The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-27 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S.

Under the title of Harlequin and the Miller and his
Men, or King Salamander and the Fairy of the Azure
Lake, a gorgeous, glittering, and gamesome pantomime
has been produced, remarkable, even at the Princess's,
for the splendour of its mounting, and the perfection of
its arrangement. Nothing can exceed the beauty of the
scenery, the richness and taste of the decorations and
dresses, and the picturesqueness of the action ; while the
risible faculties are frequently titillated by sundry chefs
d'ceuvre of well-ordered fun. It would be a somewhat
long-winded task to give a detailed account of the plot
and proceedings of this sparkling and hilarious hotch
potch which commanded the delight and admiration of
an audience of all ages, from the rising to the falling of
the curtain. Suffice it to say, that the first scene opens
with the " Azure Lake," and the entrance of the Fairy
Queen (Miss Kate Terry) and her attendant fairies, who
are the natural foes of King Salamander (Mr. F. Cooke).
Her Majesty having got into hot water with her royal
enemy respecting Grindoff, the miller, a note is drawn
up for his acceptance, and despatched by her Majesty's
Envoy-Plenipotentiary-Extraordinary, John Dory (Mr.
F. Collins, a very odd fish) ; but, despite the efforts of
the Peace Congress, he resolves to be prepared for war.
Scene the second represents the King in the " Boudoir
of the Palace," with the imps in waiting, devils of the
hed chamber, and fiends of the back stairs, crowding in
the anti-chamber. The King having been shaved and
dressed, is about to sit down to breakfast, when he is
suddenly called away to scene the third, the " Grand
Hall of Audience," where John Dory presents his de-
spatches, and is only saved from being dispatched him-
self by the timely arrival of the fairy army. A declara-
tion of war ensues, and hostilities at once commence,
which, after a fierce struggle, ends in the triumphant
defeat of King Salamander by the fairy forces. The
King, after his subjugation, is permitted to revisit on
earth, on the condition of his becoming the friend and
ally of Grindoff, and the scene changes to the " Banks
of a River, with a distant view of the Mill, the Jolly
Anglers, and the Cottage of Keltnar," an old fisher-
man, who is desirous of securing the rich miller as his
son-in-law. His daughter, Claudine, however, is
destined to a counter flirtation with Count Friberg, a
traveller in search of the beautful. A grand combat de
deux takes places between the miller and the count,
and the former is on the point of being victorious,
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is then introduced to the " Enchanted Realms of Fairy-
land," when the transformations takes place.

The principal performers in the Harlequinade ac-
quitted themselves with exceeding eclat. The mis-
chievous pranks and marvellous antics of Clown were
achieved in first-rate style by Mr. Huline, who intro-
duced sundry feats of gymnastic and light-limbed dex-
terity that immeasurably delighted the spectators.
The wonderful little man experienced a highly friendly
reception, and cordial felicitations were likewise
lavished on his sagacious poodle. Mr. Cormack, the
most finished and brilliant of all Harlequins,
danced to perfection, and leaped and flitted
with inexhaustible vigour and spirit; and Miss Des-
borough, a young lady of high promise and ability,
graceful, intelligent, and pleasing in all she under-
takes, makes a very charming Columbine, both in
appearance and execution. Plaudits were repeat.
edly showered on the exertions of these pantomi-
mic stars. Two characters, pas de deux, particu-
larly the one a /a Watteau, elicited much admiration,
being dressed and danced beautifully by Mr. Cormack
and Miss Desborough. The tricks and changes are
skilfully designed, and went off admirably ; and the
entire business of the "comic scenes," alias the harle-
quinade, must be allowed to reflect a large amount of
credit on Mr. George Ellis and his assistant, Mr. Cor-
mack. The great features of the entertainment were the
Fairy Army, headed by the glorious little Kate Terry ;
the " Infantry Evolutions at the Chobham Camp"; a
"Great Hit ;" and the indescribable formation of a
colossal head in "the Palace of the Fire King," a most
magnificent scene. We have seen more broadly
laughable pantomines, on the whole, but none more
striking as a spectacle.

In the first piece, The Corsican Brothers, Mr. Mea-
dows, being indisposes, the character hitherto sustained
by him in that favourite melo-drama was filled by Mr.
Saker with an amount of comic ability that proves him
equal to undertake more prominent parts than he has
yet appeared in at this theatre. In the pantomine, he
was extremely hideous as Karl, Count Fri berg's
" Team_ s. "

We should not omit mentioning a most singular
"change." Harlequin and Columbine, finding them-
selves in a room but scantily furnished, the former has
recourse to his wand, and transforms several women who
happen to be in the apartment, into chairs, a clock, and
a dressing-table. The women thus converted into draw-
ing-room furniture were living persons—real flesh and
blood. At one moment they were standing erect on the
stage, in the next they were as many chairs elaborately
carved and gilt, and not a vestige of the human form was
visible. This was not all ; the chairs were afterwards
sat upon by the Clown and Pantaloon, who indulged in
some rather rough romping, which the chairs bore with
a firmness that would gain a reputation for any uphol-
sterer. The trick is so ingenious—may we say so won-
derful that we believe few of the audience understood
it ; the greater portion, perhaps, imagining that the
women so strangely transformed were only so much lath
and pasteboard. The house was crowded to suffocation,
and the "gods" were unusually noisy.