Telegram-herald., 1891-01-28
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"is vss sweet. and purs, snd ehAsss,
ADD grand - This cFitlclsm overheard
dlssctiy sftss the earss4a tell upon ths
iAss tADisAa Of Bsa Hur lAss n'xnt, vill
undoubssdiy - ssssssasd. BY MOST of
tie spectators, - worthy - stand un-
changed. Tue first presentation OF
ths ben Hus psntomlms Vas successful
40 " the best expectations Of shs moss
hopefui projectors. Indeed. il ls d.fi-
eult 10 imAxns how the scenic dram
stixAtion Of . great romance could De
more suecsssfui. both - " its artistic
prspsfsfson and settsng. and also the
pAntomlmic faithfuIness Of the setors.
Exeep1ng . slight awkwsrdnsss and
delay IN the workinxof some OF the
scenery on . strange stage, there WAS
no unpleaAns failure OF any detail TO
mar the general mAIssty Of the drama
Indeed tne whole story OF Ben Hur
WAS told ia tso hours and . half. Ia .
rapid series OF tAbseaux in some OF
their features more eloquent than the
spoken voice.
The nrst scene Was the coming to-
Ketner or the three WISE men of the
east ia the midst of the desert. to organ
ize the journey in search Of Him that
was corn King Of the Jews- The first
tabseAa Was IN character an assurance
10 the spectators Of the success Of the
entire pentomime. The solemn hush
that TELL upon the house Indicated a
reyerent appreciation OF that wonder
ful sympathy of great hearts, which
was the trst real epiphany OF the Son
OF Man. The curtain fell upon this
scene. and the solemnity that fingered
IN all hearts was too deep TO permit the
irreyershee of applause. This same
seriousness was provoked by the wise
men, whenever they made their ap-
pearance.
The meeting OF Ben Hur and Messala
IN the imperisl gardens was the signal
for the first display OF real warmth OF
interest ia the drama, because 10 called
t. remembrance most vividly the chain
OF events that constitute the great
story. The two lads who played shese
parts well acted the opposite characters
assigned them, and elected the first
genuine applause of the evening. The
dance OF the butterflies that followed
executed by q number of little girls,
WAS Iuexpressltly beautiful. This may
b. remarked OF all the many dances
that followed during the progress of
the pantOmme. It Is difficult TO im-
agine a prudery that could cavll at
what - the symbol OF heavens own
purity, groups of maidens exhibiting
those very charms of female move
mert which are farthcst separated from
the sensuous and impure. All the
par4dss and drills and marches aud
dances OF soldiers, ma.dens, priestesses,
which cannot be specially noted, were
received with the unbolnded enthus-
lasm which they deserved. Among SO
many scenes and tableaux, all so per-
feetly rendered, 10 is difficult 10 separ-
ate one from another for special CON-
mendatiOn. To those who have read
Ben ftur. IL - sufficient to say that the
majestic story was retold so as to recall
oil the delights OF the first perusal,
witn the additional pleasure of reailx-
inS IN the eye the grand, wierd, in
tens. life of ancient Rome and Jewry.
Nv common consent the chariot race
has been accorded the place OF highest
interest IA the romance of Ben Hur
II s therefore doubly to be regretted
that material failure should have oc-
eurred Iast night at tins very point IN
til.' paatOmuie. The inherent dif-
hcuity 1T giving upon q modern
tiss satrical sage q realistic representa-
ton 0l = chariot race once witnessed by
huudr tls of thousands of eyes Mt cnce.
hgs been recognized. To assist the
imagination 10 tins one weak POINT, the
gfaphie description OF Lew Wallace has
tegd permitted to be read III this pan
taallu.e. last night, however. the un-
welcome announce ment WAS made that
the gentleman upon whom this duty
hAG becn laId hsd become indIsposed.
anu shat the taoleau would have To be
presented without the reading. The
ttbseau was wonderfully effective,
however, and an encore was called for
Ii the lights had not been turned
down. there is no doubt that tesrs
would have been seen on many check
during ths scenes OF the retuiou OF
Ben Hur and MS leprous mother and
sister. Arneulate speech could nardly
have told this part of the story more
touchiugly.
The nusl tableau. entitled "Iva's
story OF the Nue,' was one of lnde-
scribabie loveliness. II consisted of
three tsbissux, one blending into the
others <uccess,veIy. ali eliminating In
\ t0ute ensemble OF Egyptian msgniti-
cence most rsvisniug. With this, the
spectators were wholly entrsnced.
10 could have been only the hard
hearts aud the prudish minds among
men Who left the opera house.Jsst night
unsoftsned and unAumsnized by the
sghts which they beheld. There - the
suggestion in this chaste and gorgeous
exhibition of the stage, that If the
ssints are truly TO possess the earth, il
unght De well for them 70 remenbe
that the stage and the smussnents Of
the people are part of the earth 10 be
possessed.
Iyceum-Iew and Nellie shsv.
A fsir-sizsd audience vas that enter
Il. sf,., 49,