The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-14 00:00:00

EARLY CLOSING ASSOCIATION.

trative of China, and culminate in a Transforma-
tion Scene of remarkable novelty and beauty. The
orchestral and choral resources of the theatre will
be brought into requisition. The costumes will be
notably splendid and characteristic, and to the ex-
perienced Mr. William West has been confided the
arrangements of the production. Miss Rachel
Sanger makes her debut here as Aladdin ; Mr. W.
H. Payne is the Magician, Abanazar ; Mr.' Charles
Steyne, a provincial comedian of good reputation,
the Widow of Ching Ching ; and Mr. F. Payne is
the dumb slave, Kazrac. The harlequinade will be
be supported by the Payne Family, assisted by the
veteran Paul Herring as Pantaloon.
Drury-lane will be furnished, as usual, with a
comic annual, written by Mr. E. L. Blanchard,
and entitled " Little King Pippin ; or, Harlequin
Fortunatus and the Magic Purse and Wishing
Cap," for which Mr. William Beverley has been
for some weeks past preparing remarkable scenic
effects. A great number of children will be engaged
in the representation of King Pippin's Court, and
Mr. Robert Roxby is again the deviser and superin-
tendent of the complicated stage arrangements. The
story has a curiously interesting literary history.
" Fortunatus," the title of one' of the best people's
books ever written, originated about the middle of
the 15th century, though many of the tales and le-
gends included in it are of much earlier date. The
oldest printed edition of the book extant bears the
date, "Frankfort aux Maine, 1509." The substance
of the book is that Fortunatus, and his sons after
him, are the possessors of an inexhaustible purse of
gold, and a wishing cap, which, however, in the end
prove the cause of their ruin. The moral is, that
worldly success alone is insufficient to produce hap-
piness. The first to dramatise the subject was Hans
Sachsin in his " D,r Fortunatus mit dem Wunsch-
sekel" (1553), after whom comes the English Thos.
Decker, with his " Pleasant comedic of old Fortu-
natus" (1600), a work which had the honour to
make its re-appearance in Germany about the year
1620. The most poetical form of the story is that
given by Tieck in his " Phantasus," published in
Berlin in 181 G. In its present form an entirely ori-
ginal view is taken of the adventure that befel the
hero. Master Percy Roselle is the representative
of the owner of the wishing,cap, Little King Pippin,
Miss Augusta Thompson is Fortunatus, and Mr.
Henri Drayton strengthens the cast by apper.ring
in the opening at the embodiment of Mammon.
Mr. G. Belmore, Mr. Weston, Miss Falconer, Miss
'llazlewood, and Mr. Barsby sustain the principal
characters, the harlequinade will have the usual ad-
vantage of a double company of Pantomimists, in-
cluding the well-known names of Mr. J. Cormack,
Mr. and Madame Boleno, and Mr. Charles Lauri.
The designs, by the renowned Dykwynkyn, are emi-
nently characteristic, and no expense seems to be
regarded by the management in rendering perfect
the completeness of every department.
The Haymarket will bring Mr. Sothern back to
the metropolis, and present him once more in his
famous character of " Brother Sam." The special
novelty will be an extravaganza by M. Plancho, in
which the famous " Orfee aux Enfers," will be amus-
ingly travestied. The principal members of the Hay-
market company have parts in the burlesque, and
the celebrity of the author's name will be a guaran-
tee of the amusing and witty manner in which the
subject will be treated.
The Lyceum will rely on the new dramatic ver-
sion of " The Bride of Lammermoor," here called
" The Master of Ravenswood," and in which Mr.
Fechter sustains the chief character.

The Princess's Theatre will preserve an unchanged
bill, and the drama of "Never Too Late to Mend"
will be considered sufficient for the amusement of
its Christmas patrons.

The Olympic will keep the drama of " Henry
Dunbar," founded on Miss Braddon's novel, for its
most prominent attraction, and supply a slight
aftorpiece as an additional relish to the programme.
The Adelphi will continue to keep Mr. Jefferson
for the chief attraction, and supplement the present
programme with a new piece, in which Mr. J. L.
Toole will again resume his old position as principal
comedian.

The Prince of Wales's Theatre is furnished by Mr.
Henry J. Byron, who now devotes his valuable ser-
vices exclusively to this establishment, with an ex-
travaganza founded on Mozart's celebrated opera,
and called " Don Giovanni." Mis Marie Wilton is
the gay Don ; Mr. J. Clarke, Leporello ; Miss Josephs,
Masetto ; Miss Hughes, Donna Anna; and there are
good parts for Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Collier, an
addition to the company, Miss Larkin, Miss A. Wil-
ton, Miss B. Wilton, and Miss Weston. The new
scenery, by Mr. C. S. James, is spoken of as likely
greatly to enhance the attraction (Aon:lir::
of Mr
Byron's best extravaganzas.
The Strand Theatre adds to its popular
L'Africaine," the new drama by Air. J. Brougham,
called " Nelly's Trials."

The New Royalty is to present a burlesque by Mr.
Reece, called " Prometheus ; or, the Man on the
Rock."

The St. James's produces a new burlesque on a
classical subject, in which Miss Herbert plays the
principal character.

Astley's is sure to be well provided for by Mr.
E. T. Smith, who has wisely secured Mr. T. L.
Greenwood for his pantomimic career. Some fami-
liar nursery rhymes have been ingeniously linked
together, and " The Little Pigs who went to Mar-
ket" will figure conspicuously in the title. The
scenery, dresses, decorations, and stud of horses are
to surpass all previous representations at this house.
The Victoria has for its subject, " Old lEsop ;
or, Harlequin Dr. Syntax and his Animated Alpha-
bet," the scenery, by Mr. F. Fenton, being an im-
portant feature of the -opening.
The Marylebone links together " Fayre Rosa-
mond" and "Robin Hood," thus supplying the sti-
mulants to Christmas curiosity.
The other theatres east and northward have pan-
tomimes for the gratification of their patrons. It is
at present sufficient to say, from all we hear, that
unusual efforts are being made in every direction to
maintain the repute of each establishment for this
peculiarly English style of entertainment, and, con-
sidering the numbers to which it gives employ-
ment, and the numbers to which it affords harm-
less amusement, it is to be hoped the day is far disc
taut when any lack of support will be evinced by
the British public.