THE CHRISTMAS PANTOMIMES AND ENTERTAINMENTS, The long list of theatrical
entertainments produced for the enlivenment of the present holidays is, of itself, a curiosity. Never did Harlequin extend his reign so far, or own so many principalities, since first he was received a willing immigrant from his native Italy, and became the most English of Englishmen.
Even Her Majesty's Theatre has its pantomime, now it has become an English Opera House. The bill announcing Harlequin Tom Thumb at the doors of the larger theatre in the Haymarket seems a scarcely credible document ; but those who enter the portal are delighted by the creation of Mr. Beverley and the performance of a juvenile phenomenon—Miss Lille Rost—as the diminutive warrior.
At Drury Lane—which, though it has lost its dignity as a- temple of the legitimate drama, has long remained supreme in pantomirae—an ad- mimble subject has been chosen—the story of Peter TIVkins ; and the "gathering of the Flying 'Women round the spreading ,Banian Tree," RIS depicted by Mr. Beverley, has astonished all beholders. There is, as usual, a double company for the Harlequinade. At Covent Garden, the old tale of Blue Beard supplies the theme, and Mr. J W. Bridgeman who has written the introductory portion of the pantomime, has pointed it with -satire against Continental despotism. Here, Messrs. Grieve and Telbin are painters, and the veteran Mr. W.1g. .Payne is prominent among the adore. At the Adelphi Theatre, the same story appears in the ehape of a bur- lesque by Mr. H. J. Byron, in which the famous wife-slayer is played by Mr. Toole and the interesting Fatima by Mrs. Mellon. The old-fashioned modeof treating the subject is so far abandoned, that sister Anne, that pattern of female devotion, is transformed into a female Iego---the prime misehiefemaker of thestory. Mr. Buekstone, who blots usual, the authorof the Haymeeket panto- mime, has expanded the nursery rhyme, eeIAdybird, lady:tddrity away home," into a Christmas antertaiament ; -and-Mr. Fe. 'isca the
audience by an enchanting representation of the "New Home of Queen Lady-bird.
How rich we are in poetical scene-painters !—Beverley, Grieve, Telbin, Fenton, have been already named, and now we must add CaIcott, who attains the highest honours by an aquatic picture, which terminates Chrystabelle; or the Rose without a Thorn—the fantastic farie with which Mr. Falconer has supplied the Lyceum. The Princess's has long been famous for its pantomimes, and its ancient reputation has been well preserved this year by Mr. A. Harris in the Christmas novelty, Harlequin Robinson Crusoe, to which Mr. H. F. Byron has supplied the introduction, and in which the corps de ballet takes a prominent part. An extravaganza of which Mr. F. Robson is the hero, is the normal entertainment at the Olympic. The piece of this year has been founded, by Messrs. Shirley Brooks and J. Oxenford, upon the old melodrama of Timour the Tartar, and is illustrated by the pencil of Mr. Telbin. That the character of Timour may be heightened, the passion of jealousy is made prominent among his attributes, and his language is enriched with imitations of Shakspeare. Mr. H. J. Byron, though he supplies the Adelphi with its burlesque and the Princess's with the introduction to its pantomime' does not desert the old scene of his glories, the Strand, where the talents of the well-known burlesque company are united to give effect to his new version of Cinderella. At the St. James, we have a specimen of the mythological burlesque in Endymion ; or, the Haughty Boy who Cried for the Moon. Mr. W. Brough is the author of this piece, and Messrs. F. Lloyds and Hann are the painters.
When we have added that we have Harlequin and Cinderella at the Surrey, Harlequin 8inbad at Sadler's Wells, Harlequin and the Wonderful .Horse at Astley's, the list is still incomplete—so boundless now is thea- trical London—for Pantomime has travelled north and east : at Maryle- bone,the Grecian, the Britannia, the Standard, and the Pavilion, Clown and Pantaloon assault each other in the good old style, and Harlequin and Columbine trip it together, to the delight of thousands every night. London is also busy with entertainments of every order. Mr. Woodin, at the Polygraphic Hall ; Mr. and Mrs. German Reed and John Parry, at the Gallery of Illustration ; and Miss Stanley, at the Egyptian Hall, have attracted large audiences by new pieces. The sights of London : the Royal Colosseum, the Polytechnic, Burford's Panorama, Wyld's Globe, and Madame Tussaud, have been visited by large numbers.
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