The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-28 00:00:00

THE CHRISTMAS AMUSEMENTS.

DRURY-LANE.

Vio pantomime at Drury-lane may be truly
characterised as a wonderful success. Never on any
former occasion has a more joyous and happy
audience assembled in the magnificent national
theatre than on " Boxing Night, and most
certainly never was good humour higher in the
ascendant. The stalls and dress circles were occu-
pied with a brilliant and fashionable company, the
pit and upper boxes were filled to overflowing, and
the galleries were one seething mass of her Majesty's
lieges, each of whom had determined to "go in"
for a night of thorough enjoyment. Of
course there was the usual recognition be-
t wecn the galleries and pitites, the harm-
less but unpleasant pelting with orange peel,
I,,ut then no one gave vent to his ill-humour, and
th„, who did not elactly see the joke of the
thbag,calmly allowed themselves to be shot at with
the good-tempered remark, " Christmas-time,
let all enjoy themselves." The entertainments cora-
-,necd with
• the good old-fashioned but jovial
" A Roland for an Oliver," but, as usual, it
was gone through in dumb show, notwithstanding
the characters were supported by Mr. Addison,
Mr. Walter Lacy, and Miss Heath. The panto-
mime was the attraction of the evening, and the
deEcent of the green curtain on the introductory
piece was hailed with delight. The new grand
pantomime of " Sinbsd the Sailor, or the Great Roc
of the Diamond Valley and the Seven Wonders of
the World," is from the pen of Mr. E. L. Blanchard,
who has now for more than a dozen years been the
aur nor of the grand Christmas annuals presented at
th.s theatre, which has beconn: both renowned
its productions of that
p,ualiar kind of entertainment. The ucee-s that
invariably attended Mr. Blanch4rd's former pro-
dncions has, if posible, been exceeded this year.
Tile dialogue is witty, pointed, and telling, the
situations capital, and the plot the v-ry essence of
drollery. The prompter's ring for the
overture was received with a hearty ctieer ; and
then the band, of course, gave the usual introduc-
tory movement of hurried music, and then follow-
ed a fmvourite melody. This year it was " Pretty
Polly Perkins ;" and no sooner did the gods catch
the first notes of their favourite than they all burst
into the chorus—
Oh: she was as beautiful as a butterfly and proud as a

abki real

ba for

Queen,
Was pretty Polly Perkins of Paddington-green,
in the most enthusiastic and delighted manner:
At the termination of the overture it was a question
with the audience whether they should not have
their jolly song again, but the splendour of the
opening scene settled the question, and certainly
we have never seen anything more strikingly
ploturesquo than "The Pyramids at Sunset ;"
on the one side a gigantic Memnon—on the other a
colossal Sphinx. The scene introduced an interview
between the shade of Cheops and first the Spirit of
the Nile, and next intrusive and audacious Young
:England, who, arrayed as a Volunteer and exhibit-
ing the slender proportions of Miss Rose Leclercq,
had come to read the true riddle of the Sphinx by
discovering the source of the Nile. We grieve to
say that author, artist, and actress alike showed a
sad irreverence towards th© tutelary protectors of
Egyptian mysteries. Who does not know the pe-
culiarity of " Memnon's broken image sounding,
'mid desolation tuneful still"—of the legendary
Xenon which gives forth musical strains when
the serfs rays fall on it. The huge Memnon of
Drury-lane bellowed in hoarse sepulchral notes,
seeming to issue from the deepest caverns of the
earth, a song to the familiar air of" Old Bob Rid-
ley," in which the audience also joined in chorus.
The Sphinx, in its turn, asks Young England a
conundrum—" When is a horse not a horse ?" but
the downy young Volunteer is too much for anti-
quite., and solves it by saying, " When it's turned
into a field." llavinL„; thus done the Pyramids,
Memnon and the Spltinx, Young England pro-
ceeds ore his discovery of the source of the
Nile. This was an exquisite scene. Beep rich
foliage, sparkling watery gleaming in the moon
moon across whose disc fleecy clouds floated
frequently as in the real and open sky—stars tran,
guilty SOT) iniog ctown, and numberless Dive or Peris
tiding the foreground, made up a picture which,
with all its fentasy, was positively realistic in the
perfection of its composition. Mr. B;lverley wss en-
cßiled for, and had to come for-
ward and bow his ackoovviedgments. Then fol-
lowed the adventures of Sinbad the Sailor,
which disclosed many comintl situations and
slartlin, scenes. Sinbid cvas personated by Miss
Lizzie Witlinore, who made her first appear-
ance in London, Miss Willmore was entirely
successful. With a pretty bright face, a graceful
fi.3tire, shapely limbs, and an easy unconstrained,
bat vivacious and effective style, she well merited
the frequent applause which she received. Excel-
lent, too, was the acting of Master Percy Resell, who
played the Old Man of the Sea with irresistible
quaintness and drollery. The scenery to illustrate
the vicissitudes of Sindbad the Sailor—is magni-
ficent—never has the renowned Beverley produced
Ench wonderful effects. The Valley of Dia-
raends, with the descent and ascent of Sinbad, is a
'Thest extraordinary " sensation" scene, and the
l'allty of transformation is positively beyond de-
EeriVden, What with showers of diamonds, the
goal foliage of the trees, the radiance of
desceneiot Paris and the Bright Fairies of the
enormous biamond an effect is produced which
positively sßes description-. The audience were
in ecstacies
' and both Mr. Beverley and Mr. R.
lioxby had to appear and acknowledge the plaudits
of the vast aSgemi
ae. After the transformation
scene we were introduced to a double set of Clowns
( Nlessrs. Boleno and
~.auri) of Pantaloons (Messrs.
Barnes and Morris),
of tl ar_,equins (Messrs. Cormack
and Saville), and no
leas than three Columbines
(Madame Bolen° arid t%,
e Misses Gunnies). The
; 54, it should
111
Misses , ,
said led many
the brilliant
dances in the early part of
Pantomime. The
humours of the second part
weso of the usual kind
and kept the audience to
perpetual mirth. All left
the theatre gratided and dtAighte
:tt,wttitotill. the exer-
tions of Messrs. Felconer and Ch

r••••--........

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA,

.
-- - - --- -
On Saturday evening the proceedings% *On With
" ~ u
i
the second act of the " Bohemian
Girl,
by Miss Susan Pyne, as the Gipsey ; Mr. Weiukuittint
, as
the Count; and the remaining characters by 11.
es,
lilies, Mr. George Perrin, Mr. St. Albin, and Nit.
Cirri. The song, "I dreamt that I dwelt in marble
halls," was very decieivcly encored,
and Mr. Weise
obtained abundant applause in the old favourite,
" The heart bowed down," which was delivered
`with much firmness and vigour. Miss Susan Pyne'e
singieg throughout was much admired for its clear-
nes and parity.
This was followed, after an interval of delay
vz.ry trying to juveniierEdieuce, by the grand comi
cal, &c:, pantomime of " St. George and the Dragon;
or, the Seven Champions and the Beautiful Prin-
ces 4," by Mr, 11. J. Byron ; an old story, no doubt,
but none the worse for that, considering the pur-
pose to which it wts ad Ipted. Tue opening scene
is the Palace of K 313 bi, a "detestable old enchan-
tr",)" who, by some n2ervelious arrangerneni-, itease
~,'4'lEd to her ch.irge the "Seven Champions of
I...hiztendom ,1 in
the shape of as many little green
and glossy imps,
who are sporting about in front of
a C9Stle gate guarded by the ugliest of dragons,
which Baal) theiriwyb jaws and wave their wings at the
signal of
:is wand. The enchantress enters
with toys, and
with that important emblem of
authority a birchhet)roa
Pupil,
in
nand presently is introduced
her favourite
the person of St. George of
England. Then comes a
proeofg by Kslyba (Mr. C.
flail), and the Story
iciyhtegs,nlesses. in a most unex-
cried
p ' manner by
aklng a matrimonial
proposal to her, you.ng chitiv,
St.
getting hold of h
George (Mr. W.
H. Payne), a ho, mhreturn,
in other. words, in her
w:7:cl, inaceges to s ,ut up the witch amongst her
r
"spoons and forks,"
treasure
house, and then sets free his comptn.
who creates °
lonß, the other
Here also enters 1-:
six champions. ---Ldchrabo ,
payed by Mr. Frederick Payne,
es great
great merriment, and greatly enhances the livr)l*
m ... e,
of the earlier portion of the piece. This Worthy
is Eqaire to St. George, and there is a very amusing