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Surely AUGUSTUS DRURIOLANUS has triumphed and beaten the record! For the
last nine years it has been the cry, "There never was so good a
Pantomime as _this_ one," and now again the shout is repeated. _Jack and
the Beanstalk_ is the eleventh of the series, and the best. "How it is
done?" only AUGUSTUS can answer. The Annual (no longer, alas! written by
the gentle and genial E. L. B.) has an excellent book. It contains
something of all sorts. Now we have SHAKSPEARE'S fairy-land with
_Oberon_, _Titania_, and _Puck_, then HARRY NICHOLL'S Royal Palace with
Mr. HERBERT CAMPBELL and Miss HARRIET VERNON, then Madame KATTI LANNER'S
Market Place, with a number of the most promising of her pupils (of all
ages too, from the tiny child to the "ceased-growing-a-long-while-ago")
then Mrs. SIMPSON'S Back Garden, with Mr. GEORGE CONQUEST junior as a
giant, Mr. DAN LENO as a widow, and the Brothers GRIFFITHS as the Cow
Company Limited, and lastly, controlling the whole, we have Mr. AUGUSTUS
HARRIS who is seen at his very best when we reach the Giant's Library
and the realms of Olympus.
And this Pantomime is not only beautiful but amusing. It has two grand
processions, but this year, by good stage-management, neither is
tedious. The Shakspearean Heroines do a little play-acting between
whiles, and the gods and goddesses, or rather their attendants,
manoeuvre before the eye becomes weary of watching their approach. For
instance, Mars has scarcely time to swagger down to the foot-lights in
the most appropriate and approved fashion, before he finds himself
called upon to stand near a private box on the prompt side, to be well
out of the way of his dancing terpsichorean satellites. _Lady Macbeth_
has hardly "taken the daggers" before _King Lear_ (Mr. LORRAINE) is
bringing a furtive tear to the eyes of all beholders (_one_ tear is
sufficient at Christmastide) by his touching pantomime in the presence
of his three fair daughters.
Then, too, Mr. HARRY PAYNE has _his_ chance, and makes the most of it.
It was quite pleasant to see the Clown on Boxing-Night, and those who
left the theatre mindful of trains that will not delay the hours fixed
for their departure, must have determined (if they were wise people) to
come again to witness the remainder of the performances. Then those who
liked acrobats had the Leopold Troupe, and a strong man who lifted up a
horse (but did not have his own name, or the name of his charger, on the
programme) to delight them. And it was also a pleasing reflection to
remember that the entertainment was the result of solid hard work,
combined with excellent judgment and taste. Paterfamilias could say to
Young Hopeful home for the holidays, "See here, my lad, the lessee of
our National Theatre could never have caused us so much thorough
enjoyment had he not worked with a will that you will do well to imitate
when you return to Dr. SWISHTALES' Academy at the conclusion of the
Christmas vacation." And so all can cry with genuine enthusiasm:--"_Ave_,
AUGUSTUS! _Ave_, DRURIOLANUS! _Ave_, IMPERATOR! _Ave! Ave!_--and NICHOLLS."
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