The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-29 00:00:00

THE OXFORD AND CANTERBURY HALLS.

The Oxford and Canterbury are not, like the gentlemen
of the Oxford and Cambridge, in competition, and we can
at Easter time also put them under one head, both doing
their best, although not in rivalry, to gain the suffrages of
the public. We have very recently had occasion to speak
most favourably of the way in which the grand selection
from "Faust" has been presented at the former establish-
ment, and if we may judge from the applause bestowed
upon the performance last night, the audience fully ratified
the good opinion to which we lately gave expression. The
more the selection is sung the more smoothly do the choruses
go. whilst familiarity with the great solo airs for Faust,
Mephistopheles, and Marguerite adds veay much to the
force and finish with which the morceaux are rendered.
Miss Russell, who has had many roles to play during the
period she has been the distinguished pima donna of both
the Oxford and Canterbury, haE, seldom been better suited
with music, or had more scope afforded for the display of
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that have quite removed his name from the category of the
mere Nigger Entertainer. In his way, Unsworth is a
teacher, who contrives, under the rough exterior of
a stump orator, invested with all due absurdities
of costume, and descending to every extravagance of
gesture, to preach an amount of home-spun philosophy,
and scatter an amount of good advice, seasoned with banter
and even denunciation against shams of every kind, that
may often be looked for in vain from speakers who take
ethics under their especial care, and are more free in the
distribution of the pains and penalties which attach to
error. Here, too, Eugene, by the beauty of his soprano
voice, and the splendid apeing of the female mannenleaves
half his audience in doubt as to his sex. Maclagan (whose
"Bitter Bee.har" song ought still further to spread the
fame of Bass throughout the world), W. Randall, Jester,
and little Nelly Power bring up the rear of an amount of
comic talent seldom equalled, even under Mr. Morton's
management. Of the Canterbaryliall we have also recently
brilliant Ghost illusion, called " Prince Blossom ; or, the
had to speak in terms of especial praise in a notice of the
Fairies of the Magic Fountain and the Forest of Shadows."
Its present representation more than:confirms the judgment
we then passed, namely, that it is the most extraordinary
and powerful representation to which the inventi3n fir et
produced at the Polytechnic has given rise. It certainly
eclipses everything that has preceded it in the we y of
scenic effect, whilst the beautiful illusion of "Fame pain-

Inc; through the Magic Fountains," and the final tableau,
bath, we believe, "effects" patented by Mr. Morton, outvie
everything that has gone before them, even in theatres
which are celebrated for the splendours of their spectacular
triumphs.

THE ALH AMBRA•
There was an equestrian performance, morning and even-
ing, at the Alhambra, in Leicester-square, by a Continental
company, under the direction of M. Loissett, and said to be
of great celebrity in Germany and Holland. An astonishout
-
ing exhibition in vaulting by " Little Clotilde," a girl ab
ten years of age, and described as a niece of the director,
forms a remarkable part of the entertainment, but with the
drawback that one feat in particular, however marvellous, is
calculated to produce a painful impression on the mind of a
spectator, and a strong sense of the impropriety of exposing
a child of such tender years to such manifest danger. Be-
sides the equestian performances, which were varied and
often striking for their daring, there was a series of interest-
ing gyrations by Mr. Franklin on the trapeze, which were
frequently applauded, while the exploits of Rennet', the
clown, produced infinite merriment.