Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-12-26 00:00:00

ADELPHI THEATRE.

The first public rehearsal of the Christmas pantomime,
entitled "Cherry and Pair Star, or the Singing Apple
and the Dancing. Waters, and the Good Fairy of the
Enchanted Wood," took place in the above theatre on
Saturday evening.
Of late many improvements with regard to the com-
r forts of the audience department of this house have
I been effected, and 'on Saturday night the numerous

attendance showed how much the efforts of the
lessee had been appreciated. Everybody expected a
large feast of laughter, and none were disappointed. The
ludicrous accidents, endless jokes, and clever deceptions,
common to pantomime, were ably introduced and suc-
cessfully carried out. The scenic effect produced was of
such a character as to call forth reiterated bursts of
applause from the delighted beholders. The whole
pantomime is really clever, and, making due allowance
for the first evening's performance, the Clown, Mr.
Gardner Bolen° ; Harlequin, Mr. Boreland ; Columbine,
Miss Beach; and 'Pantaloon Mr. Stacey, performed
their parts in a manner alike creditable to themselves
and the establishment. The admirers of -loantomime
will find by a visit to the Adelphi a good evening's
entertainment in the beautiful scenerypresental to their
gaze as well as in the laughable comicalities brought
under their notice.

THE PARK THEATRF.

THE BABES IN Tin WOOD; OR, HARLEQUIN AND THE

CRUEL UNCLE,

The Park Theatre has not been behind hand this year
in contributing to our local Christmas amusements. The
Park pantomimes have always been extremely popular
in Liverpool, and have also possessed considerable merit.
The proauction, however, which Mr. Campbell has this
year brought before the
.public, not only far surpasses its
predecessors, but bids fair to stand first, or at all events
second in the order of merit of our local pantomimes.
The ' popularity of the tale and the happy manner in
which it has bean worked out by the talented author
will, no doubt, conduce greatly to such a result, and the
superior style of magnificence in which the management
has brought out the piece must also tend very Strongly
in that direction. We were hardly surprised, there-
fore, to see the numerous audience which attended the
first representation of the pantomime on Saturday night.
Notwithstanding the extreme wetness of the weather the
house was literally crammed from the floor to thg ceil-
ing. The overture to the pantomime has bean written and
arranged by Mr. Hope, leader of the band. In addition
to the most popular melodies of the day, which it con-
tains, an antiquarian interest has been imparted by
the introduction'of old Christmas carols, coine of which
date as far back as the reign, of Queen Elizabeth.
Coming to the pantomime, in the first scene, we discover
the forest retreat of the satyrs, who, with Hornyhoof
(Mr. Lawler), their chief, are sleeping on the roots of
the surrounding oaks. The representation of the forest
by moonlight has been most ably depicted by Messrs.
Mathews and Bannister, by whom also the whole of
the, magnificent scenery has been produced. Lubin
(Mrs. Craston) here enters in search of Lucibel (a wood
nymph), and after looking for some time at the faces
of the sleepers, accidentally treads upon Hornyhoof,
who, starting up, shouts out :

Horny. I'm all a jelly,
While sleeping, some one trod upon my belly.
fill the Satyrs. Oh, nonsense
Goatybeard. 'Twas the nightmare : you've been eating
Too many nuts• at last night's jolly meeting ; -
It's still pitch dark : no one could enter here. ,
Horny. "Whate er it was, or is, I'm very queer.
But not with blackerrics, or nuts, or apples ;
'Tie Lucibel that with my very vitals grapples.
(Laughter.)
The dialogue is continued for a short time until
B.ornyhoof discovers footsteps, when he says—
Strange footsteps near our tangled dwelling prowl,
It cannot be that this our snug retreat
Is chosen for a Peeler's nightly beat !
Ah, no ! for Peelers love not shrubs and trees,
But dainty joints, beer, bread, and cheese.
No ; when such as they are on the loose,
It's rabbit-pie, or cold roast goose. (Great laughter.)
The latter allusion is, of course, received with hearty
laughter, during which the uncle (who is well re-
presented by Mr. Hawkins) enters, and discloses his
necessities to the wild men, commencing as follows :
As Uncle---the question I've come to pop---
I want the ticket from your wisdom shop
Back'd for three months, my fate will be,
Unless you take an interest in me.
Lubin, who has been listening to the above dialogue,
laments the deed about to be committed. He is
wondering how to save the children, when the Fairy.
of the Forest appears, and says to Lubin,—
Now, mind friend woodman, let no purpose slip ;
But do your duty like the noble ship ;
That spite of all mankind's deploring's,
Has like the giant, left her moorings.
The mighty monarch of the monster wave,
Mann'd by a crew of hearts as brave,;
Hearts that never stood at trifles,
To held the helm, or shoulder rifles.
In fact, for any way that honour's won,
To draw the sword, or load the Armstrong gun ;
With hearts like these, there's no occasion,
For England to fear an invasion.
Let the foe come!---come when he may !
But, t 9 go back---who'll name the ,day •
—a patriotic allusion which was received with applause.
The next scene introduces us to the "two ruffians em-
ployed by the uncle to effect his wicked purpose, thus •

[linter two Ruffians.]

Unck. Say, friends who are you? •
Good Ruffian. I'm a ruffian.
Bad Ruffian. And I'm a rough one too. •
Uncle. With two such rough cues
My rough course is clear.
Let me see, I'll take--
Good Ruf. For me, some bitter beer.
Uncle. A better, course I'm sure can none pursue; , ,
You'll take---
Bad Ruf. Some mountain dew.
nele. Scotch— •
Bad ./tre. And Irish too---with English beer ;
A combination strong enough for any nation,
If they're inclined to meet it---
Uncle. If they do, I question if they'll beat it.
The uncle then takes leave of them, by saying :
" My little dears, your infant grief subdue,
These gentlemen will both be kind to you;
To Liverpool, you'll quick repair,
And s,ee the many wonders there—
For noble lords, the town may mark it,
They've had a few at the Derby Banquet; (applause)
There you'll see both charity and renown
In the Free Library built by Brown. •
The rising age will ignorance despise,
And bless the man who bade the building rise. (Cheers.) •
(To boy.) So, say—Ta, ta. Come, come ; you're not a dunce !
This farthing take---don't spend it all at once.

The third scene—a blackberry brake—is exceedingly
beautiful and most appropriate for the action of the
corps de ballet, who were very much applauded..
Several clever parodies on popular songs and contain-
ing some good hits at our " four Liverpool merchants"
of scribbling fame, &c., &c., are introduced here and
elsewhere in the course f the story, which were
creditably sung and well received. We must now pass
on to the death of the babes. Contemporary with which
is the capture of Lucibel by Hornyhoof. Lubin en-
deavours to ldll Hornyhoof, but is overpowered by the
entrance of the uncle. He then calls upon the Fairy of
the Forest for help, when the fairy suddenly
appears in the grand transformation scene, and
delivers the usual transformation address. This
and the concluding scene of reconciliation are per-
fect masterri2ces of art, and the enthusiasm with which
they were hailed testified to the various artists the entire
success of their endeavours to present a brilliant and
gorgeous view of " the fairy realms of light."
When .the harlequinade begins, the fun is fast and
furious. The tricks are nearly all new, and evoke the
most hearty bursts of laughter; and reflect great credit
on the ingenuity of Signor Huntini, by whom it has
been invented, and who makes a first-rate clown.
The pantomimists are all well up.to their work; and
Miss Maria Ribbon, whose debut in the character of
Columbine took place on Saturday, proved quite equal
to the fatiguing duties of that character, and danced
with an ease and grace rarely seen in a debutante. Our
notice has already extended beyond our proposed limits ;
and we can only invite all our readers to visit the Park
Pantomime, and enjoy a Christmas treat of first-class
character. We must also compliment Mr. Campbell on
the complete success of his endeavour to produce a first-
class pantomime, at a cheap rate of admission ; and we
heartily wish him the success he deserves. ,