[
    {
        "id": 211771,
        "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": 186,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "161\n\nspare time to the amusement of their fellow residents. Moreover, as has been said before, the community was small, and the critic had after all to live with his actor-neighbours who would no doubt know about his identity.\n\nThus, \"A Stranger\" wrote, about George Colman's Heir at Law (April 21 1851): “Zekiel Homespun was inimitable; we had no idea there was a Gentleman in Shanghae who could take the difficult part so well.) The simplicity, humour and serious earnestness which it displays in some parts were brought out and sustained in a manner that we have scarcely seen equaled, except by some of the leading actors of our Metropolis\". And again: “Constant playgoers as from childhood we have been we have rarely, indeed never, ‘assisted' at a more agreeable evening than that of Wednesday the 16th instant [i.e. February 16 1859]. The performances [of J.M. Morton's Whitebait at Greenwich and Thomas Morton's Sink or Swim] passed off with the utmost eclat due to the talent and exertions of the actors\". Sometimes the author felt it even necessary to apologize for any criticism he uttered: \"We do this, not in the invidious character of critics upon amateur performances or still less as tinctured with the slightest disposition to find fault, but in order that the excellent materials which have been combined in the troupe should be made as much of as possible. Indeed it is the very appreciation of the talents displayed on Thursday [sic; this should be Wednesday January 23 1856– JH] which prompts the expression of these remarks. We are sure that neither the performers nor the audience would thank us for the undiscriminating and therefore worthless praise which usually satirize amateur performances\". But even in this case the critic only had made some comments on the costumes that were used in one of the pieces (cf. Calendar, 23.1.1856). Mild remarks were the severest criticism dished out; about one of the actors on June 2 1859, **we may perhaps be permitted to take an exception to his brogue, which, however good as an assumption, scarcely denoted one to the manner born\"; and about another on the same evening; \"his humour seems better fitted for low than for eccentric comedy\".\n\n10\n\nOnly when it came to the choice of pieces was the paper not always undividedly positive. Writing about John Maddison Morton's Done on Both Sides (February 10 1858) not much enthusiasm was shown: “We have witnessed, we confess, better farces on the same stage and we are inclined to believe that as actors may sometimes not come up to the play, it occasionally happens that plays are not altogether worthy of the",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h",
        "rank": 0
    },
    {
        "id": 211792,
        "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": 207,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "182\n\n500 or 600 p.a.), without any prospect of being able to use it the subsequent season. Apparently it was also the custom to sell all the scenery, etc., at the end of the season and this too could only be done at a heavy loss (for 1865 it had cost Tls. 2,400 and fetched but Tls. 200).109 In order to investigate the feasibility of a permanent, i.e., stone, theatre, a provisional committee was appointed in September 1866.10 The chances of realising the object in view did not seem very rosy though. At a meeting of the committee held on November 10, 1866, it was decided that the \"circulation of a subscription list towards a permanent theatre should be deferred for the present\" and instead guarantors for the construction of a temporary theatre (i.e., one of wood, which was much cheaper) should be sought.11 In this they were successful and on November 16, it was announced at a meeting that Tls. 3,500 had been subscribed. This, however, was not deemed sufficient to cover all the expenses and an amended motion was adopted stating that instead of fitting up a godown, a temporary theatre, on the plans submitted to the meeting, be built and fitted up, provided a sum of Tls. 6,000 be guaranteed within a week\".12 And despite the rather severe limitations under which a number of merchants had to operate due to the collapse of the building boom - an adjourned meeting was informed on November 22 that this sum had indeed been guaranteed.\"\n\nThe new theatre would be built in wood and was designed by a local architect, Mr. William Kidner; originally it would contain 700 seats, but this was considered too much, 500 or 600 being enough. The firm of Dent & Co. showed itself willing to provide a plot of land for the sum of Tls. 250 annually and the cost of the theatre itself was estimated at Tls. 3,900. Some months later, on March 1, 1867, the wooden Lyceum Theatre opened on Yuanmingyuan Road* (later, Museum Road), with Morton's Whitebait at Greenwich and Faust and Marguerite (author not mentioned: F.C. Burnand?, T.W. Robertson?, J. Halford?).\n\nOne may well ask why the foreign residents had not found the courage and the money to erect a really “lasting structure\" for, naturally, wooden buildings were prone to fire and it should come as no surprise that the \"temporary'' theatre proved to be very temporary indeed, for on March 2, 1871, it burned down. Once again a substantial sum of money had been wasted on what turned out to be an ill-advised scheme. Sadder and wiser, it was finally decided in 1872 to construct a brick theatre on an adjacent site on Museum Road, stage entrance on Yuanmingyuan Road. On\n\n*This is the theatre marked \"b\" at Appendix III.",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h",
        "rank": 0
    },
    {
        "id": 211807,
        "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": 222,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "197\n\nfrom Shanghai on the 20th. Despite that, the \"soirée\" was \"kept up to a late hour with great spirit\". The programme consisted of tunes by Dabney, de Costa and Tripp: one of them was called \"Japanese make yourselves ready\" (NCH 26.5.1855).\n\n23.1.1856 (Wedn)\n\nE. MAYHEW: \"Make your Wills” (1836)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\nW. BROUGH: \"No 1 Round the Corner\" (1854)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\nJ.M. MORTON: \"Whitebait at Greenwich\" (1853)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\nC: Amateurs\n\nF: Music\n\nTh: D\n\nN: Once more politics crept into the theatre since, due to the Anglo-French campaigns in the Crimean War, \"the proscenium was very tastefully emblazoned with the arms and ciphers of the Allies”. The drop scene now represented the \"Lake of Geneva with the far famed Castle of Chillon” (far famed because of Lord Byron's poem \"The Prisoner of Chillon\"). For a change the Herald allowed itself some criticism of the amateurs, but about the costumes only: \"We are perfectly aware of the great difficulties which beset the wardrobe department of the Theatre here, but still we think that two or three alterations might be made with advantage. It must be remembered that the assumption of a part on the stage requires the submergence of the individual into his assumed character. Proteus must not be more unlike his last shape than the actor must be unlike his mere self and the difficulty of effecting this is enormously increased by an appearance in every-day costume. In melodramatic pieces some decided change is absolutely necessary because success depends on the power of exciting the sympathies of the audience for the various situations of the actors and it is quite impossible that the desponding accents of one young gentleman or the grasping villainy of another (both of whom we know to be very good fellows and far from desponding or hypocritical characters) in the garb of 1856 can excite these sympathies. In Farce it is less important because the effect depends upon a successful appeal to our sense of the ludicrous and this may be done by situations which are quite within the range of every-day life. (...) It also struck us that a little more attention to the chronology of dress would be attended with increased effect; there were two or three anachronisms: for instance the mob cap of Mrs. Foreright (a most admirable 'make-up' by the way) hardly accorded with the modern elegance of Clara; or the venerable beard of the implacable Mr. Ireton with the modern costume of his disinherited son. It is astonishing how greatly unity in these matters adds to the effect of such performances and in spite of the difficulties of such performances and in spite of the difficulties of securing dresses we think a consultation between the Manager and the performers might produce a harmony which would be attended with the best effect”. The music too was thought to be \"ineffective\", but for the remainder it was, as usual, amusing, with Whitebait at Greenwich as the hit of the evening. The character of Buzzard — by no means a graceful one — was played with great effect and we heartily congratulate Mr. SLOWCOME upon the power he displayed\". In Make your Wills the reviewer could not \"forbear mentioning the excellent impersonation of Joseph Bragg by Mr CLAY\" (NCH 26.1.1856).\n\n21.2.1856 (Thur)\n\n—\n\nJ.S. COYNE: \"The Infanticidal Farce\" (1846)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\nMrs. C.G.F. GORE: \"A Good Night's Rest\" (1839)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\nJ.M. MORTON: \"Slasher and Crasher\" (1848)",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h",
        "rank": 0
    },
    {
        "id": 211818,
        "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": 233,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "208\n\n12.10.1858 (Tue)\n\nConcert by Mr. Martin Simonsen\n\nN: No review was published.\n\nMr. Simonsen had also visited Hong Kong; there he had given his last recital on September 20, 1858 (CM 23.9.1858).\n\n16.2.1859 (Wedn)\n\nT: Comedy (2 acts)\n\nJ.M. MORTON: \"Whitebait at Greenwich\" (1853)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\nC: Amateurs\n\nF: Music by the band of H.M.S. Highflyer\n\nTh: Theatre Royal (E)\n\nR: For the first night of the amateur season \"a very numerous audience was collected and the presence of nearly all the beauty and fashion (we allude to the eccentricities [what may these have been? - JH] of masculine as well as to the elegancies of feminine costumes) of Shanghai imparted to the front benches a very brilliant appearance, which was further enlivened by the smiling faces of two or three laughing cherubs whom we detected nestling under the maternal wing\". For the occasion the drop pictured \"a very faithful (our travels in Italy enable us to state) representation of a most romantic spot on the banks of the Lago Maggiore\". Sink or Swim was found to be a \"dull plagiarism upon our old favourite 'Used Up'\" but it passed off with the utmost special due to the talents and exertions of the actors\", among whom \"Mr. PETREL's Mr. Scampley struck us as well conceived, a swindling roué's impertinence dashed by a sense of uneasiness\", Mr. FARREN (again a stage name after a London actor: William Farren, 1786-1861) sustained Lord Yawnley \"admirably\" and Mr. PICKWICK displayed as Adam Stirling all \"the quaint humour of his immortal ancestor\". Miss WALTERS, however, was thought to have been less fit for the part of Mrs. Stirling. She did not upon all occasions evince that grave decorum which usually characterises the British matron\". Morton's Whitebait at Greenwich was, as on January 23, 1856, a hit. This time Mr. PICKWICK took the part of Benjamin Buzzard in a \"quiet and most natural style of acting\". Mr. Phunago BRUSHWOOD - \"an actor of the Keeley-Robinson school, possessing a racy humour of his own\" played John Small and it was \"a gem of low comedy\". Of course there was Mrs. NESBIT, as well as Miss WALTERS whose portrayal of the servant maid came off much better than her Mrs. Stirling: \"we do not wonder at Mr. Buzzard's having been caught by her saucy face and bright complexion\" (NCH 19.2.1859). (Robert Keeley, 1793-1869, and Frederick Robson, 1821-1864, were both well known low comedians in Britain).\n\n22.2.1859 (Tue)\n\nConcert by Prof. Shonbrun, piano, and some local amateurs.\n\nTh: Theatre Royal (E)\n\n+\n\nR: The concert was given in the (New) Theatre Royal of the amateur dramatic corps, but acoustically it was not very satisfactory. No wonder that many of Mr. SHONBRUN's best efforts and most brilliant passages did not fully reach the audience\", an audience which was not very numerous in the first place, which too has its influence on the sound. For the following concert it was foreseen that \"a small scene will be erected and the wings closed in\".\n\nFor the time being the critic refrained from any strictures on the soloist, except that he hoped that \"on the next occasion Mr. Shonbrun will lead us to a higher class of pianoforte music than that put forward on Tuesday last\". It will come as no surprise that there was a eulogy on the amateurs who participated: \"the tenor solos were given with taste and genuine voice and the recall with which he was unanimously favoured was well merited\". (NCH 26.2.1859).\n\nT",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h",
        "rank": 0
    },
    {
        "id": 211829,
        "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": 244,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "219\n\nColins: Mrs. C.R. Faylor Love Laughs at Locksmiths Robin: Mes. C.R. Faylor\n\nJuliac: Mrs. E. Yeanians\n\nDame Durden: Mr. E. Yeamans.\n\nPaddy Druden: C.R. Faylor\n\nOnly an advertisement for this performance was published in the Herald of May 7. The stage often has its own laws as to the gender of the participants. In amateur theatricals, men dressed up as women à l'outrance, whereas in a professional company like the present one male characters were personified by ladies and vice versa!\n\n14.5.1864 (Sat)\n\nPerformance by the amateurs of the Royal Artillery.\n\nNo titles of plays recorded.\n\nTh: N.N. (H)\n\nR: NCH 21.5.1864\n\n17.5.1864 (Tue)\n\nRepeat of 14.5.1864.\n\n26.5.1864 (Thur)\n\nJ.M. MORTON: “Whitebait at Greenwich\" (1835)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\nC. MATHEWS: \"Little Toddlekins” (1852)\n\nT: Comic drama (1 act)\n\nJ.M. MORTON: “Poor Pillicoddy” (1848)\n\nT: Farce (1 act)\n\nC: Amateurs of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps\n\nF: Epilogue spoken by R.C. Antrobus, commander of the S.V.C.\n\nTh: N.N. (H)\n\nN: Final performance of the season\n\nR: For the occasion Edward LAWRENCE, who was a \"practitioner at Law and Notary Public” according to the “Shanghai Almanac for 1862”, had written an epilogue which was read by the commander of the S.V.C., Robert Crawford ANTROBUS (member of the Municipal Council 1864-1865). And, as if to give more weight to its reception, the Herald added that “many of the ladies joined in the applause” (NCH 28.5.1864).\n\n28.5.1864 (Sat)\n\n**An Evening at Home**: \"Songs interspersed with anecdotes and conversation of the most lively description”.\n\nC: Mr. J.R. Black\n\nTh: Olympic Theatre (H)\n\n31.5.1864 (Tue)\n\nAs on 28.5.1864.\n\n3.6.1864 (Fri) As on 28.5.1864.\n\n13.6.1864 (Mon)\n\n\"An Evening at Home - Great Jacobite Night\" by Messrs. J.R. Black and Marquis Chisholm. Performance of the play The Advantages of Bonnie Prince Charlie or the Rising of 1745 (No piece with this title appears in HED), as well as ballads and songs (including 'Vi ravviso from Bellini's \"La Sonnambula\", act 1).\n\nTh: Olympic Theater (H)",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h",
        "rank": 0
    },
    {
        "id": 211849,
        "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": 264,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "239\n\nMORTON, John Maddison (1811-1891)\n\n\"Attic Story\" (19.5.1842). P: 6.5.1852\n\n\"Betsy Baker or too attentive by half\" (13.11.1850). P: 23.3.1853\n\n145\n\n\"Box and Cox: a Romance of Real Life\" (1.11.1847). P: 15.5.1854; 18.2.1857\n\n\"A Capital Match\" (4.11.1852). P: 23.4.1857; 3.12.1864\n\n\"Done on Both Sides\" (24.2.1847). P: 10.2.1858\n\n\"Fitzsmythe of Fitzsmythe Hall\" (26.5.1860). P: 26.3.1863\n\n\"Grimshaw, Bagshaw and Bradshaw\" (1.7.1851). P: 2.6.1859\n\n\"Lend me Five Shillings\" (18.2.1846). P: see p. 15\n\n\"A Most Unwarrantable Intrusion\" (11.6.1849). P: 22.3.1854; 1.4.1864\n\n\"Our Wife or The Rose of Amiens\" (18.11.1856). P: 13.12.1863; 17.2.1863\n\n\"Poor Pillicuddy\" (12.7.1848). P: 15.3.1860; 26.5.1864\n\n\"Slasher and Crasher\" (13.11.1848). P: 21.2.1856\n\n\"To Paris and back for £5\" (5.2.1853). P: 10.5.1860; 21.3.1865\n\n\"The Two Bonny Castles\" (25.11.1851). P: 22.3.1854; 8.5.1865\n\n\"Where there's a will there's a way\" (6.9.1849). P: 26.3.1863\n\n\"Whitebait at Greenwich\" (14.11.1853). P: 23.1.1856; 16.2.1859; 26.5.1864\n\n\"Woodcock's Little Game\" (6.10.1864). P: 14.2.1865\n\nMORTON, Thomas, Sr (1764-1838)\n\n\"A Roland for an Oliver\" (29.4.1819). P: 23.2.1852\n\nMORTON, Thomas, Jr\n\n\"Sink or Swim\" (2.8.1852). P: 16.2.1859\n\nMURRAY, William Henry Wood (1790-1852)\n\n146\n\n\"Diamond cut Diamond\" (19.6.1843). P: 12.12.1850\n\n? \"No!\" (14.11.1826). P: 23.2.1852\n\n? \"Rob Roy\" (10.6.1818). P: 28.3.-5.4.1865\n\nOXENFORD, John (1813-1877)\n\n\"I couldn't help it\" (19.4.1862). P: 13.4.1865\n\n\"Retained for the Defence\" (23.5.1859). P: 25.4.1864\n\nPAYNE, John Howard (1790-1852)\n\n\"Charles the Second or the Merry Monarch\" (27.6.1824). P: 16.3.1858\n\n\"'Twas I\" (3.12.1825). P: 27.4.1865\n\nPEAKE, Richard Brinsley (1797-1880)\n\n\"The Haunted Inn\" (31.1.1828). P: 6.5.1852\n\nPLANCHE, James Robinson (1796-1880)\n\n\"Faint Heart never won Fair Lady\" (28.2.1839). P: 8.10.-14.10.1864; 14.2.1865\n\n\"The Invisible Prince or the Island of Tranquil Delights\" (26.12.1846). P: 23.3.1865\n\n\"The Knights of the Round Table\" (20.5.1854). P: 24.5.1865\n\nREYNOLDS, Francis (1764-1841)\n\n? \"No!\" (16.5.1828). P: 23.3.1852\n\nRHODES, William Barnes (1772-1826)\n\n\"Bombastes Furioso\" (7.8.1810). P: 28.1.1851; 5.5.1858\n\nROBERTS, George\n\n? \"Lady Audley's Secret\" (28.2.1863). P: 28.12.1864",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h",
        "rank": 0
    },
    {
        "id": 211853,
        "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": 268,
        "title": "RAS-1989",
        "content_text": "Richard III: W. Shakespeare; 26.4.1865.\n\nThe Rivals: R.B. Sheridan; 28.9.1858, 23.11.1864.\n\nA Roarer: N.N.; 19.4.1865.\n\nRob Roy; C.H. Hazlewood? W.H. Murray? 28.3.-5.4.1865.\n\nA Roland for an Oliver: T. Morton Sr; 23.2.1852. Roofscrambler: G.A.à Beckett; 12.12.1850.\n\nThe Rose of Castille: A.G. Harris; 8.10.-14.10.1864. The Rough Diamond: J.B. Buckstone; 13.4.1865.\n\nThe Serious Family: M. Barnett; 8.10.1857, 2.6.1859, 23.3.1865, 28.4.1865. Siamese Twins: G.A.à Beckett; 5.5.1853.\n\nA Silent Woman: T.H. Lacy; 29.6.1864.\n\nSink or Swim: T. Morton Jr; 16.2.1857.\n\nSlasher and Crasher: J.M. Morton; 21.2.1856.\n\nStill Waters Run Deep: T. Taylor.; 23.4.1857, 15.3.1860. Sweethearts and Wives: J. Kenney; 11.4.1865.\n\nTake that girl away: L.S. Buckingham; 15.2.1860; 3.12.1864. Time tries all: J. Courtney; 5.5.1858, 10.5.1860, 21.3.1865. To Paris and back for £5: J.M. Morton; 10.5.1860, 21.3.1865. The Turned Head: G.A.à Beckett; 27.1.1853.\n\nTurn out!: J. Kenney; 10.11.1865, 20.11.1865.\n\n'T Was I: J.H. Payne; 27.4.1865.\n\nThe Two Bonny Castles: J.M. Morton; 22.3.1854, 8.5.1865.\n\nThe Unfinished Gentleman: C. Selby; 17.6.1865.\n\nUrgent Private Affairs; J.S. Coyne; 5.5.1858.\n\nUsed Up: D. Boucicault & C.J. Mathews; 26.1.1852, 27.1.1853, 18.2.1857.\n\nThe Wandering Minstrel: H. Mayhew; 24.5.1865.\n\nWhere There's a Will There's a Way: J.M. Morton; 26.3.1863.\n\nWhich is which?: W.B. Gill; 27.3.1865.\n\nWhitebait at Greenwich: J.M. Morton; 23.1.1856, 16.2.1859, 26.5.1864.\n\nThe White Horse of the Peppers; S. Lover; March 1863, 16.3.1863.\n\nA Wonder: H. Carey S. Centlivre?: 12.11.-18.11.1864,\n\nWoodcock's Little Game: J.M. Morton; 14.12.1865.\n\nThe Young Widow: J.T.G. Rodwell; 27.4.1865,\n\n243\n\nPage 268",
        "txt_file_path": "txt/dfo323lmgvd/RAS-1989.txt",
        "external_url": "https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h",
        "rank": 0
    }
]