Discussion of Shanghai's iking for Shakespeare, as performed by amateurs, may' be helped by delving into some of the records of the Shanghai Amateur Dra matic Club which gave its 24st show with "Mrs, Moonlight" this month and officially began in 1867 with a double bill: "Whitebait at Greenwich" and "Faust and Marguerite." (Double bills were, by the way, the usual thing in the amateurs' performances in Shanghai for many years). " The records show that only three Shakespearean performances have been given by the A.D.C. Only one of them constituted a complete play: "Twelfth Night" given in 1920 as the Club's 184th production. 'The others were "Selections from Henry IV" in 1872 and "The Merchant of Venice" (in part) in the same year. In 1872 the then editor of this journal, Mr. R. W, Little, was honorary secretary' of th A.D.C. in addition to other social duties such as starter at the local races, Tickets by "visitors who are not residents of Shanghai" could be obtained only through Mr. Little, judging from advertisements on the front page of the paper, Mr. Little's colleague, Mr, drummond Hay, the Manager of this journal, was also a great supporter of the Club and an inimitable impersonator of old ladies on the stage. The cast of "Henry IV" is here given, but, it 'Ig not easy to believe in some' of the names:
Prince of Wales Sir John Falstaft Mr, Spurgeon Peto ' Mr. R. Ginger Shen Mistress Quickly Miss Keffalee Obviously here are Mr, Brewer and Mr, Murray. Mr, in probably was as much a pseudonym as Mr. Drinkwater and Mr. Ginger, although should be noted "that, in 1920, when "Twelfth Night" was. produced the scenery was painted by Mr, R. 'T. Peyton-Griffin, now a member of the A.D.C. Committee, The critics apparently liked this first essay in Shakespeare and asked for more, The faithful chronicler in. the Honorary Secretary's own journal said:
The care and study which had evidently "been bestowed, the eoctaoss of euch performer. in dialogue, and the "appreciative force with which every" point. given, "were the. subject of Sral comment. We Reavtily con gratulate the Dramatic" Club Upon the suees which has been fghieved, and trust that selec-Hons "from" Shakespeare's plays may not in future prove few nor far between.
Gaily the Club went on to the Trial Scene in the Merchant, of Venice" the same season. Mr. Spurgeon was still in the this time as Shylock, but the rest were newcomers, such as Mr. Anigrim, "Mr. Smaliweed, Miss Ida N. Seek, Mr. Nautilus and Mr, Frail, "But they did not do 80 well. Mr. Spurgeon was considered to have been seen to better advantage, although threw into the part "a concentrated energy that startling." The critics were not pleased with the selections made
performance of the great play.
presenting thie fragmentary Graceful mention was, however, made of the costumes which were described as "new and tasteful," thanks to Messrs. Sayle & Ca. (whose advertisement appeared on the front page of the same issue and recorded the arrival, among other haberdasheries, "of "fancy linen materials' in' mixtures, check and stripes for Gentlemen's Oxford Shirts.")
Not, until thirty-two years later did Shakespeare again hold the AD.C. boards, so the hope frequent Shakespearean productions was not fulfilled. The production of! "Twelfth Night" in 1920 was, however, an undoubted success.from' at least one point of view:
In conclusion it was perhaps a surprise to some of the audience find how well amateurs ak blank "verse. And. this special point may" be noticed (often a matter of criticism in the ast) that every word could be clearly heard. We hope the production will be a financial Success. It is certainly an artistic one.
Mr. E. P. Graham Barrow the producer (and player of the part of Sebastian) and he and Mr. Peyton-Griffin came in for Special praise for their respective labours, "Malvolio was played—and well played apparently—by Captain J. Morley Peel, but some of the other characters were taken by actors whose names are of some interest today. There was Mr. A. H. E. Edwardes as Orsino—"impressively filled by Mr. Edwardes who cut a fine figure and made good use of a rich voice". Mr.
Dexter was the musical director "and received special commendation. Mr, A. J. Hughes was Curio and Captain H. G. Reed was the Ist Officer and it was stated that their parts were "well-filled." Mrs. Chris. Wingrove was hailed as an admirable Olivia and Mrs. Morley Peel as an unusually fine Viola. Miss Helen Macgregor was "a, clever laughter loving Marie." Mr. Morley Peel was in an insurance company. He and his wife had both been on the professional stage.
So the A.D.C. has never really been keen on Shakespeare if the actual number of performances be the criterion. In the early days J. Madison Morton seems to have been a popular author. His "Whitebait at Greenwich" start:
the ball rolling and followed by "To Paris and Back for £5". Tom Taylor's "Still Waters Run Deep," "Plot and Passion" and "The Overland Route" and H. J, Byron's bur-lasques such as "The Maid and the Magpie" caught Shanghai's fancy, Farce and burlesque indeed bulked large in the record. It would seem that generally the selection followed the course of dramatic history in London. A popular West End success was Tonger-established plays, unless preference to other
the A.D.C. was giving a variety entertainment or "potting" some previous production, Gilbert and Sullivan's Comic Operas have been more consistently popular than any other form of play. "Trial by luced in London in 1982, "H.M.S. Pinafore" (first produced in London in 1878) was stayed in Shanghai in 1880 and 1932, "The Yeomen of. the Guard" was not put on until 1897 but it was repeated in 1909. In 1896 "The Pirates of Penzance" land "The Gondoliers" were produced so the Gilbert and Sullivan boom period was in 1896-7. The last two plays were revived in 1920 and 1919 respectively. "The Mikado" was played in 1925. pears on its playbills in 1870 when it was already 23 years old and, incidentally, one of J. Maddison Morton's most success ful farces, and again in 1876 and 1879. It was played last year in one of the A.D.C.'s monthly: "evenings" at the Lyceum as a "period" piece. "Ici On Parle Francais"—another farce of the same kind in which Tode excelled and first produced in London in 1859—was shown in Shanghai by the amateurs in 1874 and 1884. In 1884 there was also staged "The Wedding March." This play was repeated in the following year. It was first produced in London in 1873 as an "eccentricity by. FI. Tomine." Although it does not so appear' in the usual list of W. S. Gilbert's plays, it is generally attributed to that dramatist, whose "Sweet-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.