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

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA.

On Saturday evening the proceedings began vitt,
foe sec)nd act of the " Bohemian Girl," sustaitt4
by Miss Susan Pyne, as the Gipsey ; Mr. Weiss,
a%
thu Count; and the remaining characters by Miss
Hiles, Mr. George Perrin, Mr. St. Albin, and Mr.
C.)rri. The song, "I dreamt that I dwelt in marble
halls," was very decisively encored, and Mr. Weiss
obtained abundant applause in the old favourite,
"The heart bowed down," which was delivered
with mach firmness and vigour. Miss Susan Pyne's
singing throughout was much admired for its clear-
ness and purity.

This was followed, after an interval of delay
very trying to juvenile patience, by the grand comi-
cal, &c., pantomime of" St. George and the Dragon;
or, the Seven Champions and the Beautiful Prin.-
"SS)" by Mr. H. J. Byron ; an old story, no doubt,
but none the worse for that, considering the pur-
Nsoe to which it was adapted. The opening scene
who
of Kay ba, a "detestable old encban. t retallse,"P
confiiecrtn, by some marvellous arrangement, has
Chistendo,o her charge the " Seven Champions of
n the shape of as many little green
and gloss.;
gate PaN who are sporting about in front of
a c..stie
their
by the ugliest of dragons,
which snap
and wave their wings at the
signal of lialybes)7B
with toys, and also
vlitt The enchantress enters
and
important emblem of
But heri:y a birch rod,in
_. e presently is introduced
her fa vouritTenpenupciol,mes
I:6opee:son'of S. George of
EnF,l«nda.nd
the
Lvall), story proareftsal:/
.Kalyba (Mr. C.
roakinlanaa most unex-
matrimonial
peeled manner by Kalyba's
proposal to her young charge st.
George (Mr. W
H. Payne), who, in return,
g6ttlng hold of. vt W.
--t
east —hu
eer
er
wand, manages to shut up the witch anion
"spoons and forks," in other words, in het
house, and then sets free his companions' the,y.i - Other
Ax
six champions. Here also enters okaraboo,
played by Mr. Frederick Payne, who creates great
great merriment, and greatly enhances the Hyaline,
of the earlier portion of the piece. This worthy
is squire to St. George, and there is a very amusing

shaving scene between the valet and his master,
carried through with great fun and spirit. Then
comes a mock-heroic procession of the champions,
on sham horeback, round the stage ; the dresses
very rich and well arranged. Here, again Kicka-
ra,hoo, mounted like Sancho Panza on an obstre-
perous asinine quadruped, makes great play. The
third scene opens with the " banks of the Nile," a
beautifully-painted moonlit landscape, crowded
with Egyptian symbols and architecture, and here
enters " the dragon," a gentleman in top boots and
striped jacket, with long curly teeth and tail of ap-
propriate magnitude. King Ritollollemy makes his
appearance in the "Nile" scene, with the usual
amount of attendants, and is supposed to be a "fero-
cious tyrant" with a lovely daughter, the Princess
Sabra (Miss Annie Collinson), who is to be betrothed
to a prince of Ethiopia, when the Dragon snakes his
unexpected appearance, and carries her off in his
4, dragon-fly." Before all this, however,of
occurs
a
grand ballet, danced by alternate parties
Odales-
ques and Amazons on the banks
uouftshseful Nile,portions
of this is certainly one of the most successful
good,trao.
of the pantomime. The dancing is unusually
the performers perhaps morethan ordinarily
a
tive—certainly the costumes have been studied with
historical and even antiquarian research—and the
dresses are particularly rich. On the whole, the
appointments attending this third scene are perhaps
the leading feature, if we except the absurd, but
unquestionably effective "fight" between the dra-
gon and St. George, which comes off in the last
n eand the Usual transformation.
seThee , i
Dragons followed
now
wed yuoblon
longer a walking gentleman
in top-boots, but what heralds call a " wyvern,"
with legs, huge leathery wings, nostrils which
breathe scaly
theactual unmistakable fire, and a head which,
when assailed by St. George's faulehion, fires off
into successive squibs and crackers, and nearly
stifles the redoubtable champion. Meanwhile,
the Princess, pending the combat, stands in
the rear, chained to a stake in a dark
"Yen, her figure lighted with great effect from
the side, and, in the end, of course, gives her hand
to the victorious St. George. The transformation
scene abounds as usual in splendours, architectural
and luminous, the centre being occupied by a large
group of St. George and the Dragon. Here Mr.
Grieve was vociferously called for, and made his
appearance amid the plaudits of the house. The
pantomime that followed was of the usual rough-
and-tumble character, with many old and some new
and cleverly managed pieces of " comic business,
especially a photographic artist's studio, a scene in
a French market-place, and some others, The co-
lumbine was played by Madlle Esther, a young
lady who made her first appearance, and danced
with much elegance. She might indeed with ad-
vantage have entered oftener, and taken a larger
share in the action. Mr. Frederick Payne, as Har-
lequin, was remarkable active and indefatigable;
Mr. Paul Herring played pantaloon ; and Mr. Harry
Payne the clown, and kept up the fan and laughter
of the audience till the end. They were accompa-
nied by the brothers Stonette, who as two sprites
in red and spangles astonished the assemblage by
their flexibility and activity. We have no doubt
that the pantomime will prove as successful as any
which has appeared under the present popular
management.