Young Men’s Institute
The Young Men’s Institute was an organization founded in Cape Town in 18**.
Contents
The club and venue
They initially met in the Mutual Hall, but in 1868 the Cape Town Institute and Club Limited opened their own new building in Burg Street.
Theatrical activities and entertainments
The Young Men’s Institute hosted a popular entertainments (mainly "Literary" and "Musical") in Cape Town from 1867 to 1870.
Young Men’s Institute Amateur Christy’s
During the heyday of the minstrelsy period (circa 1870), the YMI club hosted an amateur dramatic society which was informally known as the Amateur Christy's or Young Men’s Institute Amateur Christy’s. It was one of three Christy's companies active in the city at the time. They initially performed in the Mutual Hall, but when the Cape Town Institute and Club Limited opened their own new building in Burg Street on 15 July, 1868, they shifted their activities and used that as their normal venue.
Among the people involved appears to have been a Mr Toogood, possibly one of the leading figures,
Their performances consisted of minstrelsy shows and so-called negro farces
The Young Men's Institute ands Club Dramatic Company (YMI)
[JH]
Sources
F.C.L. Bosman, 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 272-3,
P.J. du Toit, 1988. Amateurtoneel in Suid-Afrika. Pretoria: Academica
Jill Fletcher. 1994. The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930. Cape Town: Vlaeberg.
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