237
And then a good old China Hand you'll Be.
Such references brought drama down to the daily life of the theatre goer in Hong Kong.
HOME GROWN PLAYWRIGHTS
The Hong Kong Daily Press in 1894 published a play by Henry E. Pollick entitled "Soso: A Drama of the Day". It does not seem to have been staged in Hong Kong.
"The Cook: an Idyll of the Peak" was produced at the Theatre Royal in 1912. It was written by R.M. Crosse, of the Royal Artillery. The plot revolved around a search for a cook when a mess of the 445th Regiment, comfortably stationed at the Peak, had to replace their competent cook who had disappeared a few days before the expected arrival of the Brigadier General.
Two years later Mr. Crosse wrote another more ambitious piece which he characterized as "a musical stunt in two acts" entitled "The Idol's Eye". The first act was set in England at a garden party. The second act's setting was the How Kwik monastery in the Province of Kwangtung. One of the principal characters Lai On is the "boy" of an official in the Chinese Maritime Customs. He penetrated into the monastery to secure the Idol's jade eye by the pretext of becoming a novice. In case any should have been put off from attending by the problem of the language a Chinese character might use, they were informed that “Lai On speaks both grammatical and ‘Pidgen' English during the piece. Grammatical English is used where Lai On would naturally talk and think in Chinese. 'Pidgen' is reserved for his conversation with foreigners". The How Kwik monastery scene enabled Mr. Crosse to introduce Chinese religious ceremonies and temple music into the play.
At the time, the public was being captivated by musicals with an Oriental setting, and Mr. Crosse, who was soon to return to England, hoped to have his work produced there. I do not know if he was successful.
† Pollick may not have been a resident of Hong Kong.
237
And then a good old China Hand you'll Be.
Such references brought drama down to the daily life of the theatre goer in Hong Kong.
HOME GROWN PLAYWRIGHTS
The Hong Kong Daily Press in 1894 published a play by Henry E. Pollick entitled "Soso: A Drama of the Day". It does not seem to have been staged in Hong Kong.
"The Cook: an Idyll of the Peak" was produced at the Theatre Royal in 1912. It was written by R.M. Crosse, of the Royal Artillery. The plot revolved around a search for a cook when a mess of the 445th Regiment, comfortably stationed at the Peak, had to replace their competent cook who had dis- appeared a few days before the expected arrival of the Brigadier General.
Two years later Mr. Crosse wrote another more ambitious piece which he characterized as "a musical stunt in two acts" entitled "The Idol's Eye". The first act was set in England at a garden party. The second act's setting was the How Kwik monastery in the Province of Kwangtung. One of the principal characters Lai On is the "boy" of an official in the Chinese Maritime Customs. He penetrated into the monastery to secure the Idol's jade eye by the pretext of becoming a novice. In case any should have been put off from attending by the problem of the language a Chinese character might use, they were informed that “Lai On speaks both grammatical and ‘Pidgen' English during the piece. Grammatical English is used where Lai On would naturally talk and think in Chinese. 'Pidgen' is reserved for his conversation with foreigners". The How Kwik monastery scene enabled Mr. Crosse to introduce Chinese religious ceremonies and temple music into the play.
At the time, the public was being captivated by musicals with an Oriental setting, and Mr. Crosse, who was soon to return to England, hoped to have his work produced there. I do not know if he was successful.
† Pollick may not have been a resident of Hong Kong.
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