The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-27 00:00:00

ASTLEY'S THEATRE.

VICTORIA THEATRE.

At this theatre—lately under the lesseeship of
Messrs. Frampton and Fenton, and now under that
of Mr. J. Arnold Cave, who has had it painted
externally, and has improved it in its internal
decorations and arrangements, imparting to
it a new and attractive appearance—a
highly amusing pantomime was last night
produced for the entertainment of the frequenters
and patrons of the house, whose name is " legion."
The pantomime is entitled " Charles the S..'cond and
Pretty Nell Gwynn° ; or, Harlequin Oliver Crom-
well and the Little Fairies of the Enchanted Oak,"
from the pen of Mr. Robert Soutar, the popular
comedian.

The house was crowded in all parts, the utmost
order prevailed ; and the pantomime, in the pro-
duction of which at considerable cost Mr. Cave has
been engaged some months, was throughout well
received, and is likely to have a long and compensa-
tory run.
The entertainments concluded with the admired
romantic drama of " The Wandering Boys."

POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.—This institution has
this year put forward a strong holiday programme,
which we have no doubt will be duly appreciated by
the public, for nowhere are instruction and amuse-
ment more happily combined. Abyssinia is a subject
which must interest every one just now, and the
lecture by Mr. Thomas Baines is both popular and
exhaustive. Professor Pepper's lecture on Fara-
day's discoveries and their results, in which he
shows up the sb-called spiritual manifestations, and
introduces the celebrated ghost effects, is also well
worthy of attention. But the chief attraction for
the juvenile visitors will be found in Mr. Darner
Cape's musical entertainment of " The Babes in the
Wood," with the excellent dioramic scenery for
which the Polytechnic has been so long celebrated,
and which has never been exhibited with greater
area than at present. Then there arc Mr. Mat-
thews in " Modern Magic," Dugwar the Indian
juggler, ventriloquism by Madlle. Carvalho, the
Automatic Leotard, and a host of other amuse-
ments, so that it is no wonder that the performances
are highly attractive to sightseers.

EGYPTIAN HALL.—Those who wish to "drive du.
care away" have only to visit the performance o
Mr. Maccabe, and they cannot fail to succeed in
their endeavours, at least so long as they were in
the company of that gentleman, whose " Begone
dull care" continues to attract large audiences, and
appeared yesterday to be fully up to the mark for
exciting the risibility of the holiday folk. Mr.
Maccabe gave two performances yesterday, and will
continue to do so daily until the close of the year.
Sir Rowland the Rough 'Un must be seen to be ap-
preciated.
ST. JAMES'S HALL.—London would scarcely be
complete at holiday times without its professor of
magic, whether he be a wizard from the north,
south, east, or west, or whatever designation he
may choose to take. The gentleman, who, hailing
from this hall, crow appeals to the public to witness
his marvel of magic appears to ignore all adventi-
tious aid, and merely announces himself as Rubiui.
M. Rubini, however, is in no way inferior to his
predecessors, his tricks are deftly and neatly per-
formed, and, in "beheading a lady," he is tho-
roughly at home, eliciting, on each representation,
marked expressions of wonder and alarm.
TuE OXFORD.—Herr Lutz's cantata of " King
Christmas," with Miss Fitzhenry, Miss Russell, Mr.
Green, and Mr. Fox in the principal parts ; the
duet from " The Stabat Mater," " Quis est Homo,',
and Gounod's sacred song " Nazareth," to Mr. Chor-
ley's words, constituted one portion of the enter-
tainments on Christmas-eve. Miss Fitzlieury and
Miss Russell were encored in the duet and in
" Nazareth." Mr. Alfred Stodare's "Magic and Mys-
tery," the herculian feats of a new artist from the
Paris Hippodrome ; two mock parliamentary
speeches from Mr. Foster ; and some highly relished
comic singing from Messrs. Sydney, Rickards, and
French, constituted another part of the programme.
Auber's overtures to " Fra Diavolo " and "Le
Cheval de Bronze" were well performed by a band
of 30 musicians, under the vigorous baton of Mr.
Jonghmans. Last night the principal variation in
the programme was the substitution of " Orphee
aux Enfers" for the cantata. In this selection ap-
peared Miss Russell, Miss Fitzhenry, Messrs. De
Brenner, Fox, and R. Green. Mr. Jonghmans and
M. Bury also gave with effect the grand duet from
Adolf Adam's comic opera, " Le Chalet," and the
entertainments gave general satisfaction.
MADAME TUSSAUD'S.—Among the various exhi-
bitions in the metropolis there are not many more
interesting or attractive than Madame Tussaud's
gallery of distinguished and historical characters in
Baker-street, Portman-square. The extensive
rooms have been redecorated with much splendour,
and the ancient and modern court dresses are of a
costly description. In fact, the exhibition for very
many years has rested its claim to public patronage
on being one of the finest, most complete, and best
managed of its kind in the world. The collection
Contains more than 200 celebrated characters, and
among the line of the Kings and Queens of Eng-
land, from the time of William the Conqueror,
a* new portrait mold of her Majesty t.as been
added; also, life-size, of their Royal Highnesses
the Princesses Helena, Louise, and Beatrice, the
Duke of Cambridge, and Princess Mary. There is
likewise a commemorative figure of the Prince Con-
sort, illustrative of his royal highness being the
originator of the International Exhibition. Many
other additions have been made, and among them
are the Sultan of Turkey, the Viceroy of Egypt,
the Emperor Maximilian, Theodore, King of Abys-
sinia, &c. Apart from the portrait figures theme
never has been a collection which contained so many
curious objects of interest, and even Paris does not
possess more significant mementoes of the revolution
from the knife of the first guillotine to the key of
the Bastille, and probably all France does not con-
tain such a number of valuable and interesting
relics as are to be found illthe " Napoleon Room,"