The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-28 00:00:00

THE PANTOMIMES.

DRURY-LANE.
theist night Drury-lane Theatre presented a most
weerY appearance, reminding one forcibly of its
Wiest days, when managers returned money, and
%item thought themselves lucky to get a peep of
j: Stage over the shoulders of a pent-up crowd.
ng before the theatre opened the doors were be-
Ikillieied with a large multitude of holiday people,
" when the curtain rose, which it did with
,t"uishing punctuality at 7 o'clock, not a single
gat in any part of the house was left vacant. The
interior has been entirely re-decorated, and the
Lartath and cheerfulness of the colouring one was
rPosed to look upon as typical of the rising for-
tiitteB a "Old Drury." An excellent overture,
o nlPrising all the favourite negro melodies, elicited
Ree unanimous applause of the audience, who
ep'ned in the best possible humour, and not at all
ke_uoed to be critical on the defects of the evening.
`laq• Fitzball's version of Uncle Tom's Cabin cora-
tiZ?•eed the entertainments, with a caste from
tb eh, on the whole, much was not be expected,
4'°,llgh it comprised some two or three experienced
iol`l reputable artistes. George Harris was allotted
4 Mr. Henry Betty, who made his first appearance
i.r?; Uncle Tom was represented by Mr. Henry
thauaek who has been for some time away from
It? stage ; and Simon Legree was undertaken by
,"kr• Charles Selby. The first scene had not pro-
41eded far before one of those rows which generally
ah's.,e in a crowded house commenced in the gallery,
0 Could not be quelled by such threats as " Turn
i'pr. out," "Throw him over," arc. The contagion
,i'read to the boxes and the pit, and the noise and
,uni•
usion continued, with little intermission, until
taleend of the drama. Of the merits and success
g
I,;the piece much cannot be said ; it possibly will
°/k better when all parties concerned are better
,„..I),in their respective parts ; but, as far as last
ctilt's observation went, we can afford it but a
tell slender modicum of approbation. Mr. Betty
iade his debut in so small a part as to give little
°Pe to judge of his dramatic powers. The female
Z aracters were sustained by ladies from the pro-
ees, who have evidently been accustomedi to
crises of much smaller dimensions. Charles Selby
1,114 all he could with the Fitzball Legree, and a
r• H. Lee made a very tolerable • Haley. The
°ther characters had nothing of importance to do,
4n d seemed quite conscious of the fact ; and the
e
e'ntain at last fell without any demonstration either
applause or approbationon the part of the audi-
ence.
dame
pantomime, Harlequin Hudibras, or Old
Durden and the droll Days of the Merry Mo-
L'arch, has been.taken great pains with, and has
zany points of attractions. The introductory part
the
of representations of old and modern times,
L one represented by Antiquity, and the other
? the genius of Improvement, and each advocates
e different principles. The good genius of Ira
rv'-
ement maintains her cause in some smart
Vales and striking scenes. One was especially
;'PProved, which shows the new Crystal Palace and
gardens, with innumerable fairy nymphs, dis-
Porting in the Moonlight. The village of Sum-
hre, a golden harvest scene, was very much liked,
as was the transformation at the close of the first
0, which was resplendent with colour and light.
The introductory story is partly and ingeniously.
framed on Hudibras and his Squire Ralph's ad.ven-
;;lres, which are connected with Charles ll.'s escape.
9-ema,sks were excellent, and the burlesque idea very
'fairly worked out by Mr. E. L. Blanchard, its
a,,lythor• and it has some sharp punning dialogue.
',14"11or 'Veroni is a vivacious and graceful Harlequin,
I,pa Matthews a genuine Grimaldi clown,
VT. J. Halford a quaint Pantaloon, and Madlle.
nise Blanche a clever and pleasing Columbine.
,liter splendid figure and artistic execution appeared
admiration. She was particularly successful in
Pas de seul introduced in one of the comic scenes,
and completely secured the good graces of the in:l-
'4%Be audience. In addition to these were added
tarlequina (Miss J. Turner), the London Gent
merr Deulen), and a sprite (Signor Devani), whose
tolitortions, and involutions, and evolutions, would
seem to manifest that he had no backbone, and
that
his hands and feet, legs and arms, were inter-
changeable. The rapidity, dexterity, impishness,
and eccentricity of his feats are indescribable. In
addition to these the brothers Siegrist went through
aneh feats with an immense pole, that nearly
reached the ceiling, being balanced on the stomach
'A' one of them, as would certainly in the middle
and burning ages have carried them to the stake,
as being in league with the author of wicked magic.
The tqpics and follies of the day are passed in re-
view, while Harlequin and Clown maltreat one
4.44 other and everybody else, and Harlequin meets
doom of all harlequins that ever jumped by
falling wildly in love with Columbine. The sale of
sa•rs parilla' teetotalism, the inhabited-house duty,
the wonderful feats of the hairdressers, the Derby
-zilection, the "Uncle Tom" mania, Chancery Re-
f,°tua the Beer-bottle question, and the Australian.
Goldfields, are all punned upon with varying sue-
tess ; and to gratify all tastes, a squad of police are
brought in and assaulted by the Clowns. Harle-
quin knocks a policeman on the head • a fight en-
sues, and leads to a general discomfiture of the
Peelers " and the frantic joy of the topmost tiers,
The
whfch the piece draws to a rapid conclusion.
e music, composed by Mr. Blewitt, is excellent
throughout.

PRINCESS'S.
harlequin Cherry and Fair Star, or the,Green
bird , the Dancing Waters, and the Singing Silver
-uree, is the euphonious title of the pantomime pro-
unced this season for the delectation of the visitors
this most delightful theatre. It is the composi-
tion and production of the stage-manager, Mr.
qeorge and in all respects does him exceeding
credit. The opening portion is singularly rich in
Scenic effects ; and the comic scenes, in which Mr.
ormack has lent an assisting hand, are capital.
uThere is nothing complex or mistifying in the plot.
~°ll. the Princess Fair Star being spirited away by
jinn Sling, the enamoured. chief of the Evil Genii,
prince Cherry, who is a dreadful roysterer among
an innumerable and riotous fraternity in the royal
nursery of Cyprus, starts in pursuit of the Green
Bird, the capture whereof is pronounced by Eve-
tie weriana, the Queen of the Penis, to be the first
step requisite to the restoration of the abducte d
uarasel. The beneficent fairy has meantime con-
veyed the Princess from the vile ravisher to her
°yin realms, where, despite the visible interposition
,of attendant spirits, her curiosity gets the better of
her discretion, and, prying into a forbidden vase,
r,she falls again into the hands of the Evil One.
Cherry by this time, attended by his faithful squire,
,
captured the magic bird on the-icy summits of
Rork-Assus, and after his terribly hard ride re-
turns to Cyprus, his task achieved. But malignant
influence slumbers not, and the " dancing waters"
and,. "singing silver tree" are yet to be won before
his happiness can be irrevocably sealed ; and a pro-
bation ensues thereupon—the royal lovers being
changed into Harlequin and Columbine ; and
bjinn Sling andj the squire, Al Width, into Clown
and Pantaloon.
It is impossible to attribute too high praise
to the scenery, dresses, and appointments
ul this openinfr. The gradual filling of the
gage by the °fairies in the scene of " The
Penis Retreat," excited unbounded admiration,
and vehement was the encore that befell their
dazzling evolutions in a subsequent dance. The
apparently endless succession of mischievous
tumbling imps obstructing the gallant adventurer
and his trusty companion in their career up the
lhountain was laughably effective, but when the
Splendours of the transformation scene " The Peri
,Palace of Peacocks," in multiform brillancy rose
10 view, the delight and wonderment of the spec-
tators became uncontrollable. In the way of spec-
tacle nothing has appeared more beautiful at any
theatre, and no one should omit a visit to Cherry
and Fair Star, if it were but to enjoy the refined
tnignificence by which the opening scenes are dis-
inguished. The Queen of the Penis was per-
genated by that clever little favourite, Miss Kate
Terry, the hero by Mr. F. Cooke, who always
Plays excellently in burlesque, and the Fair Prin-
cess by Mr. Daly. Great commendation is due to
41, r• Oscar Byrne for his arrangement of the ballet
department, and to Miss Desborough and the
, °ryphees for the grace and precision of their per-
formance.
Some of the scenes, consequent on the tran.sfor-
14a, tion were got up very cleverly : a windmill
cnanging into the interior of a gigantic bakery is
Worthy of special mention. The tricks, changes,
and incidents of the ultra-comic nature follow in
rapid profusion, and we like this portion of the
Pantomime all the better for being quite free of
the broad vulgarities commonly presented.
The harlequinade was admirably, it may be
Said incomparably, conducted. Mr. Huline,
Who ha's succeeded Flexmore, after a seven
Years' campaign at the Princess's, alike aston-
lsned and delighted the spectators in his new
home and established himself per saltum a tran-
13eend'ent favourite. For lightness, activity, and
e xtraordinary feats on chairs, stilts, and poles, done
With consummate ease, as well as accuracy, the
town has seen nothing like him, and he will " draw"
most powerfully. His small, slight figure admir-
ably adapts him for these feats. He has a com-
panion, a dear little poodle, who figured to eminent
advantage in one of the displays, and shared the
'PPlauses which were lavished on him from all parts
of the house. A rustic dance received with great
eh ur, demonstrated his proficiency in the terpsi-
°rem line, so that altogether " the little stran-
(by which appellation he was happily welcomed
by
Paulo on his first appearance—a welcome con-
'l.'4% by a, most cordial reception in front) is