The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-26 00:00:00

SADLER'S WELLS.

The pantomime at thin house—produced on
Saturday night—world up a local subject very plesa.ntly,
and ought to delight not only playgoers old and young, but
the whole Society cf Antiquaries. It deals with every roman-
tic pular) in the life of Sir Hugh Myddelton not recorded
by Mr. Smiles, or asy other biographer of England's earliest
water-company projector, sod it ought to gain that prize
which has been offered for so many years by the Institute
of Civil Engineers for a complete biography of the man
who made the new-old-river. The author of this clever
pantomime is Mr. Charles Milward, whose previous efforts
have been chiefly confined to the Theatre Royal Liverpool,
and his title is, "Sir Hugh Myddelton and the Fairy of the
Crystal Stream, or Harlequin and the Bailiff's Daughter of
In finite's."
The curtain rises and discloses a view of Black Mary's
Hollow, Itsgnigge Wells, mid Pestilential Abode of the
Water Poisoners. Mother Shipton (Mr. W. S. Foote), who
has taken refuge here under the assumed name of Black
Mary, relates to her companions bow she has succeeded is
diverting the waters of the Isliegtoe springs from their
lateral channels, and the assembled witches revel in the
anticipation of the evils arising from a general scarcity of
pure water. In the vicinity of the Witches' Cavern, but
hidden by rocks and closed by enchantment, is the
Mezhaustible Crystal Stream, and guarding this stream
is the fair Roseleaf (Mies Ethel. Sommers). • daughter
of the tyrannical Bailiff of Isliogtoo (Mr. William Elliirtoo),
who has been imprironed here from her infaocy, and until
her release is effected by mortal power Mother Shipton
and her associate■ eau ply their nefarious trade with impu-
nity. Telegram (Miss Lizzie Harrison), a fairy attendant
upon Aqua (Miss Maggie ('ampbell), the spirit of the stream,
disturbs the witches' revel., and informs them that Row
leers imprisonment will soon be at an end. Seem. the
essond introduces us to the tyrannical Bailiff of laliegtoe,
who is roughly dispenaior (in) justice in the Old Hall of
Isliogtoo, His other daughter, the ugly Grumbolino (Mr.
John Mordaunt), is presented to the assembled courtier.,
but the gift is unanimously refused, and the unlucky damsel
reesives the "cut" direct from her father's dependent•. •
deputation of citizens arrives, with • lamentable account
of the sufferings of the inhabitants through want
of water, and Telegram appears with a message from ;
the king, in which the bailiff is commanded, on
peril of his head, to obtain • supply of fresh water
for the suffering people of Islington and ClerkenwelL In
his desperation the bailiff offers the band of his daughter
to him who shall discover the crystal stream, but the as.
sembledeourtiers do not manifest an eager desire to compete
for the prize. The neat men* displays • view of Sedler's
wells two Isuodred years ago. Here Mother Shiptou is die-
passing the w►ters to Grumbolino and other.. Popinjay
(Miss Emma Anetey), a gay young City spark, befog emit-
tea with the charms (!) of Crumbolina, announces his
inteutiou to set forth in quest of the magic stream,
and the bailiff gives his ready sanction to the un-
dertaking. In the meantime Hugh Myddeltoe (Miss
Liazie Wilmors), • goldsmith's apprentice, has quitted
his situation in search of adventure, and after read.
Mg the proclamation, announces a determination
to explore the hidden stream, "as be has long had that
water in his eye." A romantic glade in the Enchanted