RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1982 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/mk61z420p 231 music, a dazzling transformation scene, and a rollicking harlequinade." It enlisted a great many people for the leads, chorus and orchestra. Not everyone in Hong Kong was happy about pantomimes. In 1891 in the "Beauty and the Beast" "the indiscreet censure lately passed by the Bishop upon the Pantomime was noticed in a verse or so--and a comical but somewhat misplaced representative of his Lordship appeared in the Harlequinade". The A.D.C. tried its hand at light opera in 1894 with the performance of Gilbert and Clay's "Princess Toto". It was described, however, as "vapid and unattractive". The Choral Society had for some years been presenting light operas and had already given "Iolanthe" and "The Gondoliers". In subsequent years the A.D.C. did "Trial by Jury", "Yeomen of the Guard", "His Excellency", and "The Gondoliers". During this same period, along with the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, other currently popular musical plays were staged. THE GENIUS OF MR. SINCLAIR With more frequent visits of professional companies, the A.D.C. increasingly found it difficult to sustain interest and attendance. This resulted in financial losses and threatened the future of the Amateurs. A new era arrived when Mr. Walter Sinclair assumed direction of A.D.C. productions in 1912. Sinclair was imaginative and venturesome and mounted productions that were different from those presented by the travelling companies. The A.D.C. took on new life. Among Sinclair's innovations was his introduction to Hong Kong of the playwright Lord Dunsany. In 1921 he presented an evening's programme of four Dunsany plays. One of these was "The Compromise of the King of the Golden Isle". It was the play's world premiere. The setting was Chinese. During the interval preceding it, to set the mood, a group of Chinese amateur musicians played Chinese music. It was particularly noted that the music "was not unpleasing, for people who have heard only the cymbals and tom-toms may find music in the sweetness of some of the native banjos and fiddles". ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1982 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/mk61z420p 1892/93 ― 1893/94 247 "Honour Bound" (W. S. Gilbert and Sydney Grundy, 1880) 12, 15 Nov. 1892 "On Bail" a farce (W. S. Gilbert, 1877) 26, 28, 30 Dec. 1893, 3, 6, 9, 16, 24 Jan. 1894 "Princess Toto" (W. S. Gilbert and Clay, 1876) 1894/95 30 Jan. 4, 6, 9, 12, 16, 18, 23 Feb. 1895 "Robinson Crusoe" Pantomime: 17, 20, 24 Apr. 1895 "The Magistrate" (A. W. Pinero, 1885) 1895/96 26, 28 Dec. 1895 "Dandy Dick" (A. W. Pinero, 1887) 8, 10, 20 Feb. 1896 1888) 1896/97 "Trial by Jury” (Gilbert and Sullivan, 1888) 19, 21 Dec. 1896 — “Cups and Saucers" (G. Grossmith, 1878) given in 1886. "Charley's Aunt" (Brandon Thomas, 1892) 25 Feb. 1897 — "Les Cloches de Carneville" (H. B. Farnie and R. Reece, 1878) 1897/98 19 Nov. 1897 1890) F 1898/99 19, 21 Feb. 1898 — "A Pair of Spectacles" (Sidney Grundy, 1890) "The Duchess of Bayswater and Co." comedietta (A. M. Heathcote, 1888) "A Pantomime Rehearsal" (C. Clay, 1891) 17, 19 Nov. 1898 — “Our Bitterest Foe" (G. C. Herbst, 1874) "Sugar and Cream" comedietta (J. P. Hurst, 1883) "The Steeple Chase" (J. M. Morton, 1865) given in 1874. ― 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 17, 18 Jan., 1, 3 Feb. 1899 pantomime "The Yellow Dwarf, or Harlequin the Knave of Hearts" 1899/1900 4, 6 Nov. 1899 "The Magistrate" (A. W. Pinero, 1885) given in 1895. 12, 13 Dec. 1899 "The Mother In Law" farcical comedy (G. R. Sims, 1881) JL 12, 15, 17, 24, 26 Feb. 1900 "Yeoman of the Guard" (Gilbert and Sullivan, 1888) 1900/01 24 Nov. 3 Dec. 1900— 1901/02 1902/03 — ― "Our Flat" (Mrs. M. Musgrove, 1889) 15, 19 Nov. 1901 “Trying It On” farce (W. Brough) "Plantation Revels" minstrel variety 13, 14, 15 Nov. 1902 "Liberty Hall" drama (R. C. Carton, 1892) ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1982 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/mk61z420p 248 CARL T. SMITH 30, 31 Jan., 2 Feb. 1903 Marshall, 1898) 1903/04 14, 16, 17 Nov. 1903 - 1898) ― 1903/04 1904/05 ▬▬ "His Excellency the Governor" (R. "Lord and Lady Algy" (R. C. Carton, 11, 12, 14 Dec. 1903 (Wilde, 1895) "The Importance of Being Earnest" T 13, 18, 19, 20 Feb., 11, 12 Mar. 1904 "His Excellency" (W. S. Gilbert and O. Carr, 1890) 19, 20, 23, 24, 26, 28 Nov. 1904 "Dorothy" comedy opera (B. C. Stephenson and A. Collier, 1886) 21, 23, 28, Jan. 1905 "Jane" (H. Nichols and W. Lestrey, 1890) 7, 8, 10 Apr. 1905 Esmond, 1897) — "One Summer Day" comedy (H. V. 1905/06 12, 13, 15 Jan. 1906 1894) — "The New Boy" farce (Arthur Law, "Princess Toto" (W. S. 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21 Feb. 1906 Gilbert and F. Clay, 1876) + 31 Mar. 2, 3 Apr. 1906 28, 30 Apr., 1 May, 1906 (Arthur Law, 1902) 1906/07 20, 21, 22 Dec. 1906 Pinero, 1888) — 15, 16, 18 Feb. 1907 (C. H. Darnley, "Lady Huntsworth Experiment" "A Country Mouse" comedy "The Hobby Horse" comedy (A. W. "Facing the Music" farcical comedy 1899) 1907/08 ← 20, 21, 22, 25 Feb. 1908 1897) - 1908/09 1909/10 "The Liars" comedy (H. A. Jones, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 Dec. 1908, 19, 20 Feb. 1909: "A Country Girl" musical 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, Jan., 18, 19 Feb. 1910 "The Torcodor" musical comedy 12, 13, 16 Apr. 1910 Ryley, 1901) "Mice and Men" comedy (M. L. ! 1910/11 no production. 1911/12 - 13, 27 Jan. 1912 Grand Variety Entertainment and Harlequinade "as performed at Drury Lane in 1870", Page 270 Page 271 ================================================================================