The Express.
London, England, 1859-12-27 00:00:00

SURREY.

The transpontine atmosphere is congenial to pan-
tomime, and Messrs. Shepherd end Creewick, the lessees
end always succeerful caterers of this popular establishment,
never allow a boxing-day to pass without producing one of
the beet, if not the bat, specimen of this peouliarly English
class of entertainment, which mark the intraduMion of the
Christmas theatrical sermon. Harlequin King Holiday, or
the Fairies° f the Enchanted Valley, and the King that Wass
Silted a Cat, which is the title of the Surrey pantomime for
the season of 1859-00, is quite equal in all its main features
of broad burlesque, grotesque situation, uninterpretable puns,
satirical hits at the follies, fashions, and fears of the day—
clever harlequinade, wonderful transformatioes, first-rate

dancing, and lest, bat not least, beautiful matey and
artistic groupings, to any of its pradecesaors. Theta were

one or two ;wehe:areed effects befits the curtain—the most
noticeable of which was a voluntary chorus, in which pit,
board, and gallery joined, of the two popular song; "
we have oilseed you," and .‘ Wait for the waggon."

ASTLEY'S.

The pantomime at Astley's is entitled Harkquia
Ten Mealy; or, Old Tooter Me Btattinuni and the Goddess
Diana. The plot is founded on the old story of a rich sad
somindisk ancient gentleman 'nettles to obtain the hand of
a young lady, he being favoured by her tether, while the
young lady herself favours a much younger lover, and the
object of the piece to to exhibit the old gentleman
in moat ridiculous poeitions, and to throw all eerie
of obstacles in his way, while every facility is given
to the youthful lover. The Met scone represents Baccha-
nalian' holding • revel. They are Interrupted by the Fairy
Progression,who reproaches them for not providing the anal
Christmas fare—a pantomime. They agree to aid in getting
one up, and young Tom Moody and Patty, Old Towlsee
daughter, with Old Towler enraged in the back-ground
being shown them In a vision, they take that as their subject.
They depart to inform the Goddess Diana that Old Squire
Oninesgold ta seeking to obtain Patty for himself. The
goddess arrives in her siatwoar' drawn by palfreys. She
explains having; been annoyed by the Squire, and commands
her court to assist the lovers. We are then introduced
to Old Towler's hoe" and the Squire appear' to claim the
maiden's hand. Of course she refuses, and Tom Moody
enters, secures Patty, and they fly off on two rapid hunter".
The Squire and the huntsman pursue, but they are misled by
Will-o'-the.Wisp, and the Squire meta with some oomical
misadventures, and at last his horse plumps with Mtn through
the window of a draper's shop.Thsa comae the transformation,
. _ _

the scenery ot which wee remarkably pretty. The frolicsome
tricks of clown, harlequin, and sprites follow of course, but
these an not all, the entire resources of the establishment,
se the play-bill satires as, being brought into mid-
'Mon. Certainly the equine portion of the setabliahmest
are, and with excellent effect, especially In oes of the scenes,
which represents Epsom Races, or " The Derby of 1660,"
and in which there is a moat exciting race, the nouns" being
the ring and the stage. But, besides the horses, en df
phial is made to eaglet, and well he dose it, one of him feats
being in one of the scenes to seize hold of one of the sprites
and bear him off bodily. In addition, a troupe of performing
doge and monkeys are introduced, which have been brought
into. state of surprising discipline. Mr. Rilderbrandt made
an 'salient merry Clown, and 61acIlle. Mazzoni a geed
Columbine. Altogether, the pantomime was well put on the
stip, and It wee favourably received by a fall home. Mr.
Cooke, we perceive, announce, that this is his Lanwell pan-
tomime, and that he intends to retire from the profession and
from the management of this amphitheatre at the termina-
tion of the present season.

THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

The great Christmas Festival, so presented yesterday to a
very appreciative than and as advert:sad to be continued
daily until further notice, embraced • clam of acausementa
not often brought together in a pleas of any preteneion to
critical notice. There was Punch, to begin with ; and there
was a comic Irishman, endearingly called Sam Collins, and to
all appearance • hugely popular personage with nine-tenthe of
his audience out this mouton; and there was the Chantrill
family, regarding whom we feel bound to confess a doubt
whether they perform airs In conowt on &collection of violins,
or whether the heed of that family reclines with els beck on
a spangled bolster, and tomes the younger branches in the
Mr with the soles of his feet; and there were the Campbell
Minstrels, who were received with immense ehnering, and
were as loudly applauded throughout their performance
wee Mr. Samuel Conies; and there was Professor Sinclair,
whom conjuring might hero been extremely good or unutter-
ably bed fur anything that could be made out by the great
maim of his spectators; and there wee Mr. Mackney, de-
scribed se the inimitable," and beyond question a very
clever actor in the nigger line of entertainment; and
them was • ballet; and there were dissolving views, and
grotesque phantearnegoris, sod deecriptive tenures, and ap-
propriate mute, and, fn cher, the whole series of well-wors
Dovelike which a cymbal attendant on the misfortunes of
suburban literary sad scientific institutions would forms-
Wee se "the net d It."