Phoenix Dramatic Club
An amateur dramatic society founded at the Cape in 1865, probably a revival "from the ashes" of the old Cape Town Dramatic Club.
Not to be confused with the Christy's-inspired Phoenix Club active in 1868.
The club aspired to "a revival of the drama" in Cape Town, and had their first performance on 27 June, 1865 in the Theatre Royal, apparently "free, gratis and for nothing", only for invited theatre-goers, the performers paying all the costs.
The bill for the evening contained The Irish Attorney, or Galway Practice, featuring Mr Dillon (as the attorney), Mr Barrington and Mr Egerton. The play was followed by a Christy's style performance by Mr Egerton and Mr Angelo.
On 1 August they did a repeat of , with a performance of "the Grand Comical, Classical (Musical) Burlesques" of William Tell, with scenery by C.J. Smith. (The publicity of the piece compares it to the 1861 production of the piece by Sefton Parry.) This evening's performance was a paid one, and apparently the audiences did not turn up.
Sadly, no more is heard of the Phoenix Dramatic Club after that.
Sources
P.J. du Toit, 1988 [JH]
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