Continuation
A.D.C. I
The building of the City Hall, including in its structure the Theatre Royal, in 1867-69, gave the community in the latter year its first big, up-to-date theatrical house, and the A.D.C. shows continued there up to the last decade, when the inadequate arrangements in the theatre necessitated the use of other local halls. In the list of productions which appears each year in the programmes of the Amateur Dramatic Club (as it is now known) we find the first record dated 1870-71, the play being "Orpheus and Eurydice," and there is an uninterrupted series of annual productions up to date, a truly fine achievement. The first entertainment in the Theatre Royal was given on November 3, 1869, in conjunction with the German Club Concordia, on the occasion of the official "opening night," which was attended by H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. The Seventies appear to have seen a definite revival of interest in amateur theatricals, and the A.D.C. gave an unusually large number of performances between 1872 and 1877.
It is not intended to give the full list of productions by the A.D.C. thereafter (they may be found in any of the programmes, as already stated) but I am indebted to a local resident long connected with the organisation for the following most interesting reminiscences of the past thirty years or so. Speaking of the beginning of this century he states:
Hong Kong at this time had no cinemas, and apart from the spasmodic visits of travelling companies, the Amateur Dramatic Club provided the theatrical entertainment. Their productions were, as now, eagerly looked forward to and both from the point of view of player and playgoers, provided one of the leading social events of the winter season. Up to 1905, E. W. Mitchell, of Caldbeck Macgregor & Co., was the moving spirit of the Club, and his death in 1906 left a big gap in the thespian ranks. Towards the end of that year John Robertson arrived in the Colony, and stepped quickly into the breach as producer—a position which he happily still holds. Under his direction the productions took on a more ambitious aspect than had hitherto been the case, and led the way to the attainment of the high standard the performances have reached to-day.
From Pinero's "The Hobby Horse" progress was quickly made to the Henry Arthur Jones comedies, and it was in "The Liars" that Hong Kong found in Mrs. W. Logan one of the finest amateur actresses the Club has ever known. Contrary to present-day conditions really good actresses were not easy to find; on the other hand actors were more plentiful and the times knew and revelled in the work of such men as Mowbray S. Northcote, H. W. Looker, Gideon Balloch, George Hay and many others. In those days too, the musical shows were the work of the A.D.C., and one recalls their wonderful presentation of the old Daly's success "A Country Girl." As a production this was a triumph for John Robertson, and packed houses night after night applauded the joyous efforts of George Lammert, "Shiney" White, W. G. Worcester, Mrs. W. Logan, Mrs. Worcester, and a perfect cast and chorus of some seventy happy souls!
ら
Continuation
A.D.C. I
The building of the City Hall, including in its structure the Theatre Royal, in 1867-69, gave the community in the latter year its first big, up-to-date theatrical house, and the A.D.C. shows continued there up to the last decade, when the inadequate arrangements in the theatre necessitated the use of other local halls, In the list of productions which appears each year in the programmes of the Amateur Dramatic Club (as it is now known) we find the first record dated 1870-71, the play being "Orpheus and Eurydice," and there is an uninterrupted series of annual productions up to date, a truly fine achievement. The first entertainment in the Theatre Royal was given on November 3, 1869, in conjunction with the German Club Concordia, on the occasion of the official "opening night," which was attended by H.R.H, the Duke of Edinburgh. The Seventies appear to have seen a definite re- vival of interest in amateur theatricals, and the A.D.C. gave an unusually large number of performances between 1872 and 1877.
It is not intended to give the full list of productions by the A.D.C. thereafter (they may be found in any of the programmes, as already stated) but I m indebted to a local resident long connected with the organisation for the following most interesting reminiscences of the past thirty years or 30. Speaking of the beginning of this century he
etates:
Hongkong at this time had no cinemas, and apart from the snasmodic visits of travelling companies, the Amateur Dramatic Club provided the theatrical entertainment. Their productions were, as now, eagerly looked forward to and both from the point of view of player and playgoers, provided one of the leading social events of the winter season. Up to 1905, E. W. Mitchell, of Caldbeck Macgregor & Co,, was the moving spirit of the Club, and his death in 1906 left a big gap in the thespian ranks. Towards the end of that year John Robertson arrived in the Colony, and stepped quickly into the breach as producer - a position which he happily still holds. Under his direction the productions took on a more ambitious aspect than had hitherto been the case, and led the way to the attainment of the high standard the performances have reached to-day.
From Pinero's "The Hobby Horse" progress was quickly So the Henry Arthur Jones comedies, and it was in "The Liars" that Hongkong found in Mrs. W. Logan one of the finest amateur actresses the Club has ever known. Contrary to present day conditions really good actresses were not easy to find; on the other hand actors were more plentiful and the times knew and revelled in the Work of such men as Mowbray S. Northcote, H. W. Looker, Gideon Balloch, George Hay and many others. In those days too, the musical shows were the work of the A.D.C., and one recalls their wonderful presentation of the old Daly's success "A Country Girl." As a production this was a triumph for John Robertson, and packed houses night after night applauded the joyous efforts of George Lammert, "Shiney" White, W. G. Worcester, Mrs. W. Logan, Mrs. Worcester, and a perfect cast and chorus of some seventy happy souls!
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