AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5137, 20 February 1882, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

THOMPSON'S ZULU WAB DIOBA.MA,

Mr W. H. Thompson, who tome time back I was here with a panorama of the American I war, exhibited on Saturday evening a new one painted expressly for him f rom afei;che* mede on the spot illustrative of one or-Jlffelancl 1 little wan—the Zulu ttie diorama it Stay be said thattbe f ielure* are exoellently piluted, and ebspMaaiJieal effeof a far exceed in workttannhip anything of the kind jret exhibited Watt. Opening with a view of dfcring tbe Zulu war wae ci Jtind of-fieadqaarteri, the principal campaign are depicted with great β^eet.■"> Amongst the views deserving ipeoial mention are the defence of Borke's Drift, the battle of Isandula and the att&ok of the Zulus on Ekowe. Thoie depicting the departure of the troop* from London, particularly the yiew of the Thamea Embankment with a Highland Begiment marohing were alto capital in effect Of coarse there is a eumet, and equally of course a funeral prooeMion with the " Dead March in Saul" ad lib. Without either one or the other no diorama would be complete. Mr Thompson's sunset, however, does not as in other diorama* take place; to appropriate muiio, wbioh is rather to be regretted, aa the natural phenomenon, to often seen in reality, of the sun descending in time to the cadence of an orchestra, epeoially got out for the occasion, must at once strike one as holding as it were the mirror up to nature. With this trifling exception the Znlu diorama it an excellent one, but even this is amply atoned for by the most oomioal effect. —so far as the audience is concerned —of a torpedo explosion, closing the first part. Several Zulus are seen curiously investigating a post under whi.h a torpedo has been planted, when instantaneously the eoene obanges, and presumedly the same Zulus are seen in the air, one of whom, with that pertinacious courage for whioh the nation was remarkable during tbe war, is depicted as ■till holding on to the post; whioh is the primary oauie of their elevation. The expression of astonishment on the faces of the intact Zulus in mid air fie exceedingly artistic. The meohanioal portion of the diorama includes the novelty of the scenery through whioh the march is made pasting before the eyes of the spectators. Though this it a novelty, it is at time* a little puzzling, because the troops appear to be perfectly indifferent as to the ruggednesa of the country apparently passing over most inaccessible looking mountains and formidable rivers with the ease of a march on the turnpike road. The views during the panorama of the funeral procession of the Prince Imperial from Woolwich to Chiselhurst are very good indeed, and deserve high praise. Mr Thompson's descriptive leoture is full of interesting information about the country, given in a concise form. Ordinarily Mr Thompson is imposing in appearance, bat as a lecturer he is magnificent, and he manages to infuse into bis leoture an amount of earnestness whioh makes it quite a feature. A capital orchestra provides appropriate musio, and generally the diorama is well worth a visit. A number of present*, including a gold watch, were distributed in & most ingenious and amusiDg manner by Mr Thompson. Tonight the diorama will again be exhibited and a number of present! distributed.