The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-23 00:00:00

DRURY LANE THEATRE.

The great Drury-lane annual for the present
year is entitled " Little King Pippin, or Harlequin
Fortunatus and the Magic Purse and Wishing
Cap." The author is, as usual, Mr. E. L. Blan-
chard, who has treated one of the most striking
subjects furnished by the inventions of our old
legends in an entirely novel fashion. The allegory
shadowed forth is the antagonism between the real
and the ideal, the wealth derived from money
being contrasted with the riches of fancy. The
first scene is the Temple of Mammon, where
the votaries of the ruler over riches are making
sacrifices to propitiate his favour. Fortune
solicits au Inexhaustible Purse for one of her
favourites to try the question whether money can
ensure perfect happinesi, and Fancy is to name the
individual who is to be the subject of this interest-
ing experiment. To the Haunt of Fancy, which is
on the summit of Mount Olympus, both accord-
ingly go, and this gives Mr. William Beverley an
opportunity of showing one of his enchanting
ballet scenes. A grand ballet takes place, and
the story of Fortunatus commences, according to
the old legend, in the city of Famagosta in the
Island of Cyprus. The purse is given by Fortune
to the young hero, who puts its power to the
test in a variety of ways, and he then proceeds to
purchase the Wonderful Wishing Cap of King
Pippin, who has very little in his treasury, but who
rules over a people contented with the discreet
employment of moderate means. This gives rise to
the most novel scene in the opening. The Court of
King Pippin is exhibited, with upwards of 200 chil-
dren engaged in the ceremonies proper to royal per-
sonages, but, no sooner does Fortunatus fill the
treasury than an insurrection takes place of the
people. The king, who has sold his Wishing Cap for
the sum produced by the contents of the Inexhaus-
tible Purse, is glad to escape with Fortunatus, and,
after wishing themselves a thousand miles away,
when they find themselves in Flanders they get into
such a remarkable difficulty that they are glad to
wish themselves some miles above the earth, when
Fortune re-appears, and the Transformation
follows, revealing the Fairy Factory of the
Wheels of Fortune. Miss Augusta Thomson is For-
tunatus; Master Percy Roselle, Little King Pippin ;
Mr. G. Belmore, the unlucky father of Fortunatus ;
Mr. G. Weston, the mother ; Mr. Barsby, Earl of
Flanders ; Miss Hazlewood, Fancy ; Miss E. Fal-
coner, Fortune ; Miss R. Leclercq, the daughter of
the Earl ; and Mr. Henri Drayton on this occasion
gives strength to the cast by appearing as Mammon.
The scenery is remarkable for the novely of its de-
sign, and Mr. William Beverley is reported to have
surpassed even all the brilliant achievements of for-
mer years. The celebrated Dykwynkyn has de-
signed the numerous masks, dresses, &c. Mr. John
Barnard has composed appropriate music, and Mr.
Robert Roxby, the most experienced and skil-
ful of stage managers, has superintended the
entire production, which is likely to add another
to the long list of Drury Lane successes. The
Harlequinade, with some elaborate comic scenes,
employs as usual a double company. Mr. Cor-
mack and Mr. Harry Boleno, the inventors of the
tricks and arrangers of the pantomimic business,
are Harlequin and Clown ; with Mr. S. Saville and
Mr. C. Lauri as the Harlequin and Clown of the
second troupe ; and with Messrs. W. A. Barnes and
J. Morris as Pantaloons, and Madame Boleno and
Miss Laura Morgan as Columbines, the after por-
tion will be sure to be very briskly supported.
Messrs. Falconer and Chatterton have been pro-
fuse in their expenditure, and the prestige which
has been so long attached to this theatre for the
Christmas Pantomime will be evidently well main-
tained. There are Morning Performances every
day through the Christmas week, and every Mon-
day, Wednesday, and Saturday during the month
of January.

Haymarket Theatre.

On Boxing-night Mr. Sothern will reappear at

this establishment as the renowned LordDundreary's
Brother Sam, as extraordinary a creation as that of
the more popular Dundreary himself. Mr. Buck-
ston, Mr. Compton, Miss Snowdon, and Miss
Nelly Moore being in the comedy with Mr. Sothern
is a sufficient guarantee for the excellence of the
performance. The Christmas piece is written by
Mr. Planche in his usual elegant and pointed style.
It will contain all Offenbach's music and the libretto
run into rhyme, and otherwise adapted to the English
stage by Mr. Planch6, but as the original French
opera Buffon is entitled, " Orfee aux Enfers" Mr.
Planche produces his version under the more cheer-
ful title of "Orpheus in the Haytharket." The
magnificent scenery is by Messrs. O'Connor and
Morris. To give proper effect to the work, Mr.
David Fisher, Mr. Bartleman, Miss Helen Howard,
and Miss Ellen Woolgar have been expressly en-
gaged, and who will appear with Mr. W. Farren,
Miss Louise Keeley, Miss Nelly Moore, Miss H.
Lindley, Miss Fanny Wright, Miss Lovell, Miss
Coleman, and Miss Prevot. Other entertainments
will be produced, employing the entire popular
company of the Haymarket Theatre.