A.D.C.
The interior, however, was well designed, spacious and comfortable. The plans were drawn by Mr. Charles Murray, son of a well-known Edinburgh actor and manager. Fire precautions were elaborately manifest. The corridors and partition walls were decorated with bill-hooks and axes and hundreds of fire-buckets were distributed over the place.
The opening production in this matshed theatre was "Still Waters Run Deep" staged in 1860. It is remarkable as recording the appearance of Attwell Coxon as Hawkesley. Attwell Coxon is probably the most distinguished name in the annals of the Hongkong Amateur Dramatic Club, not only because of his remarkable versatility as an actor, but for his long connection with the Club. For how long he had been appearing before 1860 we do not know, but he outlived all his contemporaries and was still active in the part of Mr. Colepepper in "The Overland Route" in 1886. His name last appears in the Club records as an Honorary Member in 1896 probably forty years after his first appearance on the stage.
Personalities
The Theatre Royal matshed was demolished at the end of every season when the hot weather came on and was re-erected, generally on a new site, at the approach of winter. It is recorded that the site of the last Theatre Royal matshed was in Queen's Road Central on military ground where later was built married quarters for the regiment stationed in the adjoining barracks.
The President of the A.D.C. in the early sixties was a certain Colonel of whom it was said that he never spoiled a good story by a too rigid adherence to fact. Here, at least, is a story that deserves to be true. Colonel had got together a company that rose to the height of Grand Opera. The leading tenor was a gunner in the battery quartered in the town and was indispensable to operatic productions. He had however one unfortunate failing. His life was a spirited protest against the errors, and extravagances of total abstinence. The necessity for strict attention to the business in hand usually kept him fairly sober during the early rehearsals but the excitement of the coming performances generally broke down his resolution and delivered him into the hands of convivial friends with results that might have been expected. Having the commendable spirit of the real actor he knew the need for keeping faith with the public, so on his own urgent application he was put under arrest and kept a close prisoner in the guardroom for three days before the opening performance. He was marched under escort to the final rehearsals and to the performances. On the last night, after he had made his bow to an enthusiastic audience, he was formally released from arrest, carried shoulder-high to the canteen and given carte blanche to all the half-brew the barman could supply.
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Continuation
A.D.C.
The interior, however, was well designed, spacious and comfortable. The plans were drawn by Mr. Charles Murray, son of a well-known Edinburgh actor and manager. Fire precautions were elaborately manifest. The corridors and partition walls were decorated with bill- hooks and axes and hundreds of fire-buckets were distributed over the place.
The opening production in this matshed theatre was "Still Waters Run Deep" staged in 1860. It is re- markable as recording the appearance of Attwell Coxon as Hawkesley. Attwell Coxon is probably the most dis- tinguished name in the annals of the Hongkong Amateur Dramatic Club, not only because of his remarkable ver- satility as an actor, but for his long connection with the Club. For how long he had been appearing before 1860 we do not know, but he outlived all his con- temporaries and was still active in the part of Mr. Colepepper in "The Overland Route" in 1886. His name last appears in the Club records as an Honorary Member in 1896 probably forty years after his first appearance on the stage.
Personalities
The Theatre Royal matshed was demolished at the end of every season when the hot weather came on and was re- erected, generally on a new site, at the approach of winter. It is recorded that the site of the last Theatre Royal matshed was in Queen's Road Central on military ground where later was built married quarters for the regiment stationed in the adjoining barracks.
The
The
The President of the A.D; C. in the early sixties was a certain Colonel of whom it was said that he never spoiled a good story by a too rigid adherence to fact. Here, at least, is a story that deserves to be true. Colonel had got together a company that rose to the height of Grand Opera. The leading tenor was a gunner in the battery quartered in the town and was indispensable to operatic productions. He had however one unfortunate failing. His life was a spirited protest against the errors, and extravagances of total abstinence. necessity for strict attention to the business in hand usually kept him fairly sober during the early rehearsals but the excitement of the coming performances generally broke down his resolution and delivered him into the hands of convivial friends with results that might have been expected. Having the commendable spirit of the real actor he knew the need for keeping faith with the public, so on his own urgent application he was put under arrest and kept a close prisoner in the guardroom for three days before the opening performance. He was, marched under escort to the final rehearsals and to the per- formances. On the last night, after he had made his bow to an enthusiastic audience, he was formally released from arrest, carried shoulder-high to the canteen and give carte blanche to all the hall-brew the barman could supply
q
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