About
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About
The Entertainment by the Men of H. M. S. “Champion” was a successful Amateur Dramatic Entertainment held on Monday, March 7, 1887 (Approx.), commencing at 9:00 p.m. in the Town Hall, as reported in the Straits Times Weekly Issue. This event was not a formal tour stop but a single charitable performance expressly for the benefit of a sick old shipmate and in aid of Christian charity (Straits Times Weekly Issue, March 14, 1887). The program featured a mixed bill, including an English-language drama (in two parts) and the amusing farce “Chiselling,” which notably included a character described as a “felon parlé Français” (French-speaking felon). The troupe, composed of the ship’s seamen, was considered highly “creditable” for an amateur company, with Mr. R. E. Sloman being praised for his role as Trotter and Mr. James Turner for his good acting as Major Rathbun Rathm; the audience gave a positive response, with the second and third-class seats being “completely filled” (Straits Times Weekly Issue, March 14, 1887).
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Showtimes and Venues
| Date | Time | Frequency | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| – | – | – | – |
Schedule
| Running Order | Schedule Item | Type | Date and Time |
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| No schedule information recorded. | |||
Person and Troupe
| Name | Type | Role in Performance |
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| Person | – |
| Performer (collaborateWith) | Purpose |
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| – |
Support (hasSupport)
| Supporter Name | Type of Support | Support Description |
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| No support information recorded. | ||
Theme and Style
Performance Elements
The actors gave a “very good Amateur Dramatic Entertainment” and performed “exceedingly good in their parts,” showing creditable work for an amateur company (Straits Times Weekly Issue, March 14, 1887).
Context
This performance is a representative example of Naval Amateur Theatre, a common form of 19th-century amateur dramatic entertainment. These events were frequently organized by visiting military and naval personnel as a social activity or charitable exercise during a ship’s port call (as this show was for the benefit of a sick shipmate). The quality of the performance was often influenced by the constraints of a touring naval crew, as evidenced by the reviewer’s note that the company did not perform as well as they did “when they were at home there, or that they had little time to get up new pieces” (Straits Times Weekly Issue, March 14, 1887).
Media
Sources
”Entertainment by the Men of H. M. S. ‘Champion.'” 1887. Straits Times Weekly Issue, March 14, 1887, p. 4.
Contributor
2025. “Entertainment by the Men of H. M. S. “Champion.””. In Performing Archipelagos, edited by Kyueun Kim, Alvin Eng Hui Lim and Hedren Wai Yuan Sum. Singapore: National University of Singapore.
