Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-07
BRILLIANT PRODUCTION GIVEN.
Presentation of Hen Hur by ANA
tours n Splendid Success.


The scene presented on the Academy
stage last night was one almost beWlider-
ing in It's beauty and probably never De-
fore has a more gorgeous spectacular pro-
duction been witnessed I'm this city. Inc
story of Ben-Hur, Lew Wallace's famous
tale of the Christ" was told In panto-
mime. and series Of tableaux that MADE
some of the most striking pictures ever
cent production. superbly mounted ana
lacking in nothing 20 make the enDdI
scene one of dazzling splendor. nc
scenery was beautiful ana artistic anu no
company that has appeared here TINS SCI
son has had anything like as much. lheie
was not hitch. and everything went 40
smoothly as possible.
During the greater portion OF the per-
Torrance the stage was flooded with the
powerful lights thrown upon II through
Vari-cOlored discs, and the effect or TINS
combined with the handsome settings ana
rich costumes worn by the participants
made scene OF enhancing beauty. Inc
audience that witnessed the spectacle
was a large one and thoroughly appre-
ciated the performance.
There were twenty-fOur separate scenes,
with only one intermission. The cast was
q lengthy one, and each character WAS
well impersonated. Mr.. Julian Hin ap-
ppared as Ben-Hur. and acted in man
self. Miss Florine Hubbard as TirZah,
carried off the honors among the femi-
nine members Of the cast. She was
splendid I'm the role, and bore herselt
throughout the entire performance IN a
manner that won for her the highest
praise. Miss Nellie Birdsong. as Amrah,
and Miss Bessie Hunter. as Esther were
all that could be desired, and admirably
filled the roles. The mother OF Ben-Hur
was inpersOnated by Mrs. j. j. hern0dle,
~. aNqaqlfuriW clever IN IN
part. Misses Jennings and Mayo, as IRIS
and Mary, were perfect I'm their WORK
Mr. Herbert Curtis, as SlmOndes, also
deserves special mention.
Among the features of the performance
may be mentioned the butterfly dance OF
little Miss BohannOn and the drill OF me
Maids I'm which were about twenty Is
pretty girls as one would care 10 see.
These were Misses Gussie Mcclure, Flo
renee Parker, Ann Mcclure, Adele WI
liams BERTHE Noting Evelyn Gordon'
Evelyn Bridges, Grace Shields, Helen Me-
lntyre, Fannie Bragg, virginia Cooke
Judith Deane. Ann Drewry, Mamie Jen-
nings. Sue Shpwith. Virginia McI-eo J.
Courtney Bridges, Ellen Bagby, Edna
Forbes. and Bette Christian. Little MISS
Bessie Page. an exceedingly pretty bru-
nette, danced i'm a most graceful mann -
and won hearty applause for her eHoft =.
Miss Constance Triton also gave sol0 ,
dance" which was the very poetry or
motion" and she richly deserved the ap.
preciative applause accorded her. one OF
the mos; artstically executed dances was
the Egyptian Fandango. in which were
Misses Rowe Kidd. and Triton. There
were many tableaux presented. and all OF
them were well received. Misses Virginia
Sycle and Florence Myers, as statuary,
made a striklngly- handsome picture. MISS
FIorine Hubbard and Miss Nellie Birdsong
also appeared 10 advantage I'm tableauX.
A distinct feature Of the performance
was the recitation by Miss Alice Adamson
of the Ren-Hur Chariot Race. Miss Adam
SON I'm delivering this portion Of the ia
nous novel by the eloquence or her voice.
made the thrilling scene almost seem llfa-
like 10 her auditors, and when tho cur.
tain arose on the tableaux the effect {
her words was shown in the burst OF
applause which greeted IT, The grand
closing scene. "Iris's Dream of the Nile
was fairy-ike vision, and was beautiful.
The great spectacular production will %
presented at matinee and evening PEI
formances to-day.