The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-06 00:00:00

THE OXFORD.

Holiday audiences cannot keep pace with the
novelties that are produced at the Oxford. Since
Easter, when the last gigantic gathering of citizens
and country cousins took place at this palatial hall,
Donizett's neglected opera of " Adelia" has formed
the subject of an operatic selection ; and the
" Brother and Sister" of Sir Henry Bishop (con-
taining the exquisite " Echo Song" and some highly
characteristic music that used pleasurably to stir up
the past generation of play-goers) has also been de;
lighting the frequenters. Then Miss Russell, the
prima donna, has returned after a brief absence, and
that is saying a great deal. The Whitsuntide
audience were mightily pleased last night, little
reeking, as it appeared to us, whether their prospec-
tive pleasures are about to be expanded or con-
tracted by the fate of Mr. Locke's bill, which is
not unlikely, by the way, to share in the sacrifice
of those innocent waifs and strays of legislation
which are cut off in their infancy. One thing is
certain, that the Lord Chamberlain will never
be kept au courant with the insidious move-
ments of Mr. D'Auban:s legs, nor will the
reporter ever be able to inform any board of
green cloth the point where the laughter at " Orphee
aux Enfers" ceases to be innocuous and assumes the
form of danger to the state. The laughter at that
said selection is not a bad substitute for an indif-

As an ordinary rule, the announcement by a
Ghost" that it was "the last few nights of his
appearance," would be hailed as a welcome piece of
news by those who do not take kindly to the
supernatural. Last night's audience at the Can-
terbury Hall did not share in such grati-
fication, but their applause at " Hodge
Podge (notified as soon about to retire into pri-
vate life), showed-that they were sorry to lose
his society. The Mephistopheles of the " Hodge
Podge," and other creations of the kind, Mr. Van-
dervell, looked very well, we thought, prepared, no
doubt, at any moment, to go off in a body of smoke
should the Lord Chamberlain be moved to his cap-
ture. 'We confess we shared in the regret of the
audience at the news that " Hodge Podge" is to be
withdrawn, because it is very properly said that,
apart from the contemplation of the beautiful
tableaux presented, the invention, perfected as it is
here, is, in the language of the Hon. Mr. Norton,
susceptible of almost inexhaustible application, and
is likely to suggest and elucidate many points in the
science of optics. The optical effects were splendidly
produced last night ; the substitution of the mast
for the boat on the rolling billows on which the fic-
titious prince is tossed, being a great improvement ;
the combat with the hydra-headed monster a won-
der of broadsword skill and optical arrangement,
the groupings admirably devised ; the illuminated
waterfall pretty in the extreme, and the final exhi-
bition of fireworks, culminating in what is now
famous as the ".Curtain on Fire," being refulgent
to a degree. What with these scenic representa-
tions in this part of the hall, and the attractions of
the picture gallery in the other, there is certainly no
lack of the spectacular at the Canterbury Hall.
Here, as at the Oxford, are selections from " Orphee
aux Enfers," " Martha" (Miss Russell's singing in
which is perfection), and " The Brother and Sister,"
supported by Miss Barrie and Miss Hayes, Messrs.
St. Albyn, Green, Elton, Williams, Stuart, Kim-
berly, &c., with a full band and chorus of 40, un-
der the direction of Mr. Jonghmans. Mr. Arthur
Lloyd is a host in himself. His supremacy over the
sympathies and risible muscles was asserted the
other day, when an audience at a concert given for
the Paddington Hospital cut a speech of thanks for
their benevolent assistance short by loud calls for
" Arthur Lloyd." He has an inexhaustible budget
of songs, all humorously written, and delivered
with peculiar quaintness and with a total absence
of effort.