THE DIORAMA.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2764, 1 February 1882, Page 2

THE DIORAMA.

Thompson’s Diorama of the Zulu War, shown last night at the Theatre Royal, is undoubtedly the .best thing of the kind we have scen. The scenes are capitally painted, some of the representations of natural scenery being really beautiful and natural looking,, . A large number of tlio most striking' events of the war are spiritedly depicted, arid from these and scenes of camps and marches, a very good idea of (lie, manner of conducting a campaign in a rough country and against savage foes, may be obtained. Zululand as here represented is a finelooking country, somewhat uneven, but with pleasant valleys intersecting breadths of low drills and dbsvhs. ’ ■■ It; is a pity Unit 1 such a pleasant land should ever have resounded with the din of battle, arid its. soil bo stained with the blood of bravo men, white or black. ' Views are given of the towns Pietermaritzburg, D’Urban, and Pretoria, which are as interesting in their way ns those ,of natural scenery. The battle scenes are very vigorous, the attitudes of offenders being very life-like, and the results of deadly conflicts sufficiently wrchemhlabU to give rise to a feeling of horror of all war. An excellent idea has beenv carried into effect in this exhibition. A. large number of moving figures -• representing ‘ the Lord Chelmsford’s relieving force move across the stage, while, at the back a panorama showing the country the force marched through, is moved in the opposite direction. This arrangement is very effective and produced great applause. A similar device is used in showing the funeral procession of the Prince Imperial from Woolwich to Chisleh.urst. The diorama of Lord Chelmsford’s march is cleverly closed by show;ing, the troops and baggage .waggons mounting a hill in a direction away from .the audience ; the movement of the funeral procession terminates at the Church-yard at Chislehurst, and by a transformation scene the spectator is carried from the outside to the interior of the Chapel, Amusing scenes are not to be looked for in an exhibition of this kind, but one is given which is irresistible, Amorig the news from the seat of war, which must still be fresli in the, minds of our readers, was an item; relating how some officers punished the enemy for pulling up tether p' ; gs and stakes driven in the ground for other purposes. A stake was fixed in the ground and connected with a charge of dynamite, so that the pulling up of the stoke would explode the. charge, r A party of Zulus pulled up the stake—for consequences see Mr Thompson’s transformation scene.

During the evening a large number of useful and valuable presents were distributed by Mr Thompson, not by ticket, but by a sort of random choice among those present. The receipt of one of these will no doubt be a powerful inducement to the recipient to pay another visit to the exhibition. Mr Thompson gives a plettsant descriptive lecture on the various scenes, and a brief but instructive narative of the immediate causes of the war. The valuable service rendered by a small bpt most efficient orchestra must not be forgotten, their excellent music, appropriate to the various scenes; assist greatly to bring out the full meaning. This is especially noticeable in their playing of the“ Dead March” during the progress of the funeral procession. We can honestly say that even after reading many complimentary notices in contemporary journals of this Diorama, that it surpasses our expectations, and we can confidently recommend it to our readers.