Pierre-Martinien Tousez, better known by his stage name Bocage, (Rouen, November 11, 1799–Paris, August 30, 1862) was a French actor.
Born into a poor family of laborers, Bocage was, early on, forced to work in a weaving factory in order to earn an income. Having learned how to read and write without going to school, he began to read, from an early age, the works of Shakespeare. He had an opportunity to get on the stage, and he decided to head on to Paris on foot, in order to fulfill his dreams of being an actor. There he entered the Paris Conservatoire, but had to leave it because his financial resources could not afford him the cost of tuition.
Handsome, talented but undisciplined, he went through a difficult start and had to spend several years on obscure provincial stages, before he joined the cast of the Porte Saint-Martin. In Paris, he was attached to the various dramatic theaters, and became extremely popular as a major interpreter of romantic creations: Antony, Marion Delorme, The Tour de Nesle, Don Juan de Marana, etc. He acted with great distinction and a passionate energy.
In the 1830s, Bocage was, with Michel de Bourges, her divorce lawyer and the Swiss writer Charles Didier, amongst George Sand's lovers.
A as member of the Comédie-Française, Bocage also played the classical repertoire, and he appeared as late as 1819 in La Vieillesse de Richelieu. Bocage also was a member of the Théâtre de l'Odéon, becoming its director in 1845. A politically active citizen, Bocage mingled into the literary movement of his time with a zeal that endowed him with an influence that he tried to put to use during the French Revolution of 1848. He often used his managerial position to have the Odéon's performances serve revolutionary propaganda, and this affected his theatrical career as he was fired from the Odéon in 1848 for anti-government activities.
In 1854 he appeared in Théâtre du Vaudeville in Le Marbrier, by Alexandre Dumas. In 1855, he staged several roles in Paris by Paul Meurice, at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin. In 1857, he created the role of Admiral Byng in L'Amiral de l’Escadre Bleue by Paul Foucher, at the Cirque impérial. In 1859 he was appointed manager of the Théâtre Saint-Marcel, where he played in several plays, but that playhouse was too faraway to be successful. In 1861, the aging actor went to play for the Théâtre de Belleville, and he managed to show preeminence in his former role as Buridan.
Shortly before his death, Bocage created the role of the old Duke in Les Beaux Messieurs de Bois-Doré at the Théâtre de l’Ambigu-Comique. He also appeared in Jarvis l’honnête homme, Henri Hamelin and Le Marchand de Londres at the Gymnase.
The National Museum of the Château de Compiègne houses two prints of Bocage by Alphonse-Léon Noël and Benjamin Roubaud. When Bocage's theatrical wardrobe was put up for sale, Virginie Déjazet asked for the dagger that he had used in Alexandre Dumas' Antony, as a most precious souvenir. French writer Paul Bocage was his nephew.
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Some of their strengths
Bocage has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Creative, Passionate, Strong, Perseverent, Imaginative, Compassionate, and Loyal.
Intense and Passionate
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Bocage is someone who is an intense, passionate, and intuitive person who is fiercely independent, authentic and direct when engaging with others. A person who is known for being fun and creative.
Helpful and Supportive
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Bocage well know them as someone who can be accepting, supportive, and productive, like a garden.
Inventive and Clever
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Bocage as someone who is flexible, intelligent, and quick-witted.
A person who likes to be creative, and to be recognized for their artistic talents. Who possesses intelligence, mental discipline, and ambition, and who does well in relationships and partnerships.
Stable and Creative
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Bocage is someone who thrives in volatile situations, and who tends to be a source of stability and comfort for others who are experiencing challenging times .
They are also someone who is intuitive, imaginative, and an agent of change, and who is always dreaming of life's great possibilities and partnering with people to try to achieve those possibilities.
Mysterious and Methodical
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Bocage tends to be someone who can come across as mysterious and intense, who can be a complex thinker who is methodical and intuitive, and who can overcome challenges that most others would not be able to.
Some of Bocage's challenges
While Bocage has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Bocage can be Stubborn, Complicated, Brusque, Idle, Emotional, Standoffish, and Unfocused.
Complicated and Brusque
One of Bocage's key challenges is that they are someone who can be complicated and gruff with others.
Bocage must also exercise caution as they can have a hard time reconciling wants and needs, and can have difficulty dealing with responsibility, authority, or criticism.
Unfocused and Indecisive
Bocage is someone who can be scattered, restless, and insensitive, be distracted by fluctuating professional interests, be a workaholic, and who can be arrogant and have difficulty accepting advice.
Sensitive and Aggressive
Finally, Bocage also can be too "touchy-feely", have a hard time expressing feelings, be too aggressive and headstrong, and be too unforgiving of others' mistakes.
