called him a foreign devil, showed him the graves of eighteen of his ancestors and that was further than he could go back. The Chinese might be justly proud of their anti. quity.
The Hon. Gershom Stewart proposed a vote of thanks for the Chairman.
HONGKONG AMATEURDRAMATIC
SOCIETY.
PERFORMANCE OF
DOROTHY."
The members of the Hongkong A.D.C. gave their first public performance of the comedy opera "Dorothy" on the 19th instant, in the Theatre Royal, in the presence of His Exe llency the Governor, and a crowded house.
The cast was as follows
CHARACTERS.
Squire Bantam
Geoffrey Wilder........ Harry Sherwood.
John Tuppitt
Lurcher
Lady Betty Tom Stru t.....
Dorothy Bantam
Mr. W. M Stewart
Mr. G. P. Lammert Mr. L. J. C. Anderson Mr. T, Brand
Mr. R. Suth. rland Miss Hazeland
Mr. C. A. Parker, R.N. Mrs. A. B. Fullerton
Lydia Hawthorne .................................................. Mrs. Webb Phyllis Tuppitt Priscilla Privett
Mrs. F. Maitland Mrs. Hall-Wright
CHORUS. MESDAMES. — Armstrong, Andrews, J. Alves, Brand, Braidwood, Bain, «hichester, H. Hum- phreys, Hance, Hooper, Jones, Mowbray Jones, Milne, Mitchell, Murray, Quinn, Shaw, and
Beth.
Masges.--Butt, R.M., Chesney, R.E.. Edwards, "Garrett, Goetz, C. Hance, J. Hance, A. Hum. phreys, B.N., C. Humphreys, L. Lamme t, Meyer, Maddaford, Morton-Smith, Philpot, Ruby, Sayer, Sila, Shaw, Sayle, H. Seth, S.
Beth.
When the front cloth was rolled up for the first scene, it was evident that the piece was to be mounted with the thorough attention to
detail for which the local A.D.C. is noted. The scene, y throughout was not a bit amateuri-h It was designed by Mr. H. W. Bird, and Executed by the staff of the A. D. C. The back cloth in the first scene was a pretty landscap showing swelling meadows in harvest time. In the foreground a lot of sheaves of wheat or barley (from the front we could not decide which) were conspicuous. It ought to be printed out that the scene is really laid in Kent, and that the fields would have been more appropriately hop gardens and the corn sheaves hop poles. As this is the only fault to be found with the scenery as a whole, the criticism need not be taken ser ously It is a point to be noted, however. Mrs F. Mait and made a charming
• Phyllis," and in her opening scene with Mr. C. A. Parker, R.N. (Tom, the rustic lover), gave the piece a satisfactory start. Both these parts are small, and it may be sufficient to say at once that both players did all they could to make them go well. They dramatised their scenes and singing with considerable ability. Later in the play, when Mrs. Maitland had her solo to sing, “The time must come when I must yield." the lights unfortunately went wrong, and the singer was almost invisible in the second verse. The number was rendered with considerable feeling, by a well-trained
voice.
The advent of Mrs. A. R. Fullerton and Mrs.
Webb, as "Dorothy" and "Lydia" respective ly, was hailed with applause. Both looked charming in the dainty costumes which are conventionally supposed to belong to the peasantry of the period. Mrs Webb's make- up was perhaps just a trifle overdone Dorothy's solo "Be wise in time," and the refrain, were capitally done, Mrs. Fullerton having a sweet voice, and great vivacity She imported just the right amount of archness into the warning to the matrimonially inclined " Phyllis,"
Messrs. G. P. Lammert and L. J. C. Ander- son came on as "Geoffrey Wilder" and "Harry Sherwood" respectively, and looked the parts. Mr. Lammert looked particularly well-dressed and handsome, but to his companion must be given credit for the most vraisemblance He had that clean, finished. "school" voice which one expects to appertain to a Society “buck,” and his enunciation was at all times, in the speaking parts, almost reminiscent of Hay- den-Coffin in the same rôle.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLŸ PRESS AND
November 28, 1904.
Mr. Lammert's always pleasing voice sounded, | ho" chorus was ofcellent, the after it was moistened in the drinking scene, balanced, and the male element pri richer and sweeter than we had previously heard in the right places. it. In that exquisite ditty. "With such a dainty dame," he was quite at home, and even hat terrible B flat in the second verse was nothing to him. Indeed, we rather incline to the belief that he went higher tha he should have done, and attacked B natural. It sounded a little sharp.
1
Mr. Anderson's solo came much later, in the second scene, the well-known "Queen of my heart" at the door of Dorothy's chamber. This song, by the way, to which the piece undoubtedly owed its before by Mr. Cellier, but failed to emerge from popularity, was composed and published years obscurity. When he changed the words, and imported it into Dorothy" it leaped at once int popular esteem. Mr. Anderson has a nice voice, as we have said, and his enunciation was beautifully clear; but he seemed a lit le "breathy" in the refrain. He must also pardon us for suggesting that, while he gave adequate expression to the pleading and pathos of the verses, he didn't seem to appreciate the motif of the refrain. As we understand it, the refrain, for which the tempo is much accelerated, should be given a kind of reckless, devil-may-care, or "maskee" expression. "Why wait for to-morrow? Let's be happy now, Dorothy." Mr. Anderson sang it with gestures as if he were giving Kipling's "Pay, pay, pay," or something of that order. However, it was an enjoyable item, and the vocalist (if he take note of the point for have absolutely future performances) will nothing to be ashamed of.
By the way, for the sake of future occasions, Mr. Lammert really should watch that trick of It is some. running one word into another. times very hard to avoid, of course, but if he realised how much one of his contributions was marred by these liaisons, he would thank us for the hint.
Mr. R. Suth rland is evidently a prime favourite with Hongkong audiences, unless it was his very funny make-up that secured him such an ovation when he appeared as "Lurcher," the Court sheriff. For some reason or other.
in all the Lurchers we have seen, and particular- ly amateurs, the music of the bailiff's son seems to count for nothing. Business is everything. Mr. Sutherland was certainly at home in his "business," too much an at times, as his gags were occasionally allowed to mis- place necessary cues. They were not always as fresh and unspotted from the world as they might have been. The libretto itself contains some quips that ought to be decently interred, but Lurcher's reference to a method of getting into a theatre without paying was long ago buried, and now betrays all the indications of advanced decomposition. Those who were not present may imagine this comment portends some impropriety. The only thing the matter with it was its venerable age. The only vulgarity in his business belongs to the original, and he cannot be he'd responsible for it where the villagers handle him roughly, threatening to put him "under the pump,' he was particularly good; and as the inebriated secretary at Chanticleer Hall he was better. He ought to get some new jokes, and rehearse them. Real gagging, unless discreetly intro. duced, is unfair to the others, unless they be professionals.
In the scene
Mrs Hall-Wright as “Prisoilla" lööked particularly charming, and made the most of hør minor part, which she very wisely refrained from burlesquing. Her stage presence and walk indicated considerable experience on the boards and she "played up to" Lurcher in a way that must have greatly assisted that humorous gentleman.
The other quartet, "O! fy not yet,” wHE BA pleasing as the first. The music all through was of a very high order, and as there is very little opening for real acting in such produc tion, this may be considered to mean success. The orchestra, under the direction of Mr. A. G. Ward, was composed as follows:- Pianoforte...... Mr. W. A. Courtney.
1st Violins
2nd Violins Viola
'Cello Basso
Flutes...
Obor
Clarionets Bassoon..
1orns...............
Mesars. Barlow, Hickman, and
Xavier.
Messrs. Alves, Marin and Rozario.
Mr. F. Gonzalez.
Mr. P. 1. Miller.
Dr. J. Swan.
Mr. J. Osmund, and Lince-Corpl.
Carbury, 8.F.
Mr. Anderson.
Mus.
Messrs. Murray and Tuxford. Sergeant Carbury, 8. F. Lance Corp. Tucker, S. F.,
Curtis, 8: F. Cornets......... Mus. Hammond, S. F., Mus. Gib-
- son, S. F.
Euphonium ... Sergt. Igoe, S. F.
The Handsmen of the "Sherwood Fora ters,” by kind permission of the Colonel and Officers of that Regiment.
The dancing, arranged by Mr. G. A. Cald- wall, was of a simple character. The ball scene was the best, and the comparatively easy steps of the other ladies, in the "old women
sce110,
were gracefully gone through. The said old women, by the way, might try to cultivate a weaker, more quavering voice for their chorus. Their voices were startlingly youthful and round, coming from such ancient looking crones.
The audience throughout was most approvja-
tive. Encores were demanded oftener than they enjoyable affair was safely over. To Mr. E. were given, and shortly after midnight a very W. Mitchell's management both players and public were alike indebted.
THE SECOND PERFORMANCE.
The Amateur Dramatic Club gave their s-cond performance of Dorothy at the Theatre on 22nd inst. before a large audience, though there
were many racant seats in the dress oirole. A distinct improvement upon Saturday's per formance was no iceable, the leading performers having gained confidence and corrected many of the faults of the first night. It was rezret table that the sudden illness of the gentleman who had r hearsed the part of the innkeeper: necessitated a change on the eve of the per.. formance of the piece, and while we'refrain: from criticising the acting of the gentlemen who at a moment's notice has been called upon to take the part, we may suggest that the promp ter should not shout quite so loudly. He could be distinctly heard last night in the remotest. In the quartet, "we swear to be gool and parts of the house. On the whole the per- true," everything was satisfactory. We might formance was excellent and applauded freely. make the reservation that Lydia might with A new joke was introduced by Lurcher to the advantage have been more responsive to Sher-effect that a man who was suddenly called upon wood's wooing. In the impassioned parts to go into mourning found he possessed only a where he flops on his knees and seizes her hands, he had to go fishing for her hand, and when he caught it, he used it like a pump handle.
The scene at Chanticleer Hall was brilliant. The mounting, the dresses, the grouping, were all splendid, and reflect the greatest possible credit on stage manager and performers alike.
The Squire (Mr. W. M. Stewart) in the fine toist s^ng, sang well, in really pleasant voice; and seted his part very suitably. In the subsequent incidents of the scene, the influence of stage direction was again apparent. The ideas of the author-such as they are-were conscientiously adhered to by all and sundry.
Mrs. Fullerton had further opportunities in What sense is o'er" and in the hunting chorus, and was again fascinating, The "tally
*
white suit. He took two turns round the
Cricket field, and the smoke from the Vavali Yard converted his suit from white to back. The hit was evidently appreciated.
The performance was repeated on the 23rd.. 24th, 26th and 28th inst,
Mr. T. C. Swaby, whose sympathies were evidently all on the side of the Filipinos, res d ́s paper to the Union Church Lite ary Club on the Philippines, the natives, and the alien con- querors. Several distinguished Filipinos were present, including fato Lopes. Aguius de agent in America during the trouble," Señor, Ponçe, (who has published nese, to enlist Japanese syl Lakban, one of the founders Democratic Party in Manila.
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