PANTOMIME.

Manawatu Herald, 24 December 1892, Page 2

PANTOMIME.

In older countries Boxing night witnesses the first performance of the new season's pantomim >s. In Lon don they are produced on a magnificent Bea'e, especially at the Drury Lane Theatre, one of the largest houses in that city, wera it is said the first cost has amounted to £30,000. The pantomime has altered ! very much in character from the time from which it obtained its name, as it is a compound Greek word sig nifying " I imitate all." It used to ; be a performance based more or less on mimicry or gestures, it was first introduced on the Eoman stage in 22 B.C. Gibbon, the celebrated Roman historian writes of them : . " The vast and magnificent theatres ■ of Rome were filled by 8000 female , d incurs and 3000 singers, with the masters of the respective choruses. Such w>s the popular favour which they enj yad, that in a time of scircity, when all strangers wer* , bmishid from the city, the merit of contributing to the public pleasures 1 < x mpted them from a law wheh 1 wa-i strictly enforced against the professor* of the liberal arts."