‘The entertainment or lecture ... is highly amusing....’ and consists of ‘a large number and great variety of well-selected tales and songs ... The trip to England and what was seen there, the description of the metropolis of Great Britain at six in the morning, and the very funny anecdote about the New Zealand pianoforte market ... are all very amusing’ in the first part of the programme.
‘ Mr. Simmons' descriptions of the police courts in Sydney thirty years ago is highly laughable ... The song called “The Seven Ages of Man" affords a fine opportunity for the display of Mr. Simmons' powers of mimicry...
'The hit of the evening ... was the "Extemporaneous Song," which was really clever, and as a specimen of improvisation, exceedingly good. Various local subjects were touched upon ... The third part of the performance comprised selections and illustrations from various dramatic and other authors.’
Source: 'Thirty Years' Recollections of Sydney.' The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser 23 July 1863: 3:
Sighted: 10 April 2014
Performed at the School of Arts, West Maitland, 20 July 1863 and at the Mechanics' Institute, East Maitland, 24 July 1863.
Performed under the title 'Sydney Thirty Years Ago' at the Royal Victoria Theatre, Sydney, 3 August 1868.
An advertisement for the Royal Victoria Theatre benefit night for Joseph Simmons on 3 August 1868. Productions comprise: Isaac Bickerstaff's The Hypocrite, Isaac Pocock's The Robber's Bride and selections from Joseph Simmons's Thirty Years' Recollections of Sydney.
An advertisement for the Royal Victoria Theatre benefit night for Joseph Simmons on 3 August 1868. Productions comprise: Isaac Bickerstaff's The Hypocrite, Isaac Pocock's The Robber's Bride and selections from Joseph Simmons's Thirty Years' Recollections of Sydney.