7035
The last has been seen of Hongkong's one and only city theatre, the Theatre Royal, and companies have now to stage their productions in the big cinemas, all of which have fairly well-equipped stages. The early history of the Colony's dramatic art and of the Theatre Royal has already been dealt with briefly (see 17-6-33 and 20-7-33); but we might consider how the moving pictures came to be one of the biggest attractions of local pleasure seekers:
Here are some interesting notes on local picture houses, contributed by *R.W.*.
"Hongkong people in the old days had very largely to amuse themselves. This they did through the medium of Balls, concerts and performances by the A.D.C. and the Choral Society.
"Occasionally, travelling companies provided Grand Opera at the Theatre Royal and at intervals a circus made its appearance. Until the early Eighties of last century circus performances took place on the present Cricket Ground. About this time authority stepped in and other waste pieces of land were sought for this purpose.
"According to the old records, the Garrison Theatre in the North Barracks was also a favourite venue for concerts, one-act plays and performances given by travelling magicians etc..
"Curiously enough, there are no accounts of the panorama, the peep-show and the diorama having been shown in Hongkong, although such form of amusement was in high favour in the Old Country at least as far back as the Seventies. Even the magic lantern lecture appears to have been a rarity in Old Hongkong.
"It would therefore appear that Hongkong had to await the advent of the Kinema before entertainment via the screen was made available to the lieges.
"The first kinema pictures in Hongkong were shown twenty-five years ago in a hole in the wall in Zetland Street. This establishment, however, was not long in evidence, for the Police objected to the brand of picture.
"The next kinema venture took place in a matshed in Des Voeux Road. The show was partly Australian and pictures.
"Followed the Empire Theatre in Des Voeux Road, attached to which was a wooden erection which did duty for a time as a skating rink. After this craze had died down, boxing matches were decided in this building.
"After the Empire, the Victoria Theatre was built on what is now the site of David House.
"About this time the aforetime bowling alley of the old Hongkong Club in Wyndham Street began to blossom with coloured lights. That was after Bob Stephenson and his friends had the place cleaned out. They called it the Bijou Theatre. After a bit Mr. B. W. Ray went into the picture business and in due season the jewels of the Coronet Theatre began to scintillate.