London had little conl, but it had plenty of entertainments. Thousands of families have thank Mr, Cook for the coldest: \Christmas' of their lives. There was no coal in their bomes and in ome cases not even a pound of it to cook the Christmas dinn For the shortage the coal distributors blame the railway companies {for failing to get supplies from the: pit to the depots, and the railway companies blame' the distributors for failing to clear the supplies {that are said to have already arriv-led, but the real cause is the lone} jocal stoppage due to Mr. Cook, who now is in Russia being feted jand feasted while his victim veys, it is stated, are taking Jadvantage of the Christmas Full in the ordinary passenger traffic to work mineral trains from the Midlands to London, but the coal shortage cannot be made good for many days to come, and hundredweights and half-hundred weights jonly will be available for people who Ihave ordered tons.
The Pantomime's Decline As regards the entertainments, we have several interesting "fe tures, but nothing of an outstand-jing nature. This it not an age of Jpantomimes, which are mostly confined to the suburbs, although there is "The Sleeping Beauty" at the Lyceum, rather above the standard production at this theatre, and Aladdin" at the Paladium, In the ast, 2s most people know, Mr. John Drinkwater has been chiefly known as a writer of historical plays with a great character gorgeously elaborated. Now thas introduced himself as an author lof x fairy play, "Puss in Boots," presented at the Apollo Theatre. Mir. Drinkwater has used an old-time children's nursery story and has avoided the pantomime touch [without striving to be particularly original or "high brow." Puss, shown as a cat with a human face, dresses like a human being helps to shape the destinies of the hero, John. John is finely played by /Stiss. Jill. Esmond Moore, a. clever Jdaughter of lever parents. She escapes. the "principal boy" touch and at the same time captures: the
Page, utterly unlike the cat of tot the fantasy. Mr. Norma leonventional pantomime, played the Puss in the case as if he had been. Hamlet, and Mr. J.0. Twiss. made fearsome Ogre.
Then we have "A Midsummer 'Night's Dream' played asa pure romance at the Winter Garden ant Macbeth" at the Prince's. "Macbeth" rarely is seen in London. The late Sir Herbert Tree and Mr. Arthur Bourchier produced it with-fin the last 20 years, and the most recent performance of any prvminence was, I fancy, that of the American actor, Mr. James Hackett, who died the other day. id to be some sort of superstition in theatrical circles against the play, but Miss Sybit the Prinoo on Evening itself a daring step, hor haps, gloom and the festivity of the scason—is likely to be proof against any obstacle, natural or supernatural, It is a very fine achievement indeed, Misw Thorndike is one of the few remaining exponents of the grand manner," which, though it may be abused, is what this Shakespearian tragedy above all requires. For Lady Macbeth she has every natural quality, and her performance equals in moving dignity her Queer Katherine earlier in the Mr, Hendy Ainley's Macbeth is good now, and will be better later on," He always takes time ito' develop a part. The scenic Jchanges, too, at present add to the gloom and darkness, for on Friday they were accomplished with a. tragic deliberation which borders Jed on tedium, such Pan" (though All the old favourites are revived,
children nowadays are too sophisticated to appreciate this phantasy), "Treasure Island" and "When nights were Bold," as well a4 "he Blue Bird" and "Where the Rainbow Ends." We have plenty of American pieces, one of—which, "The First Year," is very good as study of the first 12 months of wrriage. On the other hand, "Broadway" is rather a crude, squalid study of bootlegging. Of the musical plays "Queen High" probably is the best as it has owo or three very catchy airs. Music must be light to be attractive, and Tam afraid that in general" exe musical taste is low, Transatlantic Telephony The—_Postmaster-General _an+ nounces that, in view of the satis-{factory progress being made in the Joxporimental development of trana~ atlzatle wireless telephony, it hoped to open a preliminary public Jsorvice to and from the New York telephone area early in January, [Culls will be accepted for a parti.
person, if s0 desired, in whicl the name of the person res quired, as well as his usual toles Phone' number and the name: associated with this number dri the telephone directory, should be given, If the person asked for is not obtainable, either at his own [telephone ' station or at some other telephone station in the New York area, the calling subscriber will be asked whether he wishes to speak to another person at the {telephone station designated. Detaily as to the method of booking calls will be announced ater. The charge will be £15 for a conversa tion of three minutes, and each additional minute above the first fehree will be charged at £5, In the present stage of technical know-edge there will be occasions, more particularly in the lute afternoon, [when atmospheric conditions will prevent effective conversation and allowance will be made in charging for individual calls when the con ditions have been difficult, Tun disappearance of a $1,500 Rolls Royce car from Stechford during the week-end had a sequel at Birmingham when two young men. Michael Starsmore and Joseph Plan, of Saltley, were remanded on a charge of stealing the car, A' detective said the car was found abandoned and badly damaged at Saltley. Tt crashed into a pillarcbox and shop window, and kecked down, Part of a wall,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.