Here is the stage-direction—"At the end of song"—which should have been a national song, by Mr. Clement Scott, but wasn't—in fact, there was no song at all, as well as I can remember, though I rather think the crowd were always more or less singing a chorus,—"clock strikes." If it did, I didn't hear it. If it did, why didn't the characters behave as sich, and on Cinderella's saying what the authors have written, and which I am positive I didn't hear,
"What shall I do? the hour has struck at last!
I hope to goodness that that clock's too fast!"
Extraordinary Omission from the Shakspeare Tableaux at Her Majesty's, when they had the materials at hand—
"The Two Macs."
why didn't they execute a "Hurried Gallop," and why wasn't the stage-direction, "The Ball breaks up,"—the printer prefers "breakes up,"—"in wild confusion" carried out? No one knows better than this present scribe what changes are necessitated at the last moment, and after the book is published. But an alteration which omits the point of the story is scarcely an improvement. It does not affect me that the demon Scroogins was reduced comparatively to a dummy, for poor Mr. Shiel Barry was suffering from dreadful hoarseness, and could hardly speak, much less sing. There were originally too many plums in the pudding. The knock-about scene by two Armstrongs, in imitation of our old friends the Two MACS, very ingeniously introduced as Jeames the First and Jeames the Second, Royal Footmen, is immensely funny. Cinderella's jödelling lullaby is pretty. All the music is bright and lively, and I fancy that though there are the names of four or five Composers to the bill, Conductor Solomon,—who keeps them all going, and sticks to his beat with the tenacity of a policeman,—has done the major part of it, and the minor too. Bravo, Mr. Edward Solomon! "What's a hat without a head?" and what's a Norchestra without a Ned? Mr. Alfred Cellier is responsible for a charming minuet.
One more question—Where were "the Lyrics by Mr. Clement Scott?" Is Mr. Leslie satisfied with one Lyric in Shaftesbury Avenue? And is he keeping back Mr. Scott's for his next Opera? Perhaps though, as Miss Violet Cameron now appears as the Prince, the lyrics are sweetly sung, which is an inducement to revisit Cinderella chez elle.
The Transformation Scene is very effective. Will the Public ever regain their taste for the short Pantomime, with one Big Show in it, and an hour's Harlequinade.
Jack in the Private Box.