The Express.
London, England, 1850-12-27 00:00:00

TRW FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, 1850.

CRRISTMAS AMUSEMENTS.
DRURY-LAN&
The Winter's Tots was 'Gamely a judicious roles-
ties tor Mr. Aedesson'e last night. Awlienens that '
can setreely be pens dad w listen to Jaw Shore and
George Barnieell may be .mod to 'visa but little
aPProllialion of a story so far bossed then in beauties, and
be them in whet are salad " elects." Amoselingly,
though the piece was, to say the least, respectably east, it
fell flat, and had not sufleinet hold, at any rate apes the
lrn n iegn, toans
int...somewhat more than the usual asinine
ption impacted upon " bootee might."
The favourite points of the gallery appeared to be the nurs-
ing of the infant Perdita by Mr. Cooper (whisk that gentle-
mas aceemplishad with a certain dthiestic breadth), and
the appearance of Hermione as the statue. She letter was
evidently hailed es a step in the right direction, taken by the
legitimate drama towards the Poses Plastigises. In
Pieties, however, to Mr. Audanon it mast be std that the
performance damned a hotter reception. That gentleman's
personation of Lwow. was free from exaggeration, and
showed maks of care and study ; end one would warmly
desire a more tender and grant' Hermiona than that of
Mee Vendeshoff. As for Mr. Emery, he is always at home
is a rogue (we meek of him, be it uddentood, only in hie
artistic chanter), and in the character of Autolyens he
reminded us of Leanne himself..
But enough of the play alter so partial a hearing. We
can speak with lees hesitation of the pantomime, which is
stated to be the production of " the popular author of
" Zsse at so as "—B. Fitshall, Seq. It bean the interest-
ing title of Bathyal* aid Hompty iftwipty ; or, Bobbin de
Bobbin and fib fret Lord Mayor of Lins'on. The
hero is no lees thus the mysterious individual, oelebrated
in song as llamas, in some time and place unknown, at
upon a wall only io toll therefrom, and who, fur some on-
explained reason, it was found impossible to set up again,
ma with the aid of all the King' horses and all the King's
men. Robbie de Bobbin is the " Big-bellied Ben," whose
gastronomist garnets (settee priests, and chatchea, and
steeples, and eo forth) are recorded in the same ballad.
These annum make their appearance when the big men is
dely eeagseed and cut up, and, with the hatching of
Hanipty p(y, who issues from his egg a very promising
sprite, torso some of the prominent effects of the entertain-
ment. How the big man is in loth with the " fair mayde
of Clam.," an how • certain Hal Fitnairti of 04.ie
more favoured; what the Old Woman of Finehley has lei do
with the business, sad the use that is made et the wish
lag *tote, it Is seedless to detail. Bales It that
after the anal number of ponces with absurdly
large beads have performed the usual antics with
hobby horns, impossible wicker-work machines, and
got-lets overfithiner with convivial wool, the Pony of the
Well Ads the usual theme for the inevitable changes, and
sends the dramatis persona on their travels. The mooed
part of the pantomime is like the mooed part of any
pantomime that has been seen within the memory of
' the eelabrated " oldest inhabitant "—except perhaps that
more vegetables and poultry wen thrown about the stage,
and more property policemen knocked on the head than
' and. For the rest, the transformations were not often
very happy—notwithstanding that moat of the subjects of
the day were touched upon, No Popery being particularly
' prominent. M. Devlin and Mdlle. Theodore were a very
satisfactory Harlequin and Columbine; the Clown and
Pantaloon were played by Mr. Seymour and Mr. J. Dina-
lin; and the Sprite by Mr. Peskin. The watery, rape-
eisliy the two views of Old London, was extremely elective.
But, almgether, the audience did not seem in the beat poe-
' sible humour.
' The National Anthem was snag by the whole oompeny at
the coaelusion of the Winter's Tale.

LYCEUM.
There are a crowd of people strong in the belief
thatehristmas woulu be a dell meson of the year without
the aid of Mr. Planate. What he " would de this Curia-
mas" has been a favourite enquiry round the fireeide of
theatre-goers daring the put week;—and last night, a crowd
that nearly took the ttheek-taken by storm, thronged to the
Lyceum to have their expectations satisfied. It may be
observed by the way that this crowd was, for the Lyceum,
an extremely noisy crowd. There is usually so
much decorum before the curtain in this has that one
was really quite surprised fact night to find a pit that
stamped, and stormed, sad grossed, and whistled, jut as if
Gerry member of it had paid toll over the adjacent bridges.
However, noisy though it was, it was a good.bussoured
crowd. Duro, was only one cry of " turn him out" during
the whole evening; sad the whole boos endured a very
vapid first piece with au equanimity that certainly was
praisswerthy.
Mr. Phoebe's burlesque was the second piece performed.
It commenced at halt-past 8, and concluded at II ; from
which it is quite dear tha. it most be certailed by half an
boar. This, however, will be managed without difilcalty,
for there ts fairy quadrille in which all the steps of all the
notions of the world as represented by all the members of
the corps de ballet. This quadrille certainly occupied last
night • good three quarters of an hour. There were so
many pas and fandsngoes that, despite excellent dancing,
the audience grew quite weary. When a great part of this is
eliminated, there will be more opportunity of eejoying the

- - -
remalader..
The story Mr. Plaudit has selected for this year's Matra.
lion is a little French fairy tele known as LOisierni Bien,
which is onetund andel the title of King Charmer", or
She Bliss Bird of Paradise. King Charming is 'sovereign
of the Islands of Percy, and is travelling through a quarter
of the globs unknown in search of that meet desirable article
—a woman tit to be his wife. Punta report of
the charms and green of the Princess Florian induce
him to send an ambassador to the court of her
lather, the King of Cockeye". The father, who is no less
• sovereign than Heap ekt the Hundredth, receives the
embassy knottily, and at once promises his daughter's hand.
Bet his wife, the Queen Tyranna, has other views. She,
a beim widow, has married Henpeekt in his widowhood,
each having an only daughter for whom a good match is
desirable. Tyrants' detenaines that King Charming shall
be made to marry, sot Florins, to whom his
heart is pledged, hut her own daughter, the Prie-
m. Troths', whose charms are fading and whose
popularity is snail. With this view she arranges an elope-
ment, in which Kiss Charming is made to run away with
the damsel whom he would have desired to run away from,
whilst his own true love remains immured in a solitmy
tower, pining over the Idea that her swain is faithless.
King Charming no 'user ands out his error than be
desires to cut oF Tannins and egad her bask to her
marners. But a powerful fairy intermits', rod changes him
Into • Blue Bird of Paradise. As • blue bird he flies away
and seeks the tower where Florins is confined. Here he
pecks at the window, and having obtained admission codes.
routs to solace the captive dampers grief. Bat unhappily
Tyrone* ie apprised by her daughter of Kirg Chorusing's
fate, and discovers also that • blue bird, answering to the
description given of him, it dart' singing at Florioa's win
doer. She discovers his nest in a cypress tree—puts in it •
hundred bladed penknife with oil the blades wide unu—
sed the poor bird retuning one dark evening after loiteriog
too long in his lady's chamber, is pierced in the gizzard by the
instrument, and to all appearance wounded mortally.
In other rut in aa well u in this realm of ours there are
those who practice in the heeling arts. Hocus Poeus, a
wiebrated magician, is at the bead of the Physicians College
in C.ukayne. With the aid of Sal Volatile to restores King
Charming to life, and to his nature' Aware, cad transports
him to the Fancy Islands. Here, however, the monarch is
visited with a frightful melancholy. Unconscious that the
tyrant queen had diseovered his secret, he believes that it
was Florin's hand that ociessinsed his mutilation, and be
lives but to complain of the infidelity of womankind.
Florins :eisanwhile le searching the world over for the
Blue Bird, which has reseed to visit her, and which she
supposes to have flown away. Assisted by a good fairy she
at length comes to the Fancy Islands, where, by aid of
that royal and justly-celebrated pie in which tour. ard.
twenty blackbirds were once baked, she is able to set
herself before the King. the picture of innocence, of truth,
and bemity. King Charming, whose realms whilst a
hypechoadrise have been subjected to a vice regency, is at
once restored both to his health and his dominions, and ooli-
tic ass to live with his consort in red fire and haggisess until
the caftan fells upon the entertainment.
Mr. Planchg, as • dramatic writer, Is en artist, and this
entravagaess is worked oat with all his accustomed skill
But it has precisely the eine weakness as his Christmas
Moe of last emu, namely, a want of point and piquancy he
dialogue. The applause was all awarded to the aeon, to the
mete, the siesta', the dusting, the costumes, and, above
all, she 'celery ; there were scarcely • &gen " hits" through-
out the Moe that told, though the actors strove to point
whatever appeared juicier, and the 'adieus certainly did
let seem obtuse.
Of the cons;ruetiost of the piece, however, and of all that
hes been done to aid it, it is impossible to speak too highly.
The tale is delightfully illustrated : each scum is a page le
sideture book, engraving tee story the more deeply spout
the minds of children of the larger growth. Mr. Frank
Matthews as Heapeekt the Hundredth, and his wife as the
Clasen Tyrauna, played up to each other with great skill,
and with waited success. Miss St. Charge, as the Princess
Elutes, obtained encores for snarly every Wig ; two of
these; parodies on ditties of • former day, exhibited her
seasigal &raiment' to very high advantage. Madam
Tatra dressed King Charade, after So essesse N lb.
Nepalis, Alsbasseder, sad seemed 1ia111i.1111.1111.1111111111
'wrap. Her part. however, is not • very pool oak eel
her neap are inferior to those. assigned her is foray sir
teraissesats. We observed, seesvorer, that lest sight she
did sot appear is seed opirise, sod et esesis periods sesta
•lmostYMsefefawdseWisposltine.
The eseotry of Te Charming le admiral& theiasteaL
The easeladlee sense is slier the style of the lase saasoilb
the Masi °floras. bat it le aleohnely moo. osegeseassi
skims, lo .is onotrastisa. The eembisetleas saldbet •
•••7 blgls &RN of shad ea the pert of oho ashiesst, wbe
mseeet~eerteial soaerstahas hhaself ea the segereasatio
alieh se Weeded his la Mg. Plaache's dramatic blast's-
filmed the limy tales of one boyhood.
HAY MARKET.
At tido theatre the comedy of Beery One Has Hie
Pee*, ins followed by a burlesque called The Second
Wish, seel the Queen et Beauty mile had the Piglet with
tee Oeleal, b llesos. Broogh, the well•knows suttees of
any passel this deseriptioa.
Theyele•lpel lasideats, it is esereely asesairy to my, ere
ram lion the Isla sod moat iesegkethe tales Is tb.
Alibis Motu ; every thin being twisted by the 0304
igesirnieseeuese, sad • diskgre 111 of /deli, peas, jokes,
lad Thera so Isheolluelise is whiele
liociMbeay lellewk" e•lesseled by his
mart, sad by his desegbese. Os Pelson Gel-
sae, b eareedieg, al Aisle, en *jemmy lathe dart. He
Wows dot• saw st me et his ; sees lb board,
sad Se psis issjorbess, "the es of datibliseolrglikito"

itsaf, raging for the loss of his *ye, put out by the stone.
ttendants fir. end the kiss is about to be slain by the
gale, wheal the Prisms* rushee between Ma ; and the
goats, struck by the beauty Odle princes., spares bar father's
life on condition of receiving her hand. The king eagerly
commits, and the genii, carries off the princess in I
his " Hansom," driven by • little cabman " from ,
the lowest ranks." In the first act, Prince Agib,
personated by Miss Annie Romer, is discovered tied to •
tree, from which he is Mimed by a woodman ; • character
in which Mr.Buckszone has some smart hits at the sentimen•
tannest° plays std novels about virtuous labourers and high-
minded peasants. The destitute Prince takes service with
the woodman MI kia Loy, and sets to work with his axe to eat
down a tree, which opens end discovers a stair, through
which the Prince and woodman disappear. It con-
ducts them to the subtarratinteaus palm of the genie,
who has the Princess Guinan in his power, and
L attended by Mrs. Female's as hie " maid
of all work," and a met amusing oats she L. Agib and the
woodman fall into the pnie'selutehes; A. Priem is changed
halo an ape—a trauslormation mat ingeniously managed—
but the Prima', the woodman, and the vivant of all work
make their eacape, being taken on booed a jolly boat fall of
British tars. The second set is chiefly ogoupted with the
Great Exhibition. The scene is in Curripowdab, the capital
of the Rajah of Mnlligatawney, where an Exhibition of the
Industry of all Nations is in preparation ander the direction
of the rajah's daughter, Ike Prism Zaide, surnamed the
Queen of Beauty, a lady of talent and • magician.
Amos, the arrivalsis that of an old orgen•grinder,
with an ape and a female =oration, who tarn oat
to be the virtuous woodman Prises Agib, and the genie's
meld of all work. The Pfiaolllll Guinan, too arrives is an
aerial ambles and claims the Rajah's protection from the
genii who pursues. The sonfliet between the genie end the
magician-princess, so 'dudishly described in the Arabian
Nights, is very dimly fomented. They transform them-
selves to various shapes, and at last the genie is destroyed
by fire thrown upon him by the Prince; who, knowing by
her magical power that the ape is Prince Agib under es-
atonement, restores him to his own form and to Golnaze.
The whole concludes with a pirepective view of the " Crystal
Palm" brilliantly illuminated and filled with company—
one of the most splendid and beautiful seance we have ever
seen on the stage.
The incidents were burlesqued in the usual fashion. Many
, of the jokes were very pointed and happy, but may more
IMO strained end poor osetrik. The feels of the piece le,
, that the lass is too elaborate—the speeches, fall of puns and
jingles upon words, are too much spun out, and their Ter-
i bon(' gets tedious. Toe piers is a good deed too long, and
, might be advantageously shortened by leaving out a great
, deal of this bald jocularity, withoat the loss of anything
worth preserving.
The performance was excellent. Miss P. Horton, as
the magical princess Zaide, not only exhibited much riche's"
, of humour but delighted the audience by her truly admi-
rable singing. Her "Musical Contributions of all Redone
; to the Exhibition," • series of easy of every couatry in
; Europe, were at once beautiful, abaracteriedc,and grotesque,
and were applauded with the utmost enthusiasm. Miss
Ansi. Romer, as Prima Agib, acted with much grass and
, liveliness, and sang several gongs charmingly ; the Mt of
r them was loudly encored. Suasion" rioted in broad fun,
, end produced an immense effect by • perodyon the well known
piece of sentimental namby-pamby, "la my Cottage near a
Wood," which he sang with inimitable gravity; and Mrs.
. Fi swilliam was very estoosesful in a eons about the hardships
. of her place as servant of all work to a genie. Mr. S•lby
and Mr. James Bland were capital ; the one as the Genie,
. end the other as the Mu sh of Mulligatawsey. The spec.
tech was slowly managed and chin very splendid ; and
there was • great deal of pretty music, well selected and well
performed.