The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-27 00:00:00

SADLER'S IVELLS THEARE.

Last evening the Temple ()f Fancy of the Isling
tonians, 'yclept "the Wells," attracted one of the
largest and merriest audiences we ever remember to
have seen even at this famous stronghold of panto-
mime. The Christmas entertainments provided for the
holiday-makers commenced with Bulwer's beautiful
play of The Lady of Lyons,
which, as is generally
the case with the first piece on a Boxing-night, was
nearly gone through in dumb show. Miss Cooper
appeared to sustain the part of Pauline very beauti-
fully—we say appeared, for, under the circumstances,
it was impossible to hear hardly two succeeding sen-
tences. Having arrived at the fifth act of the play,
nothing then could be heard except the words " the
pantomime," and the falling of the curtain was the
signal for a hearty round of applause. The panto-
mime is from the pen of Mr. Greenwood, and is en-
titled harlequin and the Yellow Dwarf; or, the En-
chanted Orange Tree and the King of the Golden
Mines. The opening scene is the Court of Revels in
the ancient Palace of Old Style, where the Abbot of
Misrule, attended by various well-known characters,
from Tom Thumb up to Sir Roger de Coverley, are
represented enjoying themselves in a very pleasing
though somewhat old-fashioned manner. Their
amusements are, however, speedily checked by
the entrance of 0!cl Style, who tells them
that their noses are put out of joint by
the rapid improvements of the fast-going present
age. This is confirmed by the appearance of
New Style, who expresses her contempt for her pre-
decessor's taste, and quickly changes the scene to the
Temple of Design in the Realms of Invention,
where, after showing him how things ought to be
dona in these times of improvement, she consents to
allow him one short hour for the production of his
Christmas annual, of which the old gentleman takes
advantage, by at once changing the scene to the en-
, chanted Orange Grove, with a distant view of tl-e
Sandy Desert by sunset. Here we are introduced to
the Princess Allfair (Miss de Vere), attended by her

rubynose guards, who, afflicted by that fatal curiosity
to which most ladies are said to tr.ve always had un-
fortunately a tendency, d, termines, in spite of the en-
treaties of her attendants, to taste the fsrnid,en fruit.
Of course she does so; but the fatal consequences
of her indiscretion are averted by the appear-
ance of the Yellow Dwarf (Mr. 'Thorne), who
being mesmerised by her charms, falls into the pit of
love, and obtains her promise for their future nuptials.
To show his gratitude, he immediately changes the
scene to the Emerald Boudoir of the Princess Alifair,
where the Princess is discovered fast asleep in bed,
much to the delight of her anxious mother, Golconda,
Queen of the Rubynoses (Mr. Naylor), who, having
cheered the spirits of her daughter and herself by a
substantial breakfast, prepares to receive as graciously
as most mammas do a rich suitor for her daughter, in
the person of California, King of the Gold Mines
(Mr. C. Fenton), who now enters, attended by bis
metallic guards. His courtship is cut very short by
the sudden appearance of the Yellow Dwarf, who,
after sundry encounters, carries her off in triumph
to the Giant's Courtyard of the Polished Steel
Castle. Here, after many gigantic difficulties, the
pursuers, by the aid of the Desert Fairy and Smorls-
park, a very active sprite, obtains an entrance. The
scene now changes to the Hall of a Hundred Steps,
where the Yellow Dwarf is attempting to prevent the
necessity of an action for breach of promise. In this,
however, spite of his endeavours to captivate his mis-
tress by the magical illustration of the various senses,
he is frustrated, and being disturbed by the entrance
of the King of the Golden Mines and the young
lady's distracted family, a struggle ensues, the issue
of which would be very doubtful, but for the entrance
of the Desert Fairy, who changes the face of things.
The Hall of a Hundred Steps becomes the Brilliant
Palace of Diamonds, and the various personages are
transformed into the usual pantomimic characters.
The comic business consisted of puns and hits, some
of them good and others remarkable for their pro-
fundity. Fenton made a good Harlcquin, and Miss
De Vere a very graceful Columbine. Mr. Rochez was
hardly up to the mark as Clown, Naylor and Thorn as
Pantaloon and Sprite were both excellent. The very
clever performances of Master Rochez as Little Sprite,
and Master Still as Little Clown, also deserve to be
recorded. The scenery, by Mr. F. Fenton and Mr.
Wright, was the subject of general admiration. The
pantomime was perfectly successful.