THE THEATRES.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3851, 24 December 1869, Page 3

THE THEATRES.

The managers of our city theatres have not been behindhand in making provision for the amusement of their respective patrons during the Christmas holidays, and as they have spared neither pains nor expense we trust that their efforts will be duly appreciated, and liberally supported. Last evening at the Prince of Wales Theatre we had the pleasure of witnessing the last plain-dress rehearsal of the grand Christmas pantomime entitled "Belle ßelle, or Fortunio and his Seven Magic Men," and from what we saw we think we are fully justified in saying that the pantomime is one of the best of its kind ever produced in this city. The opening scene is extremely good, the transformation scene of an elaborate and pleasing character, while the last scene of all is of a most gorgeous description. We shall not for a moment attempt to describe them, at present. Last evening a number of private friends and others were m the theatre, and, at the last scene, they gave a most hearty round of applause, and loud cries of "Bravo all! " resounded through the theatre. The pantomime has been in preparation for some time, a large number of people having been engaged upon it. Mr. Thornton, the scenic artist, has been hard at work for the last ten days, and the whole of the arrangements have been superintended by Mr. Hall, so that we anticipate that "Belle Belle " will have a most successful run. The first public performance will take place tonight, when there will be a grand, dress rehearsal. At the Duke of Edinburgh Theatre, we also had the pleasure and the privilege of witnessing the last plain-dress rehearsal of the pantomime entitled, "Once upon a Time there were Two Kings ;" and this piece, too, has been got up upon a scale hitherto quite unparalleled at this place of amusement. The opening and transformation scenes are exceedingly good, but they dwindle into insignificance in comparison with I the last, which is one of the most chaste and beautiful that can well be imagined. When lit up with pink fire the effect was pretty in the extreme, and we fully expect the Duke will be able to hold its own, Mr. Varley, the talented artist of the company, has had many good subjects to deal with, and his facile brush has effected wonders with the aid of tinsel, gold-leaf, and the other accessories necessary to the scenic painter's art. The comic business of a pantomime will follow the burlesque, and if the rehearsal of last night be any criterion the patrons of this theatre will have plenty of real fun to witness. The local hits and allusions are capital, and we trust thatthe management will secure that support which they certainly deserve for the enterprise which they have shown upon this occasion. The first pxiblic performance will take place this evening, when there will be a grand dress rehearsal.