30 DECEMBER 1865, Page 3

The pantomimes this year do not seem to present much

origi- nality, though Sadlers' Wells -has made a grand draught on the fishes for new dramatis persona, in itself a clever idea. Aladdin, at Covent Garden, is successful, but not original, and the "flying palace" so widely advertised does not fly, but only a picture of it, while the harlequinade there is decidedly poor. For-that com- bination of coloured light, striking scenery, dancing girls, and slow music, which make up what is called the transformation scene, Drury Lane has this year excelled all its competitors, but there, too, the harlequinade is a little wearisome. Do nineteenths century children so much enjoy seeing three or four fools knock each other about ?