The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-20 00:00:00

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA.

The materials resorted to in concocting the Christmas
pantomime at this Theatre are the well-known adventures
of the far-famed Gulliver in Brobdingnag, Lilliput, and La-
puta. Scene 1 introduces us to the Temple of Pantomime,
which is evidently fast going to decay—the Genius of Pan-
tomime, looking "uncommon seedy," deplores the melan-
choly fact that she is getting older and older every year,
and that in consequence of

" - every fairy tale,
Being so often used, it's got quite old and stale,"
her difficulties are proportionably increased ; she, how-
ever, determines to make one effort more, and summons to
her aid a number of old, well-known and popular panto-
mime characters to assist her; they, however, declare
their inability to do so, and the Genius of Pantomime is
about to " shut up shop," when the Fairies Fun and Fancy
appear, and commiserating " Genius in distress," convey
her to scene 2, " The Fairy Realms of Fun and Fancy,"
and there surrounded by their Fairy Court, suggest " Gul-
liver's Travels" as

ic • . . . a subject fit
To suit the tastes of Boxes, Gallery, and Pit."
Scene 3 shows us the " Coast of Brobdingnag." Gulliver
and his better half are discovered approaching the shore in
a boat ; Gulliver lands, and while he is viewing with
astonishment the enormous proportions of everything
around him—the colossal oysters, stupendous cockles,
gigantic periwinkles, &c., &c., Mrs. Gulliver begins to fish
from the boat, but unluckily getting a bite from a Brob-
dingnagdian codfish, is pulled head first into the water.
She is, however, saved by her crinoline, and again lands to
the infinite delight of her husband. In Scene 4 they both
find themselves in a "Brobdingnag interior," which evi-
dently serves for " bedroom, nursery, kitchen, and all."
A series of misadventures here occur too numerous to men.
tion, hut sufficiently disagreeable so make them right glad
to effect their escape. We then find ourselves with our
hero and heroine on the coast of Lilliput; the vessel in
which they have made their escape from the inhospitable
shores of Brobdingnag is seen wrecked in the distance, and
the hapless travellers are discovered high and dry upon a
rock. While Gulliver is conveying Mrs. G. to land in a
wheelbarrow a la Blondin, they both take a " header" into
the ocean, from which the lady is saved by the timely appear-
ance of the " Flying Island," then on its way to Laputa. Gul-
liver manages to owint to wore, where he falls exhausted. In
this state he is discovered by the " little men and women" of
Lilliput, and being bond hand and foot, the great " Man
Mountain" is carried off in triumph to feast the eyes of
their Emperor and his court. Meanwhile, Mrs. Gulliver
having duly arrived in Laputa by means of the " Flying
Island," has the honour of being presented to the King of
that celebrated country, who, although in a deep brown
study, from which he is roused by sundry raps on his
royal pericranium, most graciously consents to Mrs.
Gulliver being set at liberty, and further appoints her a
fitting escort in the persons of his Lord Chamberlain and
Master of the Horse. We next find the Emperor and
Empress of Lilliput, and their court, assembled in Scene 8,
" The Summer Marine Palace of his Majesty the Emperor
of Lilliput," awaiting In all anxiety the arrival of the
great Alan mountain, the account of whose gigantic and
colossal stature has filled their minds with curiosity, not
unmingled with apprehension. Gulliver is led forth from
his Prison House, and on his promising to keep the peace
towards his Majesty and his Majesty's subjects, he is re-
leased from his bonds, and ultimately proves that the Royal
clemency has not been misplaced, by capturing the whole
of the Blefuscadian fleet then threatening to bombard the
capital, but subsequently arouses the Emperor's indigna-
tion, who, forgetful of his obligations to Gulliver for his
distinguished services, orders a general charge of his Lilli-
putian forces against the man mountain, who is only too
glad to beat a retreat. The several parties are afterwards
re-united in the Transformation Scene, in which we under-
stand that a combination of new and patented effects will
be introduced by that eminent scenic artist, Mr. W.
Calcott.