Smoking concert

The term smoking concert (or simply a Smoker) was used in the 19th century to refer to a live performance, normally attended by an audience of men only. Especially popular during the Victorian era, these social occasions were also instrumental in introducing new musical forms to the public (e.g. Christy style performances). They were really social occasions, at which the attendees would speak of politics while smoking, listening to live music or comic acts and speeches.

Such events also took place in the British colonies or on board British naval vessels in the later 19th century.

South African examples include one held for the visiting English cricket team, led by C. Aubrey Smith, in the Exhibition Theatre, Cape Town, on 24 December, 1888. (For the programme, see C. Aubrey Smith)

For more on them see the Wikipedia entry at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_concert

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_concert

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: p. 389.

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