The Express.
London, England, 1856-12-25 00:00:00

NATIONAL STANDARD.

Last niglil;;---Cirisiroas novelty, entitled
" Bickedy-Pickedy Uy Black Bea ; or Harlequin King
Waite r and gem. Spring," was produced at this theatre,
Mr. Douglass, the leme, being the inventor of the new piers.
The opening seem represents " Weed Vale and Charmed
Serpent's Cave," is which Gorgon Demonima is discovered
meditating a plot of vengeance against Gorgoais, the elf
queen, who, hiving become 'contoured of Prince Paragon,
rejects,the offer of Gorgon', bud. The Elf Qaeen, is order
to make ants of the Priam, transform the Primes Para-
goals, of whom the Priam is deeply enamoured, into •
black hat, sad sets oat for the palm of King Winter. The

Prises, apprised of the traniformiatiom, 0011ifiTel to SCOW
pony the Primus to the palace, in which she is kept a pri-
soner. The ease then champ* to the enchanted gardens
snd royal poultry preserves of the 2111thneen, whores gread
sad grotesque procession of poultry takes place, tonalastieg
in a dance by the metamorphosed victims of Gorgonio. The
Pries, has to select from antoopt the poultry, and, by •
happy chaise, he chooses the black he.. No sooner is the
selection made, however, than the lovers are math forced
asunder by the elda power of Gorgonio. The Prisons,
la her flight, is misted by the Red Dwarf, who
restores her to her proper form, declares his love,
and presents her with a magic flower, which be declares to
be a 'petals against all charms and spells. The Prthos
snatches the dower from the Dwarf, and heads it to the
Prison, bat I. retain he is himself transformed into a goose,
and the Prisome is translated to the centre of • lonely
mosatain. Here she invokes the Spirit of the Roes, where-
apes the scene changes to the " Crystal LW sad Fairy
Hew of Flowers." The Princess now obtains the aid of
the Good Fairy Spring, and at her Misuses sa assembly of
fairies 'shad, at which it is determined to assist the lovers.
The neat setae introduces as to "Frost Pavilion, on the
borders of Wonderland," where the Mauna Paragon's
arrives la a perambulator, and relates the tale of the
Prime's metamorphosis. The King of Wonderland is
very indignant, and summons his guards fora Male of the
Prince, but the Fairy Spring appears and tells him that
the restorstion or the Pnace can only be accomplished by
the golden root of the Fairy Tree. Here we have the magi-
cal appearance of the "Fairy Tree" and the approach of King
Winter and his Army. A dire conflict takes plan betwirea
the Idol* Infantry and the Red-hot Poker Guards, but
King Winter is defeated, taken primes?, and conveyed to
the Groat Hall of the Demon's Palace," where summary
execution is about bias doss on him and his fellow
prisoners, when the good Fairy Spring appears and rescues
them from the enemy, changing the abode of darkens into
the " Golden Realms of Bummer." At this point the usual
transformations take plan, Kr. Ashen appearing as
Harlequin, Mr. Bird as Pantaloon, Mr. J. Doughty as
Clown, 11/adds. Patinae as Columbine and Mew.
J and Felix Carlo as Sprites. The iaviriable tricks of
pantomime night were performed, and the flying follies of
the day were held up to the laughter of the spectators.
The scenery throughout the piece is tasteful aad appro.
prisms, and the traniformatios scene is very brilliant
indeed. The piece was successful, bat the audience wee
thin, owing probably to the very unusual proceeding of
opening on Caristaass-eve. Christmas-eve is 'amenity a
preparation,. and is by many sessidered a portion of the
great festival of Clawless and it is somewhat questionable
taste to forestal the general theatrical opening on Booing
day. The enters thieve is rising in public estimation,
and with the scenery and general getting up of the present
Ct illillll piece it need not shriek from the fair field of
wmpetitios.

At this theatre last evening 0 Boziog-night" wY
anticipated by the production of a pantomime on Christ-
mas-am. Is one respect the experiment was eminently
succustal, fur every nook sad urger of the hoes. WM
filled. Bat the Waviness cm ;sustain were not eadieed to
this ad of bringing oat the pion two sights before it wee
des. Is the first place. all the chenctere is the harlequin-
' ode were made to speak, la doggrel vane of soiree. Test
there was • female liarloquia sad • female Clowa
• singing Columbine was saps:added to the ducats
oat, sod there was besides • boy Clown. A
Hultqais, played by a loans woos. is • leas
spaaglodjaket, sod equally loose trousers, did not prima,
any wry strikiag peaslierity, u something of lb. kind was
MIS lug year at the Adelptd ; but a Clown, sued by •
▪ tai set impossial, loan dy, was seleilated to
weft ellseebef ipprabeselons. Mies CaMbert, the lady
who wadowlwit M. part, exhibited considerable humour
(sub es is agiamil hoe Clowns), aa well asa proper amount
of what say Mr sailed the iree ad easy maser which
is a neessaity of the put; aid at the use time 'vole ed ay
tendency to equivocal marseassa, *hush would lieu been
fatal to her essuraption of the charectsr; gad as for as such
ma iavenlos of Me anal order of things could go, .h.
wee decidedly enecessful. Of the pantipme as a whole it
may be mid that although the imperiMou and hitches
were so samerous as to give ft the appearance rather of •
dress rehouse', and to evoke as apologetic; appeal to the
audience from the manger, yet eonstdenag the neessaatily
limited rermaroes of the hoses it was very well got up, sad
if it is well weeded, especially by the cutting out of all the
talk of the kulequin, clowns, and pantaloon, ad their sa-
tellites, It will oa tha day of what miy be ealed its actual
production, bold • very good plain 'amongst the eatettain-
moats of the wawa.