The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-28 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS AMUSEMENTS.

The crowds of pleasure-seekers who look forward
to Boxing-day were greatly favoured yesterday by
fine dry weather, and clear bracing air. We sub-
join an account of some of the principal entertain-
ments which were presented to the public.
• COVENT GARDEN.
Last evening a genuine holiday audience assembled in
this magnificent edifice. The theatre was crowded in every
part; but although the pit and gallery were filled to the
brim, very little noise or interruption was interposed by the
occupants of those parts of the theatre. he Christmas en-
tertainment provided by Miss Louisa Pyno and Mr. Har-
rison, the enterprising managers of Covent Garden Theatre,
consisted of Mr. Balfe's new opera of " Satanella," and a new
pantomime, entitled "Little Red Riding Hood; or, a New
Little Pantomime for Little People." At length the opera
was brought to a close, and what we believe, on this parti-
cular evening, was the great attraction—namely, the pan-
tomime—began. The overture being over, the curtain
rose on the first scene, which is laid in the clouds. Italian
opera (Miss Ranoe) having, while abroad, heard certain
rumours, is on her way back to London to inquire how far
these rumours are true, when she meets her mother, the
Genius of Music (Miss Mortimer) who introduces her to
English Opera (Miss Emily Burns). After some happy
allusions to the Pyne and Harrison management a compact is
entered into by English and Italian Opera for the latter to
hai-e the former's quarters at Covent-garden during the
winter months, when suddenly Pantomime (Miss Crankell)
enters and claims to have a finger in the pie. This is at
first objected to, on the score that Pantomime is vulgar, and
will never do at Covent-garden. The objection, however,
is overruled, and Pantomime's co-operation accepted. We
are now wafted to the Kingdom of Roses, where Queen
Moss Rose (Miss Ellesmere) reigns supreme. Cupid (Miss
Williams) informs her that her protdgee, Little Red Riding
Hood (Miss Clara Morgan), is in love with a certain Colin
(Mr. H. Payne), but that Wealthiana, the wicked Genius
of Money (Miss Morrell) has determined she shall wed a
certain old and very unprincipled baron, impersonated by
Mr. W. H. Payne. Queen Moss Rose replies that she will
never consent to such a sacrifice. of her favourite. Weal-
thiana now appears, and a scene of violent recrimination
ensues. Wealthiana declares that she will give the Baron
a potion which shall restore his youth. Queen Moss Rose
replies, that though he may be yOung and captivating all
day, at six o'clock she will, by her magic power, change him
into a wolf. The next scene introduces us to the Bairon's
studio, where he is pursuing his experiments as an alchy-
mist. Wealthiana then enters and gives him the
magic potion, which gradually restores him to
youth. The ci-devant jeune honzme then drives over to see
Little Red Riding Hood, whom he eventually pursues, as
a wolf, to her cottage, where we are treated to the well-
known nursery rhymes,' "Pull the bobbin and the latch
will fly up," &c. The conclusion may, of course, be easily
imagined. The unprincipled nobleman, who, as the bills
term him, is a very great brute, attempts to carry off his
victim, after having previously drowned her grandmother
in a waterbutt which is conveniently near the window: At
the nick of time, however, Queen Moss Rose appears and
transforms the aristocratic nobleman into Clown (Mr. Flex-
more), the grandmother into Pantaloon (Mr. Barnes),
Colin, the lover, into Harlequin, and Little Red Riding
Hood into Columbine.

The various characters were well supported; and the
authors' words were given with much greater clearness than
is usually the case in pantomime. The resemblance of Miss
Emily Burns to Miss Louisa Pyle, and that of Miss Ranee
to Madame Grisi, as Norma, were very striking. Mr. W.
H. Payne was inimitable as the wicked Baron, and with his
head man, Roberto (Mr. Fredk. Payne), kept the house in
a roar as long as he was on the stage. The scene of the
old English village festival, in which he comes on driving
a tandem, drawn by most wonderful horses, that indulge
in kicking violently, but are speedily tamed by being
shown Mr. Rarey's card, was encellent. No less success-
ful was Mr.-Flexmore as Clown. His appearance was
' greeted by a hearty shout of welcome, and his admirers,
whose name was legion, were all delighted with his efforts.
Miss Clara Morgan was a pretty and accomplished Colum-
bine ; Mr. Henry Payne a most nimble and elegant Harle-
quin, and Mr. Barnes as senile and mirth-provoking a
Pantaloon as could be desired. The dresses and appoint-
ments were rich and well-conceived, and the scenery such
as to reflect the highest credit on the artists engaged.

beautiful Spirit of the Waters, was, when a chile, left on
the banks of 'a broad lake near an enchanted forest 11'1
kindred, that she 'might grow up amongst mortals net'
[ reaching her eighteenth year ; when, if during that time she
could resist the power of love, she should be worthy to sae-
. coed to the throne of her mother under the waters. fling
discovered -by an old fisherman, he brought her W'
where she lived with• him and his wife until her eighteenth
birthday, when a young knight, who had braved the dangers
of the enchanted forest to prove his valour and pleases half
to whom he was betrothed, sought refuge in the fislier,;
man's cottage. Undine, on beholding the stranger, fell
at once in love with, him. The water spirits, on knowill
allayed
their were greatly incensed against Undine, but '
their anger by the knowledge that, should the knight
prove untrue to her, it was her doom to destroy him. In
vain Undine sought to conquer her fatal passion. The
power of love gave her a soul, and henceforth she beano
mortal, and subject to all the infirmities of mortality. I.ll°
young knight, for a brief space, returned the passion of
Undine, but on the arrival of the lady betrothed to hint'
Undine discovered his falsehood, and bade him a sad adieu'
On his bridal night she sought his chamber, and finding hunt
there alone, flung herself into his arms and gave him this
kiss of death. This sacrifice atoned for her weakness, and
she became restored to her high station amongst the Spirits
of the Waters. The main incidents of this very romantic
though somewhat inhuman legend are represented on the
stage with remarkable fidelity up to the point of the water
Peri's restoration, after which the Genius of Pantomime
takes up the thread of the narrative, and weaves it accord;
ing to her peculiar fashion into a fantastic tissue of droll
events and grotesque characters. In the transforraati°
scene the lifeless form of Sir Hulbrand is seen reclining 09
a rock ; while Undine, on her knees, is weeping over the
body in despair. Kuhleborn calmly surveys the eater
Spirit, and Flibinite supports the Lady Bertalda. Coralle
appears mounted on a sea-horse, and, addressing then',
pronounces with suitable solemnity -the judgment which
converts the knight into Harlequin, the lady into Colton'
bine, and Kuhleborn into Pantaloon—with 'a special Pre-
vision as regards Undine, that she shall watch over these
erratic spirits during the period of their earthly peregri.
nation, and meantime leave no stone unturned t°
win back her faithless lover. Flibinite is charged t°
enliven her ennui with his mirthful sallies ; and the
Clown, who comes tumbling head over heels, after the
immemorial custom of such behumped personages, is as°
instructed to display his drolleries for the same laudable
purpose. The term of probation comprised in the hale-
quinade being at length concluded, Coralie again appears
on the scene 'with the welcome intelligence that Undine s
trials are at an end, and that henceforward she may hope
to enjoy unalloyed happiness in her gay dwelling beneath
the azure waves—

" Undinet once more your Coralie behold,
Your mission's ended, and your story told ;
The many scenes and changes you have viewed
Have all your sorrows and your sighs subdued.
Bid now your knight farewell, and come with mey
To our bright palaces beneath the sea."
The scenery, which has been painted by Mr. Frederick
Fenton, assisted by Messrs. Hicks, Hall, and other artists,
has "the freshness and the glory of a dream." The sea'
weed cavern of Kuhlebom, the Fisherman's Hut on the
Bank of the Silver Lake, with a distant view of wild

mountain scenery, the entrance to the enchanted forest,
where the withered trunks and gaunt spectral branches and
gnarled:roots of the trees are made to assume the fantastic
features of unearthly beings, the moonlight view of the
Silver Lake, and the "Abode of the Water Nymphs,'
with its pillars of pearl, branches of coral, beautiful shell*
and various forms of submarine vegetation, may be in-
stanced as scenes in which the poetic fancy and artistic
skill of the painter are delightfully. conspicuous. The
transformation scene, representing the translucent
temple of the bright sea waves, is one of those
gorgeous spectacles which slowly unfold their charms
to the view, and keep gradually and noiselessly blos-
soming into beauty like a flower, till all their leaves
are expanded and all their vivid colours displayed. Then
comes the tender effulgence of " the light that never was 13/
sea or land, the consecration, and the poet's dream." Thc,
audience's admiration of this most ingenious and fanciful
scene was expressed in a rapturous shout of applause, which
brought Mr. Fenton to the footlights, where he received
the enthusiastic congratulation of the spectators, whose
eyes he had banqueted with such a vision of splendour.
The harlequinade is full of bustle and incident, and ha
plenty of the escapes, surprises, droll adventures, and prac
tical jokes characteristic of this very exciting description of
entertainment. There are many amusing hits at the foil)"
of the day, more particularly at the crinoline craze ; the
Clown, Mr. Charles Leclerq, sings a laughable duet with c
cod-fish, to the air of " Hoop-de-dooden-do ;" and there le
some capital dancing by the Harlequin, Mr. Arthur
Leclerq ; and tie Columbine, Miss Fanny Wright. Herr
Cole, from the Dublin Theatre, is the Pantaloon, and fills
the character very effectively. The comic business is occa-
sionally varied by the introduction of some excellent land-
scapes, among which the views of Valentia Bay and an
Alpine village are especially deserving of notice. There le
besides a pictorial illustration of the proclamation of Queen
Victoria in India, and the piece concludes with a magnifi-
cent scene of a "palace in Delhi and allegorical inaugura-
tion of the British Empire in Hindostan."

LYCEUM.