POLLARD'S OPERA COMPANY

" Djin-Djin," a fairy tale of old Japan, or " The Great Shogun, who lost his Son, and the young Princess who found him," is the full title of the Japanese extravaganza to be produced by Pollard's Opera Company on Monday next. It is a novel departure in the theatrical world, as it has bean an unwritten law that the subject choien for the annual pantomine should be some well-known English fairy or Arabian Nights story. As a proof of this, Out of the 27 pantomimes produced in England last Christmas "Aladdin" formed the subject of 17, while the next in favour were " Cinderella," "The Babes in the Wood," and " Dick Whittington." That the departure from the beaten track has been a successful one, the furore caused by " DjinDjin" in the principal Australian cities amply proves. The story of Djin-Djin is a very simple one, and is more connected than the usual run of pantomime plots. It leaves plenty of scope for gorgeous spectacle, intricate mechanical effects, and exciting incidents. The following is a short sketch of the story: — The Daimio, a Japanese feudal prince, has had stolen from him a sacred talisman, the thief beingDjin-Djin, the Japanese bogieman, who hides it securely in a temple, buried away among the fastnesses of the mountains, where it is carefully , guarded by a host of apes, baboons, monkeys, Ac. The great Shogun, or temporal ruler of Japan, has an only son, Prince Ami, and this youth has been spirited away by DjinDjin, who by enchantment transforms him into a baboon. The Daimio, in order to recover the talisman, announces that he will give the hand of his daughter, the charming Princess Iris, who has been sought in vain by the leading Princes of the world, to the man who brings back the talisman. At this time a ship is wrecked on the shores of Japan, and from it there escapes Prince Eucalyptus, a colonial youth, and his faithful servant, Tom, Wallaby. In wandering through the woods they meet the Princess, and it is a case of love at first Might between her and the Prince. She does not disclose her identity, and leaving him returns to the Palace, where the good fairy of the story appears, and tells her that a colonial youth will recover the talisman. Djin-Djin, who is there in disguise, laughs at this, but his laughter is turned to rage as the Prince and Wallaby are brought in prisoners. The Prince rt'eognises the Princess, and on being told what the good fairy said decides on going at once to recover the talisman. During the search for the temple they lose their way, and are placed upon the right track 'by a baboon, who is no other than the Shogun's son, who. had been changed into this creature by Djin-Djin. The temple is reached and entered, the talisman secured, after a fight with Djin-Djin's satellites, and he, out of revenge, causes the eruption of Fuji San and an earthquake to follow, Th« recoverers of the talisman escape, and as Djin - Djin loses his power of do\ng evil, "the Shogun's son resumes his natural shape, and is returned to his happy father. The Prince marries the Princess, and Tom Wallaby, who has had many hairbreadth escapes, marries her maid, and everything, as usual, ends happily. There is, of course, a counter-plot in which the Daimio's elderly maiden sister, who is anxious to marry, her niece, Cheekee, and many others take part, but the above are the salient points of the story. —_«__———