A CALENDAR OF PERFORMANCES
1850 - 1865
191
Introduction
Instead of giving a rather dull summing up of dates and plays, I have added to almost each performance excerpts from the reviews which appeared in the local paper(s), with explanatory note if necessary. The material is not equally abundant on all occasions. Sometimes only a few lines were published, sometimes more than a column: actors were not always mentioned and there are hardly any details about the staging of the plays. With respect to the actors and musicians, cast lists have been given only when real names were available. In the excerpts numerous instances will be found of stage names as adopted by Thespian residents. It is unfortunate that their true identity cannot be ascertained; nevertheless, I had to include them, especially those who made a "career" of sorts in the Shanghai theatre. Perhaps one day it will, through e.g., private correspondence in some archives, become possible gradually to lift the veil. It should be reminded that female characters with the amateurs were always played by men. Only in the professional companies is a Miss really a Miss.
All reports about the wonderful acting qualities of the amateurs should of course be seen in their proper perspective. It has been said in the Survey that we cannot be sure how good or bad the performances were, but it must be assumed (and the 1852 Epilogue hints as much) that things were liable to go wrong and that the acting was rather crude, certainly not as polished and natural as we are used to today. That was often not even the case with professional players in that time, let alone amateur ones.
In the papers, playwrights were almost never mentioned, so other sources had to be used in order to establish authorship. Invaluable in this regard are: Allardyce Nicoll: A Dictionary of the Drama, of which unfortunately only Volume I (A-G) was published; The Player's Library; and, to a lesser extent, T.A. Brown: A History of the New York Stage.
Composers of musical pieces performed at concerts were similarly not always mentioned. Where possible, I have tried to supply the missing information.
In Appendix I will be found an author list of plays with full titles and in Appendix II an alphabetical list of plays staged in Shanghai; both with dates of performances.
As far as feasible, the pieces in the Calendar have been entered in the order they were represented on a particular night.
Abbreviations:
T. Type of play
C.: Company
F.: Features
BGM: Boletim do Governo de Macao
CM: China Mail
NCH: North China Herald
SCR: Shanghai Commercial Record
Th. Theatre
N.: Note
R.: Review
N.N.: Not Named
1849-1850: First theatrical season, but no titles of plays have been recorded.
A CALENDAR OF PERFORMANCES
1850 - 1865
191
Introduction
Instead of giving a rather dull summing up of dates and plays, I have added to almost each performance excerpts from the reviews which appeared in the local paper(s), with explanatory note if necessary. The material is not equally abundant on all occasions, Sometimes only a few lines were published, sometimes more than a column: actors were not always mentioned and there are hardly any details about the staging of the plays. With respect to the actors and musicians, cast lists have been given only when real names were available. In the excerpts numerous instances will be found of stagenames as adopted by Thespian residents. It is unfortunate that their true identity cannot be ascertained, nevertheless. I had to include them, especially those who made a "career" of sorts in the Shanghai theatre. Perhaps one day it will, through e.g. private correspondence in some archives, become possible gradually to lift the veil. It should be reminded that female characters with the anateurs were always played by men. Only in the professional comparies is a Miss really a Miss.
All reports about the wonderful acting qualities of the amateurs should of course be seen in their proper perspective. It has been said in the Survey that we cannot be sure how good or had the performances were, but it must be assumed (and the 1852 Epilogue hints as much) that things were liable to go wrong and that the acting was rather crude certainly not as polished and natural as we are used to today. That was often not even the case with professional players in that time, let alone amateur ones,
In the papers playwrights were almost never memjoned, so other sources had to hẹ used in order to establish authorship. Invaluable in this regard are: Allardyce Nicoll: 4 Dictionary of the Drama, of which unfortunately only Volume | (A-G) was published; The Player's Library; and, to a lesser extent, T.A. Brown: A History of the New York Stage.
Composers of musical pieces performed at concerts were similarly not always mentioned, Where possible I have tried to supply the missing information.
In Appendix 1 will be found an author list of plays with full titles and in Appendix II an alphabetical list of plays staged in Shanghai; both with dates of performances.
As far as feasible the pieces in the Calendar have been entered in the order they were represented on a particular night.
Abbreviations:
T. Type of play
C.: Company
F.: Features
BGM: Boletini do Governo de Macao
CM: China Mail
NCH: North China Herald
SCR: Shanghai Commercial Record
Th. Theatre
N.: Note
R.: Review
N.N.: Not Named
1849-1850: First theatrical season, but no titles of plays have been recorded.
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