RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1989 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h 178 be embellished by a variety of cosmoramic views which will add much to its beauty" 92 This process was continued and another new drop scene, “A View of Palermo" was unveiled on May 6, 1852.93 Thus everything was done to turn the godown into something that resembled a theatre. B. Of course it would be more or less a waste if everything had to be demolished because the lease of the building could not be extended. Yet that was possibly the case, for during the season 1852-1853, after many doubts whether any theatricals would be given at all, the Imperial Theatre became the scene; it can only be guessed if this was the same as the Theatre Royal. C. 94 For subsequent years we are on somewhat firmer ground.* The seasons 1853-1854, 1856-1857 and 1857-1858 came off in the same building, viz. a godown in the Commercial House or Commercial Hotel compound that was situated at the northwestern corner of Park Lane (Nanking Road), and Church Street (Kiangsi Road) (the names of the roads were, in 1864-1865, changed from the old "homelike" ones; Park Lane, Church Street, Mission Road, etc. into ones more in tune with local conditions: Nanking Road, Kiangsi Road, Foochow Road, etc.).† Despite the fact that the theatre was housed in one and the same building throughout this period it bore several different names. It was called the Tae Ming Theatre (i.e. Great and Bright Theatre) 1853-1854; once the name Old Theatre was attached to it (1856), then it was called the Theatre Royal (1857-1858). There was some political irony involved when the Herald announced that on March 8, 1854 the Tae Ming Theatre had opened "under a concession from and immediate patronage of the Tae-ping-wong" (the leader of the Taiping movement). Because of the change of regime in the native city the name "Imperial" Theatre was mockingly considered a little inappropriate. Originally the stage was rather small, but later it was "extended in the rear and the wings thrown back, giving a larger area for action".95 * See Map at Appendix III. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1989 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/8336pm92h 195 his alarm allayed amidst the warmest applause from the audience for his clever and successful "sell". In addition the editor wrote that this Prologue afforded H. E. more valuable hints how to treat the Rebellion than all the suggestions that have been submitted to him since his arrival. Apparently Bonham was "so much delighted that we are not without hopes a report on the performances may form the subject of his first despatch from Shanghae”. So much for modesty. As regards the performances themselves, the writer had it in confidence from a tall whiskered male who occupied a front seat disguised in a dress coat, that although Hong Kong theatre is now more conveniently lit up in the Victoria Theatre in acting Shanghae would not suffer by comparison". "That treaty port chauvinism was not lacking even at that early stage was made clear when the visitor insisted that our Head Actor has been brought from Hong Kong”. Despite his earlier lukewarm praise he must have made some sour remarks too, for the editor wrote that "except as to the heroine, his critical skill was evidently at fault in discriminating the excellences of the other performers in Betsey Baker; and all he could be got to say regarding Apartments was something about Mr. and Mrs. Keeley having many worse imitators” (Robert Keeley, 1793-1869; and Mrs. Keeley (Mary Ann Coward), 1806-1899: famous British actors). (NCH 26.3.1853). 5.5.1853 (Thur) G.A.A. BECKETT: "Siamese Twins" (1834) T: Farce (1 act) R. BUTLER: "The Irish Tutor" (1822) T: Farce (1 act) C: Amateurs F: Music by the band of the Susquehanna Th: Imperial Theatre (B) N: Final performance of the season R: The close of the season by the amateurs who called themselves the "Lily Troupe" for a "bumper house"; with some “admirable music by the Band of Susquehanna" — a steamer belonging to the U.S. Japan Squadron. (NCH 7.5.1853). 8.3.1854 (Wedn) J.M. MADDOX: “A Fast Train! High Pressure!! Express!!!" (1853) T: Farce W.B. BERNARD: “A Practical Man" (1849) T: Farce C: Amateurs P: Music Th: Tac Ming Theatre (C) R: At the start of the evening a, for part of the audience at least, unexpected treat was in store: “On the rising of the curtain a ludicrous incident quite upset our friend BUSKIN. He was set down to enact "Colonel Jack Delaware" (in A Fast Train — JH) but a storm met him as soon as he appeared on the stage and he was fairly hissed off when a stranger leapt over the footlights and announced his intention of supporting the character. The curtain dropped and after a short delay the volunteer Yankee came forward, dressed in the most extravagant fashion and took up the part with great spirit". Was the leading actor-manager really taken by surprise? This could hardly be, and it must be assumed that it was, like the "rebellion" before, a set up. At any rate the "interloping Yankee was enrolled in Buskin's company. The musical department was sustained by "Messrs Thalberg and Koenig with their usual talent and success". Both these noms de théâtre were after well known musicians: Sigismund Thalberg (1812-1871), a Swiss pianist and composer; and Friedrich Koenig, a German violinist. (NCH 11.3.1854). ================================================================================ 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 art of French concession YANG KIM PANG GATE STREET Race course TEMPLE BARRIER CHURCH NOISSIW ROAD 244 ROAD ROAD ROADE ROAL NORTH BRIDGE THE STREET ᄆᄆᄆ BUND Shanghai Club WONG - POO AVENUE S CONSULATÉ Of BRIDGE STRECT KIRK ROAD CHURCH ROAD SOD CHOW American ROAD CREEK VoĮsseɔuo; AIVER THE b Theatre Royal Tae-ming Theatre Olympic Theatre d Lyceum Theatre Appendix I!! Plan of Shanghai BUND Part Star House Hotel ================================================================================