The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-22 00:00:00

.DRU.RY-LARE TBEATRE.

The Christmas annual at this theatre, which for some
years past has assumed a prominent position -in catering
for the holiday folks, is entitled " Peter Wilkins;
or, Harlequin and the Plying Women of the Load -
stone Island," and proceeds, as usual, from the pen of
Mr. E. L. Blanchard, who has adapted the plot of the
charming story of Peter Wilkins, which has attained a
celebrity almost equalling that of Robinson Crusoe.
According to his version, which for dramatic purposes
varies slightly from the original form, the hero, Peter
Wilkins, is introduced to us as a Cornish miner, the first
scene representtig the " Interior of a Tin Mine," and,
being subjected to the tyranny of Black Ralph, the captain
of the mire, he is hnt up in its depths all night, but he
receive the friendly assistance of the Kobolde, or knock-
ing spirits of the mine, and is by them taken to glfinland,
were he is assured that if he remains true to his fiat love,
nothing ill shall befal him. Peter, who has been smitten
with the charms of the fair Constantia, daughter of the Earl
Fitz-Arthur Trevanion, is. confident of his constancy, but
he is to V severely tested. Tired of the ill-usage of the
hard-hearted and horny-handed Ralph, he resolves to go to
sea, and we find him soon after, one of a busy crew on board
the gallant ship The Adventurer, which is bound for a long
voyage. When they get into the Southern Pacific Ocean, the
attraction of the irresistible Loadstone Rock nut only throws
them out of their reckoning, but hurries them to the danger-
ous magnetic reef, where the vessel becomes a total wreck,
and Peter saves himself by escaping on to the Loadstone 1
island, where he explores a subterraneons cavern. Thus he
arrives in the wonderful country of the Glumms and Gawries,
omen and women that fly; and falling in love withYouralse
kee, one of the winged women, whose life he saves, he is
about to marry her when the Elfin Queen appears and re-
minds him of his promise. This brings about the transfo7.-
mation, and the comic business then commences. Mr. Ter a-
pleton plays Peter Wilkins, and Mr. Tom Matthews 'the
jolly sailor, Jack Robinson, first mato of the Ad ventw •er.
We shall not anticipate the peculiar treatment of the st ary
by going into further details, nor refer to the brilli ant
effects by which they are said to he illustrated, further tl inn
by hinting that Mr. William Beverley's " Transforr na-
tion Scone," with the descent of the Flying Women at. the
trysting place of the spreading bulbul tree, is reported to
be a masterpiece of scenic and mechanical illusion. The
music, by Mr. J. H. Tully, is singularly characteristit and
original ; the masks, by Dykwynkyn, are most ingeniously
contrived ; and the conduct of the whole story is said to, be
exceedingly novel and suggestive. In the harlequins&
we shall have Messrs. Cormack and St. Maine as the Harle-
quins ; Miss Vacy and the Misses Gunniss as Columbines
and principal dancers; Messrs. Huline and Power as the
Clowns ; and Messrs. Glindon, Barsby, Martin; H. Naylor,
and the Lavater Lee Family as the representatives o 1: the
other pantomimic characters. The whole has beemi de-
velopedre regardless of expense by Mr. E. T. Smith., and
ca
fully arranged under the experienced direction of Mr.
Rebut Ruby.