If unlimited enthusiasm, continued applause, and encores and recalls after every humber, may be taken as sufficient. evidence, the opening performance of Mr. Hudson's Surprise Party at the Lycrum was unquestionably a great success. There was a very good if not quite full house, the fire house considering the strong counter-oilery alone being crowded, but it was a attraction at the Concordia Club. Mr. Hudson calls his party 'a combination of acknowledged vocalists, comedians, instrumentalists and dancers," and this is just the sort of combination that a Shanghai and ence likes. Me, Hudson is an old favourite in Shanghai, and he is just as good a burnt cork artist as ever; he sings as well—he was encored twice after his comic refrain Skip the Gutter—and his songs and jokes take as well as ever they did; he is as deft with the taube us lo: ever was, and his dancing is still something to see.
Gilbert is a very good bones, "Phe Bridge" in the second part with such dramatic power that he was heartily encored. Of the lady performers Miss Habgovd must be mentioned first, for on her slight shoulders falls half the weight of the performance. She is on the stage the whole time, accompanying the ngs and dances and choruses, or playing solos, and always without book. "She is n really admirable pianist, with splendid execution and delightful expression, and it is very rare to find so perfect an accom-pauist who is at the same time a notable solo performer. Her brilliant playing of the Scotch fantasia, Abergeldi showed her mastery of the instrument, and she was equally at home with Moskowski's Polish Dance, which she gave in response tu the core which was asked for. Mr. Hudson is certainly to be congratulated or having engaged such " really first class artist as Miss Habgood is. In Miss Baber tov, he has brought us an artist with " very tine voice which she has been well taught to use, and who sings with taste and feeling. She sang four songs on Saturday, of which the best perhaps—though it is not easy to say where all were so well rendered—was +¢Twas within a mile of Edinboro' toon," if that, however, was better than The Old Folkes at Home." Thee artistes were the cream of the entertainment, and nobody could fairly expect the entertainment to be allcreaw. The milk of it was Music Hall, and the ladies who sang and danced and assisted in the comic sketches did their share with plenty of spirit, and kept the audience well pleased throughout. The whole was concluded by a really astonishing trapeze performance by Ouda, which wws trapeze being at such a height from the just long enough not to be tiresome, the stage that one could enjoy the performer's graceful and really marvellous acts without the involuntary feeling of fear that accum-Sone ata great height. Mr. Hudson is to anies similar performances when they are
appear again this evening, when he will no doubt have 'a still larger house, and on Wednesday there is to be a complete change of programme.
7th April.
The Hudson Surprise Party on Monday played to a moderately well filled house, but ry one present seemed very well pleased with the good things provided for them, as applause was constant and encoresnumerous, the programme being the same as that of the opening night. Miss Lily C. Baber and Miss Habgood confirmed the previous good impression they had made, whilst Mr. Hudson was a host in himself. If the audience had been permitted they would have kept Mr. Hudson dancing for an hour, as nothing more whimsical that his nigger breakdown can well be imagined. Mr. Hudson scored a decided success with his encore song "The Windy Man from Tientsin," which is bound to be heard frequently. Misses Nelly Harley, Laura Roberts, Lilly Linton and A. Clements all contributed in a marked way to the success of the performance, and were ably assisted by Mr. H. Gilbert. The trapeze performance of Ouda was very remarkable, and there was but one fault about it—that it was too short. The Surprise Party give their next performance this evening, and as the! excitement of the Royal visit will then be over, there is every reason to suppose that they will be rewarded by the bumper house they so well deserve.
To keep an audience, composed of all sorts and conditions of theatre-guars, amused for nearly three hours is a task rather dificult of accomplishment; but Mr. Hudson's Surprise Party surmount the difficulty in the most thorough manner, and from the rising to the falling of the curtain the audience never experience dull moment. On Wedneaday night there was an entire change of programme, and the enthusiasm which prevailed in the house left no doubt as to Mr. Hudson having most certainly hit the public taste. Miss Lily C. Baber was in her best voice, and won n decided encore for her spirited rendering of the Drinking Song from Gireflé-Girofla. In the matter of instrumental music nothing could be more fasminating then the playing of Miss May Habgood who opened the second part wil Ascher's fine solo " Alice, where art thou", and it is not going too far to say that this lady is one of the finest pianistes who have ever performed in Shanghai. Mr. Hudson is not to be equalled, but his songs must be heard and his dances seen to be thoroughly appreciated. His Funeral's to-morrow is one of ti jest of funny songs, and the "hi " "infused into it baffles description. Miss Nellie Harley also pleased her audience with her serio-comic songs. She also took part with Miss Baber in the duet "In the dusk of the twilight" which was one of the most pleasing numbers in the programme. Ouda's wonderful feats brought a most delightful performance to close, and some of his extraordinary evolutions must be seen to be believed. They perform again this evening.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.