and the money began his disposal, in particular the absence of any to roll in. actresses, he adapted short plays and operas A typical evening would start with a one to be performed single-handed and with act play, for example £1dorado, in which a quick changes of costume. Age 23, and back theatre director comes onto the stage ex in Rome, with his ideas and techniques still plaining to the audience that he has been developing he made his professional debut. abandoned by his artists but that he intends Chameleon and other shows proved extrem to take their places and complete the adver ely successful and he made enough money tised programme of song, dance, mime, to form his own 'Compagnia di varietà inter ventriloquism, hypnosis etc. The second part nazionale' a rather seedy troupe with which he of the performance would consist of comedy unsuccessfully toured Italy playing to half- sketches, parodies and imitations of up to empty houses. Undeterred and with a new 60 theatre, political and literary figures (his impressario he formed another company to London show included Gladstone, Sir Arthur support his one man show, the 'Compagnia Sullivan, Bismarck and Victor Hugo). The

The life of Leopoldo Fregoli 765 THE HISTORY OF PSYCHIATRY third part would consist of the 'Fregoli- the close of hostilities he retired for the first graph', a series of short films made by and time but bankcruptcy led him to embark on starring Fregoli, and displaying further his a final tour of South America and it was in amazing talents as a quick-change artist. Brazil in 1925 that he made the last of his His success continued throughout Italy legendary 10000 performances. After 11 and he launched a world tour conquering years of leisure and writing his memoirs at Madrid, Buenos Aires, Havana, New York his villa in Viareggio he died in 1936. His and Lisbon. He reached London in Queen tombstone reads: "Qui Leopoldo Fregoli Victoria's Jubilee year, 1897 and played at compi la sua ultima transformazione" (Here the Alhambra Theatre in Leicester Square. Fregoli made his last transformation). Initial reviews were warm if not ecstatic. Although his name is now largely forgot "Signor Fregoli is the more accomplished ten, Fregoli was a pioneer of music hall comedian though perhaps the less finished comedy. The one-man show was largely his singer (than his rival Biondi)" (Times, invention and the influence of his cinemato 11.3.97). However, as his run continued graphic work in Lumière's studio is becom the critics grew in their appreciation: "Be ing increasingly recognised. Though we may sides the extraordinary skill with which the find Courbon & Fail's use of the verb costumes are changed in incredibly short 'frégolifier'(fregolify)a little obscure, we can time and the cleverness with which the more imagine the days when the name of Fregoli absurd conventionalities of old-fashioned was on every Frenchman's lips and theatre Italian opera are parodied, his assumption reviewers could write: "Italy has four glories of the various qualities of voice is really of which it can be justly proud, the singer wonderful... as a skit on the opera it is Caruso, the poet d'Annunzio, the inventor faultless". (Times, 30.3.97). His final change Marconi and the quick-change artist Fregoli". of programme was received with the fervour characteristic of his later triumphs in Paris: "... a performance which must be unique in Acknowledgements the annals of popular entertainment... this I would like to thank Dr G. E. Berrios for Protean entertainer... is a marvel" (Times, help in obtaining original source material 24.4.97). and The Theatre Museum, Tavistock Street, After London came Berlin, St Petersburg, for supplying the Alhambra Programme. Moscow, Vienna, all the capitals and half the crowned heads of Europe. In January 1900 References he made his much heralded Paris debut at the COURBONP. & FAIL. G. (1927) Syndrome d'illusion de Trianon but after less than a month the Frégoliet schizophrénie. Bulletin de la SociétéClinique theatre was destroyed by a mysterious fire de Medicine Mentale. 15. 121-125. and his elaborate equipment along with it: 370 ELLIS. H. D., WHITLEYJ. & LUAUTÉ.J.(1994) Delusional trunks of 800 costumes and 1200 wigs. This misidentiflcation: The three original papers on the Capgras. Fregoli and intermetamorphosis delusions. raised a massive wave of curiosity and sym Journal of History oj Psychiatry, v. 117-146. pathy and when he reopened at the Olympia FÖRSTL.H., et al (1991) Psychiatric, neurological and only seven days later, he was a spectacular medical aspects of misidentlflcation syndromes: a success selling out for the entire season of over review of 260 cases. Psychological Medicine, 21. 905-910. 300 performances. FREGOLI. L. (1936) Fregoli Raccontato da Fregoli. Milan: For the next 25 years his fame and Rizzoll. popularity were sustained the world over. NOHAIN,J. & CARADEC.F. (1968) Frégoli-Sa Vie et ses During the First World War he performed in Secrets. Paris: La Jeune Parque. many Red Cross gala evenings and, always a patriot, he chose to leave the big-time in order to entertain Italian troops in small Graeme Yorston, Senior Registrar, The Elms military theatres close to the front lines. At Clinic, Oxford Road. Banbwy. Oxon OX16 9AL

766 Yorston