[
    {
        "id": 209608,
        "series_id": 26,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine",
        "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "RAS-1982",
        "page_number": 265,
        "title": "RAS-1982",
        "content_text": "243\n\n12 Feb. 1863\n\nweek.\n\n30 Apr. 1863\n\nsecond amateur performance of season last\n\namateurs gave fourth performance on Wed.\n\nsubscription: 1863/64\n\n―\n\n17 Dec. 1863\n\n1864/65\n\n―\n\n1865/66\n\n―\n\nfirst performance\n\n\"Follies of a Night\" vaudeville comedy (J. R. Planche, 1842)\n\n\"A Kiss in the Dark\" given also in 1853.\n\n6 Feb. 1864 on 4th third subscription performance and on 6th third public appearance.\n\n31 Mar. 1864- fourth and last performance of season:\n\n\"Tailor of Tamworth\" (also known as \"State Secrets\", T. Wilks, 1836) given also in 1861. \"Alladin, the Wonderful Scamp\" burlesque (T. C. Bryon, 1861)\n\n16 June 1864\n\n___\n\npublic meeting resolved the Amateur Theatrical matshed should be kept up.\n\n13 Oct. 1864\n\nmeeting of those interested in Amateur Theatricals agreed to continue them in next season in usual way.\n\n2 Jan. 1865 a visiting professional group, the Lewis Company, gave first subscription night to the subscribers of the Amateurs\n\n9 Nov. 1865 check given to movement for organizing a new Amateur Theatrical Corp by non-attendance at public meeting. To be hoped they shall not collapse in consequence.\n\n1866/67\n\n3 Jan. 1867\n\nfirst\n\nat new Club Lusitano Theatre performance of season of Amateur Dramatic Society: \"Sent to the Tower\" farce (J. M. Morton, 1850) \"Alladin, or The Wonderful Scamp\" burlesque extravaganza (T. C. Bryon, 1860) also given in 1864.\n\n―\n\n4 Feb. 1867 second subscription night of Hong Kong Amateur Theatricals:\n\n\"The Area Belle\" farce (Brough and Halliday, 1864) \"Shylock, or the Merchant of Venice Preserved\" burlesque (F. Talfourd, 1853)\n\n1866/67\n\n7 Mar. 1867\n\n1867/68\n\nHong Kong Amateur Theatricals third subscription night:\n\n\"Slasher and Crasher\" (J. M. Morton, 1848) given also in 1853.\n\n\"Raising the Wind\" (J. Kennedy, 1803)\n\n23 Mar. 1867\n\nHong Kong Amateur Theatricals fourth subscription performance.\n\n—\n\n28 Sept. 1867 Hong Kong Amateur Theatrical Society propose giving five subscription performances this season.",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1982.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/mk61z420p",
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    },
    {
        "id": 211772,
        "series_id": 26,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine",
        "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "RAS-1989",
        "page_number": 187,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "162\n\n* 12\n\nactors On the occasion of a performance of Buckingham's Take that Girl Away and Selby's A Fearful Tragedy in the Seven Dials, on February 15 1860 it was observed that \"the weak point of our Amateurs has been the selection of their pieces\".1 From time to time this argument crops up; but, as with all opinions about the theatre, it was a matter of taste. A regular writer for the Herald, \"The Man on the Bund\", had the audacity to react adversely to the choice of Tom Taylor's Still Waters Run Deep, performed on April 23 1857, which he thought \"one of those incongruous mixtures of French novel morality and English domestic life as offensive and preposterous as ludicrous\". In a letter to the Editor \"Another Man on the Bund\" (!) was furious about this attitude: \"Are we to take the opinion of this would be critic, this damp orator, in preference to the unanimous opinion of the rest of the community? What meant those thunders of applause repeated again and again in a manner that has never been heard in Shanghai. (...) My own and the general opinion is that the 'Man on the Bund' at the time of writing was (...) labouring under a severe attack of bile (...) (see also Calendar, 23.4.1857).\n\n14\n\nIn quite a different vein, writing about Colman's Heir at Law (1797) and Townley's High Life below Stairs (1759) the chronicler “would recommend our Amateurs to expunge from their plays all profane oaths and ambiguous phrases. In the time they were written too many of them were in keeping with the language and manners of the day, but nowadays no Gentleman would sully his breath with such irreverent epithets; they neither add wit or point to the dialogue and grate harshly on all refined ears especially in the presence of ladies\".2 Of course no examples were given.\n\nWhen it came to the professional, travelling, companies a generally favourable attitude was maintained. \"Standards of excellence\" were kept up by Lewis' Australian Drama Company;3 and, discussing the 1865 performances, another critic thought that \"where so much talent is shown it is almost invidious to single out any one actor or actress in preference to the rest\".\n\n18\n\nIn the musical field the efforts of the amateurs, although they were less numerous than in dramatics, were also duly appreciated. About a concert in aid of the Lancashire Relief Fund, given on April 17 1863, the Herald thought \"it was pleasing to see the gentlemen (...) entertain con amore their less gifted fellow residents with a charming chamber",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
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    },
    {
        "id": 211778,
        "series_id": 26,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine",
        "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "RAS-1989",
        "page_number": 193,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "168\n\nso called Christy's Minstrels --- a famous group in the United States, yet it may be doubted severely whether it was the same one that visited Shanghai.\n\nEight years later, the first company to come down to Shanghai from Hong Kong, where they had also been playing, was the one led by a Mr. C.R. Faylor. On February 10 1864 Lytton's The Lady of Lyons was on the bill as the opening piece, but the Herald thought it a failure in consequence of \"that portion of the company which had been collected in Shanghai and pressed into service\". How this is to be understood is not quite clear. Did Faylor's company consist of only a few actors, who were to be supplemented by local worthies? But then, who else could they be but amateurs, the darlings of the foreign community? However this may be, on May 9 at an evening in which also the \"Royal Shanghai Ballet d'Action\" [so far for fancy names!] participated, the \"celebrated comedy Nature and Philosophy or Eighteen Years Labour Lost” was given. As members of the company were mentioned Mr. and Mrs. C.R. Faylor, Mr. and Mrs. E. Yeamans and Major Pegus. Amateurs almost always adopted stage names in order to hide their real identity, but with professional actors it may be assumed these names were real.\n\n45\n\nA more substantial contribution to the amusement of the Shanghai public was made by Lewis' Dramatic Company. It was of Australian origin and the \"musical director and manager\" was Charles Edouin. Other members of the group were Tilly Earl, Mrs. Gill, Lizzie Naylor, Jenny Nye, T. Andrews, Henry Birch, J.B. Creswick, W.B. Gill and nearly the whole Edouin (or, rather, Bryer) family: Julia, Rose, John and Willie. Rose (1844-1925) married G.B. Lewis and became later an actress at, among others, the Maidan Theatre in Calcutta. Her brother Willie (1846-1908; his real name was John Edward Bryer) first appeared in public when he was six; after the tour to Australia, India, China and Japan he played in Melbourne, California, New York and London.46 In 1862 the \"Lewis' Equestrian Australian Troupe\" had visited the port with \"six of the best horses ever landed in China**,** but in 1864 the company had turned to drama and from October 6 until their departure in December an eight week season provided an unprecedented shower of farces, burlesques and even some quality pieces like Sheridan's The Rivals and the prison scene from Shakespeare's King John (Act IV, sc. 1), in which the role of prince Arthur was played by an actress, Julia Edouin, who took \"the house by storm\".48 The success of the company was apparently so great that they returned in March of the following\n\n47",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h",
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    },
    {
        "id": 211831,
        "series_id": 26,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine",
        "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "RAS-1989",
        "page_number": 246,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "221\n\nPark Lanc?). The names of the actors mentioned in the advertisement must have been assumed ones.\n\nJune and July 1864\n\nConcerts by the Rhenish Band and the Band of the 67th Regiment.\n\nLoc.: The Bund\n\nR: NCH 28.5.1864, 2.7.1864\n\n2-9.1864\n\nH.J. BYRON: “Aladdin or the Wonderful Scamp\"\n\nT: Burlesque extravaganza (1 act)\n\nC: Shanghai Amateur Burlesque Company\n\nTh: N.N. (l)\n\nR: That the hope expressed in the Herald of 2.7. was not forlorn was proved by the full house for Aladdin in which \"numerous local hits and puns are introduced which took admirably, especially a parody pidgin English on the 'lost child' (see Survey). The dresses were excellent and the scenery well arranged\" (NCH 1.10.1864).\n\n24.9.-30.9.1864\n\nDuring the week a concert was given by Mr. Desvachez (violin) and two amateurs, TH NM.\n\nR: Another adventurous musician had come to enliven the Settlement's cultural scene. Mr. DESVACHEZ. His concert was \"fairly successful, but people here hardly care to sit for two hours to listen to a performance on the violin, however well the instrument may be handled. Some variety is required and although Mr. DESVACHEZ was assisted by an amateur on the violincello and a pianist this desideratum was hardly attained\". (NCH 1.10.1864).\n\n6.10.1864\n\nOpening night of Lewis Australian Drama Company.\n\nNo titles of plays recorded.\n\nTh: NẠN. (I\n\nR: The first night of an eight-week season by Lewis' Australian Drama Co. (see also Survey). In the Herald, no detailed reviews appeared, only short summaries. The opening pieces have not even been recorded (NCH 8.10.1864).\n\n8.10.-14.10.1864\n\nH.J. BYRON: \"The Maid and the Magpie\" (1858)\n\nT: Burlesque burletta (1 act)\n\nA.G. HARRIS: \"The Rose of Castille\" (1857)\n\nT: Opera (music by M.W. BALFE)\n\nJ.R. PLANCHE: \"Paint Heart Never Won Fair Lady\" (1839)\n\nT: Comedy (1 act)\n\nC: Lewis A.D.C.\n\nTh: Lyceum Theatre (l)\n\nR: It was reported that the company attracted \"olerably full houses\". Of the plays, Byron's The Maid and the Magpie was \"infinitely preferred; in it every actor is well up to his part and personates the character he represents with ludicrous fidelity\". (NCH 15.10.1864).\n\n£5, 10, 1864 (Sat)\n\nPerformance by the Portuguese Amateur Dramatic Corps.\n\nNo titles of plays mentioned.\n\nR: In their own theatre, the Portuguese actors were as usual well up in their parts and",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h",
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    },
    {
        "id": 211834,
        "series_id": 26,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine",
        "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "RAS-1989",
        "page_number": 249,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "224\n\nF. TALFOURD: \"A Household Fairy\" (1859)\n\nT: Domestic sketch (1 act)\n\n\"Aurora Floyd\".\n\nHED lists the following authors: C.S. CHELTNAM (1863), C.H. HAZLEWOOD (1836), J.B. JOHNSTONE (1836), B. WEBSTER (1863). In addition, Adams' \"Dictionary of the Drama\" mentions W.E. SUTER.\n\nC: Lewis A.D.C.\n\nTh: Lyceum Theatre (1)\n\nN: Benefit of J.B. Creswick\n\nR: NCH 26.11.1864, advertisement only\n\n3.12.1864 (Sat)\n\nL.B. BUCKINGHAM: \"Take That Girl Away\" (1855)\n\nT: Comic drama (2 acts)\n\nJ.M. MORTON: \"A Capital Match\" (1852)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\nC: Lewis A.D.C.\n\nTh: Lyceum Theatre (1)\n\nN: Benefit of Miss Lizzie Naylor\n\nR: NCH 3.12.1864, advertisement.\n\n9.12.1864 (Fri)\n\nBenefit of Mr. Henry Birch of the Lewis Company.\n\nNo titles of plays were mentioned. (NCH 10.12.1864)\n\n10.12.1864 (Sat)\n\nFarewell performance, also the benefit of Mr. Lewis, of Lewis Australian Drama Company. No titles of plays were mentioned (NCH 10.12.1864).\n\nR: No detailed reviews of the Lewis season were published in the North China Herald, only short announcements. It is quite well possible that more nights than the above ones were given, but they have not been recorded. In general, the company had attracted rather full houses, but for the 9th \"home sweet home\" was preferred; \"the unfavourable state of the weather prevented many ticketholders from putting in an appearance\" (NCH 10.12.1864)\n\nNovember and December 1864\n\nPerformances by the \"Christy Minstrels\".\n\nTh. N.N.\n\nR: Another travelling company that visited the port in these months were the \"Christy Minstrels\" (see also Survey). They too managed reasonably to fill the theatre (it was not stated where the performances took place, but as the Lyceum Theatre was occupied by Lewis, it must have been another location - perhaps the Olympic Theatre). \"No boredom here for by a pleasing variety they prevent that weariness which even the finest display of musical talent must, through frequent repetition, occasion\" (NCH 26.11.1864). In September they had visited Macao (BGM 5.9.1864) and before December 10 they departed for Hong Kong (NCH 10.12.1864).\n\n22.12.1864 (Thur)\n\nPerformance by the Portuguese Amateur Dramatic Corps.\n\nR: It was \"as usual largely attended\" (NCH 24.12.1864).\n\n28.12.1864 (Wedn)\n\nR.B. BROUGH: \"Medea\" (1856)\n\nT: Burlesque (1 act)",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
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    },
    {
        "id": 211837,
        "series_id": 26,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine",
        "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "RAS-1989",
        "page_number": 252,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "227\n\nA. DUMAS: \"Camille\"\n\nT: Drama\n\nC: Lewis A.D.C.\n\nTh: Lyceum Theatre (1)\n\nR: The drama Camille, an English adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' \"La Dame aux Camélias\" was, in the eyes of the Commercial Record (5.5.1865) \"singularly unfitted for the powers of the performers. Miss Rose EDOUIN acted with her usual ability but as the heroine is a character almost impossible to render we must not object where we cannot praise”. Miss Jenny NYE starred in the farce Which is Which? written by a member of the company, Mr. GILL, who himself was a “capital low comedy actor”.\n\n28.3.-5.4.1865\n\nJ.B. BUCKSTONE: \"The Flowers of the Forest\" (1847)\n\nT: Musical drama (3 acts)\n\nJ.B. BUCKSTONE: “Isabella or Woman's Life\" (1834)\n\nT: Drama (3 acts)\n\nD.W. JERROLD: \"Black-eyed Susan\" (1829)\n\nT: Musical drama (3 acts)\n\nT.J. WILLIAMS: \"Nursery Chickweed\" (1859)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\n\"Kenilworth\", possibly by A. HALLIDAY and F. LAWRANCE (1858)\n\nT: Burlesque\n\n\"Mr. and Mrs. Peter White\", anon. (1854)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\n\"Rob Roy”, Numerous pieces with this title are listed in HED. i.a. by W.H. MURRAY (1818) and C.H. HAZLEWOOD (1864).\n\nC: Lewis A.D.C.\n\nTh: Lyceum Theatre (1)\n\nR: More than the Herald, the Record went into a rather detailed description of the Lewis season. Thus about Flowers of the Forest it wrote that there was \"an energy of revenge predominating all through the play while the occasional glimpse of pathos, combined with the jovial jocularity of the gipsys, tone down the otherwise tragic situations. Miss Rose EDOUIN, Miss NAYLOR and Mr. CRESWICK acted with power and well restrained manner“, Mr. CRESWICK “possesses great dramatic force and expresses himself well. His manner is somewhat stiff, but appearances before larger and more requiring audiences will obviate this habit\", \"His voice is good but somewhat monotonous of lone\" (SCR 5.5.1865).\n\n8.4.1865 (Sat)\n\nW. BROUGH: \"Perdita\" (1856)\n\nT: Burlesque (1 act)\n\nJ.B. BUCKSTONE: \"A Lesson for the Ladies” (1838)\n\nT: Comedy (3 acts)\n\nC: Lewis A.D.C.\n\nTh: Lyceum Theatre (1)\n\nN: Rose Edouin's benefit\n\nR: NCH 22.4.1865: no review,\n\n11.4.1865 (Tue)\n\nJ.B. BUCKSTONE: \"A Dead Shot\" (1827)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\nJ. KENNEDY: \"Sweethearts and Wives” (1856)\n\nT: Burlesque (3 acts)\n\nC: Lewis A.D.C.",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h",
        "rank": 0
    },
    {
        "id": 211838,
        "series_id": 26,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-rashkb-journal-engine",
        "series_title": "RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊",
        "series_use_hku_proxy": false,
        "document_key": "RAS-1989",
        "page_number": 253,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "228\n\nTh: Lyceum Theatre (1)\n\nN: Rose Edouin's benefit\n\nR: SCR 22.4.1865; no review.\n\n1.4.1865 (Tue)\n\nJ.B. BUCKSTONE: \"A Dead Shot\" (1827) T: Farce (1 act)\n\nJ. KENNEDY: \"Sweethearts and Wives\" (1823)\n\nT: Comedy (2 acts)\n\nC: Lewis A.D.C.\n\nTh: Lyceum Theatre (1)\n\nN: Mr. T. Andrews' benefit\n\nR: SCR 22.4.1865; no review.\n\n13.4.1865 (Thur)\n\nJ.B. BUCKSTONE: \"The Rough Diamond\" (1847) T: Farce (1 act)\n\nH.J. BYRON: \"The Bride of Abydos\" (1858)\n\nT: Burlesque extravaganza (1 act)\n\nJ. OXENFORD: \"I couldn't Help It\" (1862)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\nC: Lewis A.D.C.\n\nTh: Lyceum Theatre (1)\n\nN: Julia Edouin's benefit\n\nR: SCR 22.4.1865: no review.\n\n15.4.1865 (Sat)\n\nH.J. BYRON: \"The Maid and the Magpie\" (1858)\n\nT: Burlesque burletta (1 act)\n\nThe Daughter of the Regiment\n\nNumerous pieces with this title are mentioned in HED; possibly by E. FITZBALL (1843; new version in operatic style (1847)\n\nC: Lewis A.D.C.\n\nTh: Lyceum Theatre (1)\n\nN: Miss Tilly Earl's benefit\n\nR: SCR 22.4.1865; no review.\n\n17.4.1865 (Mon)\n\nH.J. BYRON: \"The Babes in the Wood\" (1859)\n\nT: Burlesque (1 act)\n\n\"Aurora Floyd\". For possible authors see 26.11.1864,\n\nC: Lewis A.D.C.\n\nTh: Lyceum Theatre (1)\n\nN: Miss Lizzie Naylor's benefit\n\nR: About \"Aurora Floyd\"\n\nthe Record was very satisfied and it thought that it exhibited the Company to the best advantages. CRESWICK as Hargreaves acted one of the most repulsive characters ever put on the stage with consummate tact. Aurora allowed ROSE EDOUIN to be seen to advantage; and in one or two scenes her acting rose to a high point of dramatic effect. Mr. GILL as Grub was capital and was assisted excellently by Miss NAYLOR who as Mary sustained one of her best characters. This lady acts such pieces with a spirit and ease seldom seen and reminds us strongly of Miss Saunders\" (SCR 5.5.1865). The reference to Miss Saunders may have been to Ann Mathew Saunders, died 1891; or Charlotte Saunders, d. 1899.",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h",
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    }
]