_Santa Claus_, the afternoon pantomime at the Lyceum, is even better than Mr. OSCAR BARRETT'S _Cinderella_ of last year. There is plenty of splendour in the fairy piece, considered merely as a "spectacle," enough, indeed, to make a "pair of spectacles," and to cause much speculation as to how they manage to stow away all the scenery, properties, and costumes at five o'clock every afternoon, in order to make room for _King Arthur_, who, on the temporary abdication of _Santa Claus_ (a part admirably acted and declaimed by Mr. WILLIAM RIGNOLD), reigns at the Lyceum from eight till eleven. But besides the dazzling brilliancy of fairy pantomime, there is in it not only real fun which delights the youngsters, for whom the entertainment is primarily intended, but also a touch of dramatic pathos, as shown in the death of the devoted dog _Tatters_, a dog who has his day and dies, whose cruel fate excites the compassion of old and young alike. All are rejoiced when they find out that clever Mr. CHARLES LAURI, of whom it can be complimentarily said that "he is a perfect beast," is restored to life, and that the Heavenly Twins are happily revived. [Illustration] As the two toy soldiers Messrs. HARRY and FRED KITCHEN--the front and back kitchen--are first-rate. But where all are so good it is impossible, within the limits of a paragraph, to particularise. Messrs BARRETT and LENNARD are to be congratulated, and, as _Hamlet_ says, "The Pantomime's the thing," and, as Shakspearian readers will remember, _Hamlet's_ father went to _matinées_,--wasn't it "his custom always of an afternoon"?--only there's no sleeping here, but everyone very wide awake, and all "going home to tea" thoroughly satisfied with _Santa Claus_. Who says _Le Roi Pantomime est mort_, when the Lyceum is crowded for _matinées_, and, outside the doors of Old Drury, daily and nightly appear the placards, "House Full"? * * * * * A "TIT BIT."--When they speak of some one of the Baby Baronets, _i.e._ the recently created Baronets, they don't say he is among the Old'uns; but "He is among the New'nes." * * * * * "A PENNY PLAIN--BUT OSCAR COLOURED." (_An Entertainment Antagonistic to Amusement._) SCENE--_Anywhere. Characters distributed about the Stage in more or less admired confusion._ _Anybody._ So we are living in a penny romance. And this is Society. _Charles his Friend._ Society is everything but sociable. _Somebody._ But why should the PRIME MINISTER be threatened by a professional blackmailer? _Charles his Friend._ In matters of this kind the PREMIER is the _dernier_. _Someone Else._ But surely the same sort of thing has been done by SARDOU in _Dora?_ _Charles his Friend._ Why not? A dramatist has only one virtue, he never invents a drama. _A Casual Visitor._ Then we have only to regard the Adelphi as a model, and take the Wyldest license with the dialogue.