RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1989 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h 196 22.3.1854 (Wedn) J.V. BRIDGEMAN: "I've Eaten My Friend!" (1851) T: Farce (1 act) J.M. MORTON: "A Most Unwarrantable Intrusion" (1849) T: Farce (1 act) J.M. MORTON: "The Two Bonny Castles" (1851) T: Farce (1 act) C: Amateurs F: Music Th: Tac Ming Theatre (C) R: Was the new member perhaps "Mr Mercury WARREN" who scored such a great success in I've Eaten My Friend! as Hezekiah Jellytop? "The refined sensibility of the character was portrayed with a power and intensity which mark Mr. Warren as one of the true sons of Thespis. How shall we describe the horror when the internal evidence of a pie revealed a clue to the whereabouts of his departed friend". In the second piece, An Unwarrantable Intrusion "the part of Ashplant was performed by a gentleman whose via comica and power of communication were unmistakable. He completely embodied the character and infused life and vigour into his conception of it**. Until now, even the stage names of the actors had scarcely been mentioned in the reviews, but tonight we learn that in The Two Bonny Castles Messrs Bravo ROUSE, Mercury WARREN, and Horatio BUSKIN excelled as well as the ladies who acted with great spirit and sustained the dignity and elegance of the sex with most admirable effect" (Bravo ROUSE was a borrowed alias). + Among the musicians was again "Herr KOENIG" who "brilliantly executed" on, presumably, the violin. (NCH 25.3.1854). 15.5.1854 (Mon) C.W.S. BROOKS: "Anything for a Change" (1848) T: Comedietta (1 act) J.M. MORTON: "Box and Cox" (1847) T: Farce (1 act) C: Amateurs F: "A Grand Ethiopian Entertainment" with the "Virginian Minstrels" Th: Tac Ming Theatre (C) N: These performances, the last of the season, had originally been announced for April 5; on that date would also have been played J.T.G. Rodwell's farce A Race for Dinner. The evening was postponed, however, because of the Battle of Muddy Flat on April 4, 1854. R: Some of the local celebrities definitely could not go wrong, witness the following remark in the Herald: "As we dropped in for half an hour we cannot speak of the concluding (Box and Cox) but, as our favourite Mr. VERDENT and the clever Mr. WARREN enacted parts in it, we have no doubt it must have told on the audience". Earlier that night Mr. Bravo ROUSE and Mr. WARREN had starred in Anything for a Change (probably as Swoppington and Honeyball). 19.5.1855 (Sat) A "Soirée Musicale Dansante" by officers of the U.S.S. "Powhatan" with an "Ethiopian Concert by the Minstrels of the Powhatan" and a burlesque on Bulwer-Lytton's The Lady of Lyons. H.J. Byron wrote a burlesque with the same title, but according to HED, the first performance took place on February 1, 1858. R: In the Survey, it was pointed out that the officers of naval vessels sometimes entertained the local foreign residents. The first of these occasions occurred on board the Powhatan, an American warship that took part in the Japan expedition, on the eve of her departure. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1989 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h 230 N: J.B. Creswick's benefit R: For the second time a scene from Shakespeare could be seen in Shanghai: now it was act V from Richard III in which the king is confronted with the ghosts of his victims, lights his enemies ('A Horse! A Horse! My kingdom for a horse!') and is finally killed. In what kind of version it was played must be a matter of conjecture, although the worst days of adapting, cutting and rewriting Shakespeare's dramas were over. The Record found it "somewhat disappointing. Richard was too declamatory and an evident appearance of striving for effect predominated". Who personated the role of Richard III was not stated, but as it was Mr. CRESWICK's benefit it may have been him. The Frantic Husband went off well, with Tilly EARL as the "Injured wife". Miss NYE as Mrs. Alibi and Mr. GILL in the leading parts (SCR 5.5.1865). 27.4.1865 (Thur) No titles were given, but probably: J.H. PAYNE: 'T was (* (1825) T: Farce (1 act) J.T. RODWELL: "The Young Widow" (1824) T: Farce (1 act) C: Lewis A.D.C. Th: Lyceum Theatre (1) N: Miss Nye's benefit R: Miss NYE was described by the Commercial Record as a "ladylike and pleasing actress" who had a good house. "The performance was light and amusing. She acted neatly and with pleasing unconsciousness of doing so. This actress will some day occupy a position which will still further develop her as a personifier of light and agreeable parts" (SCR 5.5.1865). 28.4.1865 (Fri) M. BARNETT: "The Serious Family" (1849) T: Comedy (3 acts) "Cinderella"; by H.J. BYRON? T. TAYLOR! C: Lewis A.D.C. Th: Lyceum Theatre (D) R: In Cinderella, a burlesque, Miss NAYLOR once again “looked and acted with well assumed demeanour" one of the ugly sisters of the heroine. The latter part was possibly played by Mrs. GILL, "the most accomplished of the troupe. She pays great attention to dress (...) and there is a quiet repose in her manner that is not easy to attain and only adds to the effect and spirit of her acting“. Miss Tilly EARL also took one of the parts; she was "vivacious and fascinating". Only the singing was "not so good as usual, but one of the fair warblers was suffering from a cold" (SCR 5.5.1865). 29.4.1865 (Sat) H.J. BRYON: "Aladdin or the Wonderful Scump" (1861) T: Burlesque extravaganza (1 act) "The Lady of Lyons". Arthur either LYTTON or BYRON. C: Lewis A.D.C. Th: Lyceum Theatre (1) R: This was the farewell performance of the Company as well as Mr. Henry Birch's benefit. BIRCH was described as "an old hand on the boards of the theatre. He has acted with many well known celebrities and to a certain extent still retains the manner of a school now almost extinct. The Company had left a good impression, although the Record's critic occasionally thought the actors deficient in making “a lucky hit by the casual introduction of a remark. They depend in some instances too much on the prompter and considering the case they act with one another this should not be" (of the Herald's Page 255 Page 256 ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1989 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h 242 High Life below Stairs: J. Townley; 21.4.1851. The Honey Moon: W. Linley? J. Tobin? 19.4.1865. A Household Fairy: F. Talfourd; 216.11.1864. I couldn't help it: J. Oxenford; 13.4.1865. III Treated Il Trovatore: H.J. Byron; 22.6.1864, 29.6.1864. The Infanticidal Farce: J.S. Coyne; 21.2.1856. The Invisible Prince: J.R. Planché; 23.3.1865. The Irish Tutor: R. Butler; 5.5.1853. Isabella: J.B. Buckstone; 28.3.-5.4.1865. I've Eaten My Friend: J.V. Bridgeman; 22.3.1854. Kenilworth: N.N.; 28.3.-5.4.1865. King John: W. Shakespeare; 12.11.-18.11.1864. A Kiss in the Dark: J.B. Buckstone; 26.3.1857. The Knights of the Round Table: J.R. Planché; 24.5.1865. A Lady and a Gentleman in a Peculiarly Perplexing Predicement: C. Selby; 13.12.1864. Lady Audley's Secret: C.H. Hazlewood? G. Roberts? W.E. Suter?; 28.12.1864. The Lady of Lyons: E. Bulwer Lytton; 10.2.1864. The Lady of Lyons: H.J. Byron?; 22.10.-28.10.1864, 29.4.1865. Lend me Five Shillings: J.M. Morton; see p. 15. A Lesson for the Ladies: J.B. Buckstone; 8.4.1865. As Like as Two Peas: H. Lillo; 16.3.1858. Little Toddlekins: C.J. Mathews; 26.5.1864. Love Laughs at Locksmiths: G. Colman the Younger; 9.5.1864, Love, Law and Physics: J. Kenney; 28.1.1851. A Lucky Escape: C.S. Cheltnam; 25.4.1864. The Maid and the Magpie: H.J. Byron; 8.10.-14.10.1864, 15.10.-21.10.1864, 15.4.1865. Make your Wills: E. Mayhew; 23.1.1856. Married Life: J.B. Buckstone; 12.11.-18.11.1864. Medea: R.B. Brough; 28.12.1864. A Most Unwarrantable Intrusion: J.M. Morton; 22.3.1854, 1.4.1864, Nature and Philosophy: N.N.; 9.5.1864. The Nigger Doctor and his Patient Patient: N.N.; 14.8.1856. No!: W.H. Murray? F. Reynolds?; 23.2.1852. No 1 round the corner: W. Brough; 23.1.1856. Nursery Chickweed: T.J. Williams; 28.3.-5.4.1865. The Octoroon: D. Boucicault; 7.1.-13.1.1865, 14.1.1865, On and Off: T.J. Williams; 25.4.1864. Our Wife: J.M. Morton; 13.2.1863, 17.2.1863. Perdita: W. Brough; 8.4.1865. Poor Pillicoddy: J.M. Morton; 15.3.1860, 26.5.1864. A Practical Man: W.B. Bernard; 8.3.1854. Princess Springtime: H.J. Byron; 10.11.1865, 20.11.1865. A Race for Dinner: J.T.G. Rodwell; announced but not performed. Raising the wind: J. Kenney; 9.2.1858, 30.3.1864, 4.4.1864. The Rendez-vous: R. Ayton; 24.3.1852. Retained for the Defence: J. Oxenford; 25.4.1864. The Review; G. Colman the Younger; 24.3.1852. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1989 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h Richard III: W. Shakespeare; 26.4.1865. The Rivals: R.B. Sheridan; 28.9.1858, 23.11.1864. A Roarer: N.N.; 19.4.1865. Rob Roy; C.H. Hazlewood? W.H. Murray? 28.3.-5.4.1865. A Roland for an Oliver: T. Morton Sr; 23.2.1852. Roofscrambler: G.A.à Beckett; 12.12.1850. The Rose of Castille: A.G. Harris; 8.10.-14.10.1864. The Rough Diamond: J.B. Buckstone; 13.4.1865. The 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. A Silent Woman: T.H. Lacy; 29.6.1864. Sink or Swim: T. Morton Jr; 16.2.1857. Slasher and Crasher: J.M. Morton; 21.2.1856. Still Waters Run Deep: T. Taylor.; 23.4.1857, 15.3.1860. Sweethearts and Wives: J. Kenney; 11.4.1865. Take 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. Turn out!: J. Kenney; 10.11.1865, 20.11.1865. 'T Was I: J.H. Payne; 27.4.1865. The Two Bonny Castles: J.M. Morton; 22.3.1854, 8.5.1865. The Unfinished Gentleman: C. Selby; 17.6.1865. Urgent Private Affairs; J.S. Coyne; 5.5.1858. Used Up: D. Boucicault & C.J. Mathews; 26.1.1852, 27.1.1853, 18.2.1857. The Wandering Minstrel: H. Mayhew; 24.5.1865. Where There's a Will There's a Way: J.M. Morton; 26.3.1863. Which is which?: W.B. Gill; 27.3.1865. Whitebait at Greenwich: J.M. Morton; 23.1.1856, 16.2.1859, 26.5.1864. The White Horse of the Peppers; S. Lover; March 1863, 16.3.1863. A Wonder: H. Carey S. Centlivre?: 12.11.-18.11.1864, Woodcock's Little Game: J.M. Morton; 14.12.1865. The Young Widow: J.T.G. Rodwell; 27.4.1865, 243 Page 268 ================================================================================