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

CANTERBURY HALL.

An immense audience assembled to be present at the
meeting of the " Ghost Club," and to see the other staple
attractions of the far-famed Canterbury Hall. The " Ghost
Club" differs from many other spectral entertainments, in
so far that it is made the medium for enforcing more than
one good moral lesson, at the same time that a fund of fun
is preserved. Mr. W. Randall is in turns impressive and
highly comic, according as the ghost story proceeds. He
makes a fine point where the slavery of the English
semptress is contrasted with the slavery of the South, and
a thrill of sympathy runs through the audience as her
sufferings are depicted. The " Ghost Club," and the scene
from "The Tempest" (with Miss Townley in the principal
part), gave unbounded delight, which was,intensified when
Ariel passed through the illuminated fountain. A special
feature at the Canterbury Hall, also, is the new Fairy
Fountain—a triumph of skill in construction and lighting
We need not dwell on the manifold attractions of this Hall,
which are equally divided between the pictorical and the
musical. With this double source of gratification to recom-
mend it, the Canterbury Hall defies competition with any
other place of the kind in the kingdom. In mentioning the
novelties at this superb Hall, we ought not to forget the
performances of Master Powell on the drum. They evi-
dence an aptitude for the martial instrument in which mer©
prececi, y has but a small share.

THE COLLOSSEUM.—Mr. A. Nimrao, who manages this
long•eztz.b!ist,ed resort of holiday-makers, kept up the
prestige of this vast esh.blishment. The world •renowned

Panoramas of London by Day and Paris by Night, the
Cydlotafhd of Lisbon, with its stirring illustrations of the
great earthquake of 1755, its stalactite caverns and Swiss
cottages, are yet there to gratify the eye of the young and
revive the pleasant recollections of their seniors. The season
of Christmas was celebrated at the Colosseum by the pro-
duction of a " Shadow Pantomime," on the favourite legend
of "Little Red Riding Hood," "Ye Goblin Wolfe," as it
is termed, is a capital application of the modern improve-
ments in optical illusions, and is illustrated by Mr. George
Buckland in an excellent manner. The large theatre in
which the entertainment took place was densely packed,
and as hundreds were unable to obtain even standing room
a seconi representation of the pantomime had to be given
as soon as the first was terminated. Mr. Buckland was
as versatile and humorous as ever, and the drolleries which
continually occurred thn.ughout the performance were re-
ceived with the heartiest applause, After the story of Red
Ridinghood was finished a regular harlequinade took place,
and the whole was concluded by a brilliant chromotrope.
THE GALLERY OF ILLUSTRATION.—The very delightful
Opera di Camera " Jessy Lea," is as attractive as aver at
this place of amusement. Mr, Macfarren's sparkling and
beautiful music must increase in favour the more it is
heard. The vocal portions by Miss Edith Wynne, Miss
Poole, Mr. Whiffin, and Mr. Wilkinson, make up a de-
lightful evening's entertainment.
MADAME TUSSAUD'S.—On no former Boxing-day was
Madame Tussaud's exhibition honoured by a more nume-
rous, more respectable, or more gratified muster of visitors
than at this Christmas. The numerous novelties and the
tout ensemble of the things with which the galleries were
filled attracted many hundreds of the patrons of the place
and the searchers after holiday amusement. It will be
sufficient to say that everybody seemed pleased ; indeed, if
any one were not pleased it must have been his or her own
fault, for there was sufficient to delight, instruct, and
gratify evet y visitor.
ALHAMBRA.—FRANCONI'S CIRQUE IMPERIAL.—" No
large city is perfect without its equestrian establishment."
So says some one who would be an authority in euch mat-
ters. London has, however, managed to exist during the
last few years without a cirque. Still we do not deny that
M. Franconi has done us a service by bringing his noble
stud of horses and "host of talent" to us at this season of
the year, and we think that he will have no occasion to
regret making our "city perfect," if we may judge by the
andiences on Saturday—upon which evening neatly 3,000
persons paid at the doors.
POLYGRAPHIC HALL.—The operettas of "Cousin Kate"
and "The Haunted Mill," produced at this hall, with Mr.
and Mrs. Elliot Galer in the principal characters, deservedly
attracted a good audience.