The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-04
THE LyNDsN STAGE.

THE LyNDoN STAGE.
ssThe Last Days Of Pomp eip'-The Victim Of
the Lions-Tom King willing 10 Be Do.
vourcd-The Lord CONSIDERABLY Iuterfer-
ence with the Pantomimes
.gi'.s-~-' LONDON, JAM 20 1872
The success which has attended Mr.. Andrew Hal
liday's numerous attempts to metamorphose the
historical novels Of Sir Walter Scott into sensa-
tional melodramas, has probably induced the man.
ager OF the Queens Theatre TO submit to similar
ordeal Lord Lytton's once celebrateu out now we'll
nigh forgotten romance, "The Last Days OF
PompelLn II Mr. John OxenfOrd, the author or
rather the adapter Of the piece thus entitled, which
Is now in course OF at the playhouse
In Long Acre. mad given himself free scope, and,
simply taking the framework OF his plot
from the nove, had moulded character, in-
cident and dialogue according to his own
discretion, there can be no doubt that
he would have produced thoroughly good play.
But the fact Is he has simply strung together some
OF the most salient Of the novel, using In the
operation just 80 much OF the original text as may
suice to make these scenes Ineligible and to keep
them In regular succession. The result Is produce
ton, Or TO speak more correctly, series OF scenic
effects which owes Its origin neither to Lord Lytton
nor to Mr.. Oxenford but rather the painters
and stage carpenters. who have simply given gor-
geous pictorial elaboration to the suggestions
OF both these gentlemen. It is hardly In any other
sense than that OF a superb spectacle that
the so-called play claims the attention
OF the public ana seeks 10 win their
patronage. 1t remains to be seen whether this ap-
peal to the fancy and vision OF slghtlOving and
sensati0n.encourgaing community Will draw the
town, and bring grst to the managerial mill. There
is no denying that II the pictures presented in the
view much is to be said IN their praise Especially
worthy OF consideration are the bright and AMI
mated scenes in the former-the ballet In which q
host OF dusky Egyptian dancing girls, replaced by
the lascivi0us forms Of Italian or Grecan beauty,
strive to enthral Ap9cides. the amphtheatre
packed tier above tier to its summit with gayly
clad spectators, the eruption Of the noun
tain itself and the picture OF the sea by
moonlight, beneath which the bark OF Gaucus
and his betr0thed floats on as In dream. In the
last act vesuvlus groans. rumbles thunders anu
belches forth smoke and fire. The multitude who
had assembled to witness the fierce sports OF the
arena ny panicstrcken in all directions. The blind
Nydia guides Glaucus and lone to the seashore.
wnere they embark with her. The boat glides
gently over the moonllt waters, and Nydia, having
performed her mission Of saving the happy lovers,
herself into the deep. Nor should alusion be
omitted to an 'edect" doubtless suggested py the
famous painting, "The Christian Martyr" The
body OF Nydla. just under the surface Of the
water is seen swept by the tide In q direction
is pursuing. This pictorial touch Is suggestive
ana pSsGa IN may be alleged soo
has been made to illustrate graphically and cor
rectly the external life of remote epoch Frail
nifcant as are its pretensions in dramatic and
literary point OF view, the play II SO II may be
aso there ia merit of q kind which, at times, PEN
etrates through al the glare Of the superincumbent
Modson as NydIa, deserves emphatic praise.
and the love of the jealous, out tender and
true and entrely tree from strain. MISS NJ Reinhardt
Is graceful representative OF lone, and Julie finds
an adequate exponent IN MISS Bentham: the
and dignity that can be desired while the madness
OF GlaSc NC Is powerfully presented IN It's stormy
and scene painters do their utmost to make the
piece attractive. and small as are ITS claims as q
work OF dramatic art II Is not unlikely to mud lavOr
with that not nconsiderabe section or the pleasure
seeking community who, IN the literal sense Of the
care little for the mental quality OF the entertain
ment so that their eyes are banqueted
THE VICTIM OF THE MENAGERIE
AprOp0s Ofsensati0na exhibitions 1t will be In your
recollection that an unfortunate on-tamer named
Mccarthy was torn TO pieces few weeks ago at
fessed to have .stamed.u No less a parsonage than
Tom King the retired pugll,st, !, has come Forward
Is satisfactory to be assured that his overtures have
been declined. The following Is the correspondence
on the SUBJECT
MADAME-I heard Of the accden. which happened to
Tom Mccarthy , which am very :prry for but you think
A'A'0'A''' -A'"''' '''-'' ''N' ''''-' TON KING
Mrs. Manders has sent the following reply
The MENAaERI, RooHDALE, Jan. g. 1871
DEAR sIR-since the amentabe and melancholy accident
in my establishment Wednesday last 1 fully deter
mined discontinue lonhunng, and consequently beg to
decline your 0nsr Yours faithfully 5 Sa Fp'1s MsSs:
knew @ llontamer once who shook In his shoes
at the approach OF his VIE and yet that henpecked
man not only put his head lutO lions mouth, but
what Is more remarkabIe-ne drew 1t out again. He
could bully lion, but he would run into 8. rathole
from his wife. At last she eloped with Methodist
parson, and the poor tlon-tamer took her loss 10
heart so much that he never again had the pluck to
poor fellow and died at Greenwich in the flower OF
his youth and beauty never hear Of a llon-tamer
without thinking OF poor Jackson; but let US hope
that the race IS now extinct
NOVELTIES.
Mr.. Alberry has written q new comedy called
"Pride'' for the vaudeville theatre, where, mean
while, MIR. BOucicaults fav0rIte play OF. "LOndon
Assurance" Is being performed nightly to crowded
MIR. Halliday is engaged upon new and original
drama drama which Is to be produced at .he Adelphi
Of on a hne same IN
Drury Lane, with Miss Nelson MRS. Lee, In her
original character.
An anecdote ia related OF correspondence be-
tween the Lord Chamberlains office and MIR. George
sanger, the lessee Of Astleys. The censor wrote to
Mr.. Sanger hoping that In LADY 0Odlva' the hero
inc would be dressed decently. The witty prOprie.
tor tersely replied that he had wife and several
daughters. me LORD chamberlain sent him letter
OF apology, but added postscript that he would be
obliged by the enclosure OF Q guinea by return Of
post-his fee for reading the pantomime.
GLADSTONE AND LOWE IN PANTOMIME.
The recent controversy on the subject Of the gov
eminent interference with the pantOmimes mas
brought to light some curious revelations. 1t sp-
pears that the pantOmtme which the chief cause
OF all the recent excitement was that Al the Victoria.
There were three cOuplets considered Objectionable
and ordered to be expunged. One referred to Mr..