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Leader (1850-1860), 31st December 1859, Edition 2 of 2, Page 11, nrr Hen • tub cheat luiist.. C.isK.—Tlii...

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      We Are Compelled By Stress Of Pantomimes...

      more salient follies of fttaa ^ day , and thbugirhM never fa ils to hit , thebarbless weapon bears no poison-with it . The ladies concerned are of the prettiest : their dancing is of the "first order ; as is the ' 'pantomimic damb-sho ^ of the principal actors without exception . If the reporter names the comicality of Mfessrs . Flexmore and Bbleno as possessing more than ordinary attraction , the reason must be offered that those artists appear , more than , their fellows in this harlequinade , or , indeed , in general , to be naturally gifted with humour , as well as being excellent in rousing a sense of it in others after the fashion of their art . The Covert Gabden Pantomime , if not bo exuberant in the riot of the harlequinade and the number of its harlequins , clowns , and the like as that at Drury Lane , is no less striking in those portions—the introduction especially—in which large resources , liberal outlay , and elegant taste" called into play . .. Mr . J . V . Bridgeman has chosen for illustration the charming nursery tale of " Puss in Boots ; " and while he has certainly given his fancy all the abundant license the opportunity permits , he has religiously preserved and dramatically depicted , for the delight of the children , all those features of the legend that render it so charming in the nursery . After a condensation of " Victorine , " achieved by an

      excision of dialogue which we see no occasion to deplore , a spirited overture brings us in medias res . We find Huon , the hero , in his brother ' s mill , bewailing his position as a younger brother , unhappy at home and with no prospect abroad but Avretchedness , as the lover of one placed far above him , to wit , the Princess Blanchefleur , and now insulted by his brutal brother his fate seems still more clouded . But Puss in Boots ( Miss Craven ) , to whom ,, sanctioned by the antique tale and the precedents of the " talking fish" and the " goat-herd " ( heard ) in Dinorah , Mr . Bridgernaji has given a speaking part without intervention of fairy or magician , comes to his aid . Puss is herself a fairy ; she places Huon

      under the protection of a still more potent one Innocentia ; achieves his introduction at the Court of his inamorata ' s papa ; eats the ogre Gulpemdown ( turned into a mouse ); annexes his property to the Carabas title ; and defeats tie machinations of a wicked fairy Worldlinessa , who in opposition to the Innocentia faction had espoused , the cause of another suitor for the fair Blanchefleur . The denouement sees the triumph of true love , the retreat of Worldlinessa and her evil train , and the pantomimic change at the will of her successful rival . Among the most successful of the many hits in Mr , Bridgeman ' s charming version is the introduction of a rifle corps of quite another description than that lane

      alluded to in our notice of the Drury- pantomime . The rifle movement figures in one way . or other , in , we believe , every entertainment of the class this year ; but it would be quite beyond the resources of all but the two great houses to organise such a brilliant troop as the enterprise of Miss Pyne and Mr . Harrison have placed at the disposal of our author . The Drury-lane fencibles are a reduction of the rifle-green fever to the absurd , the First Eoyal Company of the Theatre Royal , Coventgarden , is its etherealisation . The joint company of artists to whom we owe the magnificent scenery at this house , and one of whom , at least , Mr . relbin , appears as a n artist of the highest order , as well without as within the theatrical painting-room ,

      have provided in their scene of " Queen Innocentia ' s Court , Fairyland , " nn exquisite proctice-ground for the force ; rthel of tho force itself we may say m the words of a contemporary , that were our coasts so defended , a hostile invasion would be a farce . A hundred of the fairest of Bayadores form tho corps . They nro gracefully arrayod in a white and silver uniform , bcrswjliori hats , Knickerbockers , ana each bonrs a silver rjflo Trained by stalwart sergeants , who found their pupils more litho ami no loss intelligent than train-bands from tho Temple or tho Strand , tlieao young ladies ground arms , stand at ease , form squares , and deploy into linos at buglo noto , with interesting predawn , and evident dogrco of pleasure tlmtcaxiso the creatost sensation , and ovoko the most vociferous low

      demonstrations of delight from high ana among tho audience . In this scono , too , the cunning author has heightened tho oflect by sundry linos of a political colour , that did censorship flourish here , would to a certainty have been expunged , but which , aided by music , light , colour , and somi-niartlal parade , rouae the patriotic sentiment in all hearers . The fairy volunteer movement » e certainly one groat and memorable feature of tho Covent Garden pantomime . Another is tho extraordinary talent of the renowned Measrs . Payne , whose expressiveness and botn

      or tame ; must" have cohtlribntedj will' not bear thinking of ) , this young lady 'enacts her part with a feline grace that makes us quite forget or excuse her un-feline tones and proportions . The scenery , too , besides that above , named , comprises a beautiful river-side landscape , with the harvest fields of the Marquis of Carabas , a noble interior in the > Ogre ' s castle , a true picture of Fingal ' s cave , and a Fairy Palm Grove ( the transformation scene ) , worthy to be ranked with Mr . Beverley ' s grand effort at Drury-lane . The last , and to ourselves , not the least , attraction to which the Covent-Garden-bound playgoer should be alive , is the necessity under which the opera management labours of fitting luxurious strains of music to a class of entertainment for

      which elsewhere ( and in this place at other times ) it has often been considered that " any music was good enough . " The English Opera band cannot be dismissed at the close of " Victorine " to make way for another of an inferior order , and as it comprises 1 few , if any , but high class artists , it follows that its contribution to the ensemble , is of a character that it would be all but folly for managers to provide , or for the public to expect , elsewhere , and that the effect of that , ensemble is correspondingly enhanced . Mr . Buckstose , of the Hatmaeket , pursues his old custom Of compounding his own pantomine , and displays the remarkable judgment his long practice has given him , in squeezing a vast ; amount of effect

      best manners King Thrushbeard , alias Hafii , is ' the name of the monarch at whose court the scene is laid . We have no iriore space than to say that the author h » 3 embroidered the Gerftian tale in his usual glittering style , and Mr . William Calcott has produced a transformation scene wdrthy of aH the eadomiuins lavished on the similar works at the larger establishments . We are in duty bound to advise our readers that , in the opinion of many judges , this is the tableau of the season . It is , indeed , a beautiful one . . Glees , Madrigals , and English Ditties . —On Monday morning and evening next , the first of the series of this truly national and characteristic entertainment , will be given at the Dudley Gallery , Egyptian Hall , by the London Glee and Madrigal Union , under the direction of Mr . Land , and under the auspices of Mr . Mitchell , of 1 , Bond-street . The performance will be repeated for a fortnight only during the Christmas season every evening , and on . Monday , Wednesday , and Friday afternoon .

      out of a small company , and an outlay which we should characterise as small compared with that of other managers . He ,-however , has the good fortune to have a clientelle of his own , who seem to accept the bills he draws upon their good humour or good taste with a geniality equal to his own , and the cordial and unanimous verdict that a house full of them , all as quiet as : in ice until the close , pronounced on his boxing-day entertainment was , " First rate . " The Pantomime is called " Valentine ' s Day , " the introduction discloses the courtship , and its incidental crosses , of Sylvanus and Belphaebe , an uncommonly pleasing pair of Arcadians , personated by Misses Eliza Weekes and Louise Leclerq . Mr . rtist host in himself

      Fenton is the scenic a —a — like the gifted ones we have named at the other houses . Messrs . Clark and Coe , with other comedians of the Haymarket troupe , assume the parts of Envy , Hate , Spite , Slander , Malice , and all uncharitableness . The harlequin and clown are two more of the clever Leclerq family , not to mention a pr-etty and elastic columbine : and the result is an ensemble of genteel comicality , grace , and elegance quite in keeping with the usual tone of the entertainments here . The second scene—a winter landscape—is of almost academic delicacy and taste . The third is an ex-, tremely beautiful dark wood , in which the entire stage is covered with an apparently close network trunksThe next two tableaux

      of boughs and . represent pictures set in frames . They are " visions , " in which the lovers appear to each other , and are grouped and executed in the same charming taste and style . The religious procession introduced in the scene of St . Valentine ' s chapel is a failure . So it should be , for it is far out of taste , and , but for tho quality of the Haymarket audience , to which we have above alluded , would have been well hissed on the spot . JSTone there had the pluck to applaud , and -we were glad to be relieved from the apprehension of the former expression of free opinion by the appearance of the " Gigantic Envelope , with tho opening of-the Fairy Valentine and transformation . " This superb picco of machinery represents a monster envelope as largo as tho stage ,

      carved out of tho ordinary scenic materials , with tho same delicacy as Messrs . De la Hue apply to tho execution of their hot-pressed paper Valentino covers . Tho decorators nrc not behind their brethren in tUncy or colour , and , as for light , they apply Mr . Gurnoy ' s method which , in lmndiness and effectiveness , outvies the electric . To- continue , tho outer envelope , which is brilliant onough , being unfolded , nn inner ono of silver flllagreo is disclosed . This is succeeded by a wondroUs curtain , and this again molts into an Arabesque hall of surpassingly fairylike device . In tho midst plays the fountain of love , with tho goddess herself in a golden car . Tho side panels ot the wall now open , nymphs on swan-drawn cars ciesconu 10 tuu

      come forth , and Venus and her train front in a hurricane of colour , light , and applause . Two black spots—which wo soon make out to do tho heated master-painter and tho smirking- ossoo--stop , tho one nervously , tho other as jauntily as 11 he were used to it , to the lamps . They then gjoolvo the ovation of their many admirers , who nro toy tins time rejoicing in a sort of black-hole Jomperaturo , and retire with speed . The business f « " Z'J ? good fairy distributes happiness and P" ? ft \ Z ™ - parts . A harlequinade of average merit ft > M < WB-. and we are homo to bed , thank heaven , in good time . At the Lyceum , Madamsj Ohmjsth has applied all hor taste and energy to tho elaboration of a rniatowlme extravagant in Mr . Francis . Tal & urd a

      genuine comicality , without coarseness , In we opening and tho harlequinade , are aa invaluable as they are appreciated by all lovers of real pantomlrae , or dumb-show acting . Tho " ? ««•*« Boots" again , of Miss Craven , is a charming morceau . Dressed in . a suit of manifestly real cat-skins ( how many poor pussies , wlia

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      § Q % istxi # L

      — : ?— : 'Thbtbader" Office, Friday Even...

      — : ?— ' THBtBADER" OFFICE , Friday Evening-, Dec . 30 th .

      The Pamphlet.

      THE PAMPHLET .

      A Telegram From Paris States That The Co...

      A telegram from Paris states that the Council of Ministers has resolved upon not giving any official denial to the pamphlet " The Pope and the Congress . " As the Mohiteur , the only official organ of the French Government , lias not mentioned the pamphlet , its publication is to be considered as a home affair { affaire interieure ) , which the foreign powers could not notice in their diplomatic intercourse with France . A telegram from Rome , of yesterday ' s date , says : — " To-day Cardinal Autonelli had a long interview with the Duke de Grammont . The French Ambassador has

      received by a courier , who left Paris on the 24 th inst ., some explanation destined to reassure the Holy See on the object and bearing of the pamphlet , ' Le Pape et le C ^ onQTCs ' " ' The correspondent of the Globe says : — " The pamphlet " is still the absorbing topic , and over uOjOOOcopies have Q-one off ! a feat which no British brochure ( unless it be the Corn / till Magazine ) can now-a-days accomplish . All over Germany the views it puts forward have the Allgemezne eitung bemj ?

      met o-eneral concurrence , Z emphatic in approval . Not the ghost of a disavowal has appeared in the Moniteur . It is pretty well known m diplomacy here that the Spanish Cabinet will not separate from that of France , but pursue a joint action in all questions before Congress . Hence Austria will find no backer save Naples ; and , from recent Vienna intelligence , she has given up all hope of mnvposing her Dukes on Italy . January , 18150 , will be the date of u new life for that peninsula .

      Rumoured Total Change Op The I-Kencd Mis...

      Rumoured total Change op the I-kencd Misibtry .-The second edition of tho Jlormny ' Chronicle has a letter from their own correspondent , W " a creat ~~ excitement reigns in our political circles . Many rumours are afloat , and tho result has been a deqided &«&«* at the Bourse . 1 must relate ° Wgj * these rurnoursare , praying you to bear » » mdI that they are but on diti > , nnd must be taken will duei reserve . A total minfctorlnl change is to Je mJ . Count Walcwski ffives up , so say s rumour , tho vox o io -ot the ^ " — trs ^ Tio ^ , SfTMt 'r ^ fl ^ oTiswa = ' 3 ^ w ^^^ Ministry of Algeria .

      Nrr Hen • Tub Cheat Luiist.. C.Isk.—Tlii...

      nrr Hen tub cheat luiist .. C . isK . —Tliis trial s ^ r ^ T ^ iw ^ ds ^ ft sr . ^ fcr « = ™ wui k however , Mr . Dent ' s men found U out , and I vvtt » imn » Mllatclv informed , and sent tho Infurnwtlou on to WoWf Wik . that this mngamcent coat n * w . « SSS ^ nar-a as S ^ 1 ' ulUndcumlty .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 31, 1859, page 11, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_31121859/page/11/