CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2253, 16 December 1886, Page 2

CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME.

Wk are rapidly acquiring all the institutions of advanced civilisation, for thoftßrtr we have not yet got n hospital or a poor-houso, yet we shall shortly be able to enjoy a Christmas pantomime— and this not a worn out composition from the Old Country, but a brand new play, written and arranged for the occasion— of local application and to be produced entirely by local talent. "Jack the Giant Killer, or Harlequin Hard work and the Eul Spirit of Speculation." in a "good old-fashioned " pantomime, telling a simple 6t>ry that the smallest child can understand, but with a moral that " children of larger growth" may well take to heirt. Gambia, king of 1.0. U., by a course of reckless speculation and borrowing, under the advice of his Treasurer, Julius Seizer, has involved himself in pecuniary difficulties, from which his only plan of escape hto sell his daughter Avenir, "the fair promise of the fut'ire," to that mighty potentate Sonfc Per Sent. When the curt.iin riwey, the population of [.O.U. (Fad, with Sad his wife, and Lad their son), arc engaged in a dispute as to the proper mode of proceduro in addressing the king, which the lady triumphantly settles by reference to the practice of " tho Lane." Thon enters the king and his court, and finally the princess, the former bewailing hia impecuniosity, the latter the untruth of her knight. As it is the princess's birthday all her former playmates assemble and sing some charming little children's songs in which they are assisted by three wonderful trained dogs, and three still more wonderful singing crows. In the midst of the revels arrives a letter from thn dreaded ogre Paupordum, who demands that " tha Future " shall be given over to him. The king seeks aid in vain from the representatives of Speculation, Officialism and Fads, and of course at the right moment appears Jack, the hero of Hard Work, who undertakes to stay Paupordum if "the Future" be given to his care. To this the king consents, and tbe curtain falls to » right joyful chord*; "Next we have the ogre and his wife «t home, who from singing a duet about everything in general and a crocodile in particular — fall out — and after a terrific combat the giant is left for dead. He however, recovers, and Jack appears and gives him his final quietus by cutting off his head. Then come the king, the princess, and the cmrt, and J.tck claims the prince is as his reward. This the king-pooh pooh's and refuses to fulfil his promise. Here then i* a clear case of virtue and beauty in distress, and of course the King of Fernland appears, and we are transfraited to the "grotto of ferns." The Queen of the fairies upbraids Gambia with his recklesss peculation and living for the day. She declares the " Future " shall be wedded to "Hardwork" and foretells the true prosperity which shall come when the people, abandoning speculation and the false impetus of borrowed money shall learn to rely uj on their own energies and resources. Then, in accordance with the old style, she changes the chief characters into Clown, Pantaloon, Harlequin and Columbine, respectively. The harlequinade includes the usual "business," which has amused so tnuny generations of children, and the whole concludes with a grand tableaux representing " Britannia guarded by her children — Canada, Afria, India and Australasia." The pantomime is of course in vetse, and contains the U3ual number of puns and local allusions. The music includes a very pretty air by Taubert, several opera bouffe and Christy minstrel songs, and a number of nursery songs a»d children-*' choruses. The costumes are in the style of the lGth century, but advantage is taken of the license^allowed in pantomime to introduce some quaint costumes from drawings by Kate Greenway. The pantomime will be played on the afternoons of Tuesday and Wednesday, December 28 and 29, and as the charge for admission is only Is (children Gd) it cannot fail to draw crowded homes. We therefore advise these who intend to give their children this treat to reserve places beforehand as ev pi lined in the programme we publish in another column.