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19.4.1865 (Wedn)
W.B. GILL: "Aurora Floyd burlesqued" J. TOBIN: "The Honeymoon" (1805)
T: Comedy (5 acts)
N.N.:
A Rourer*
C: Lewis A.D.C.
Th: Lyceum Theatre (1)
N: Mr. W.B. Gill's benefit
R: SCR 22.4.1865; no review
21.4.1865 (Fri)
W. EDQUIN: A Christmas Pantomime
C: Lewis A.D.C.
Th: Lyceum Theatre (1)
N: Mr. Willie Edouin's benefit
R: At a rather odd time of the year there was a Christmas Pantomime written by Willie Edouin, a member of the company (of Survey). Again the Shanghai Commercial Record was enthusiastic: "This bold venture was completely successful. The local hits were clever and met with great applause. The usual jokes, fun and frolic were duly given and some of the jumping very dexterously gone through. The get up and accessories of the said pantomime deserve all praise and the dresses and costumes were remarkably tasteful. JULIA EDOUIN danced with her usual grace and elegance. Miss NYE was particularly pretty and helped in a great way to make the performance lively and amusing”. All in all it “would be long remembered by those who saw it as a decided hit in the theatrical annals of Shanghai". About Jenny NYE the Record wrote further: "The lightness and airiness of her motion and unaffected style did much to relieve some very heavy and stilted acting. Her manner is composed and, never attempting to do too much, always ends in doing well. Simplicity of manner is not a fault and a graceful quietness in acting has often more effect than the lofty dignity of a Tragedy Queen" (SCR 5.5.1865).
25.4.1865 (Tue)
D. BOUCICAULT: "The Colleen Bawn" (1860)
T: Drama (3 acts)
C: Lewis A.D.C.
Th: Lyceum Theatre (1)
R: Tonight Dion Boucicault's most famous Irish play, The Colleen Bawn, was given. The Record (5.5.1865) thought it a "bold step for any company to attempt in Shanghai". But the result was a success: "the actors entered into their parts with a determined earnestness to succeed and on the whole it may be classed as a creditable performance". Earlier, however, it had stated that the play "depends much more on scenery than on acting", a judgement that was hardly likely to please the author as it was not his intention to write a purely melodramatic piece, that indeed often heavily relied on spectacular Stage effects.
26.4.1865 (Wedn)
W. SHAKESPEARE: "Richard III”, act V
T: Tragedy
N.N.: The Frantic Husband**
and probably:
A. MAYHEW & H.S. EDWARDS: "The Goose with the Golden Eggs" (1859) T: Farce (1 act)
C: Lewis A.D.C.
Th: Lyceum Theatre (1)