Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-12-17

ManeuVerS OF Jane, at Days theater
With reference to both productions
opinion seems to be as far apart as the
plays themselves. "The Maneuvers Of
Jane" is a light comedy of a farcical
stamp, whereas "Ben-Hur" is a re-
. novel of that name to the stage. The
concensus of opinion seems to be that
"Ben-Hur" is a great popular success,
and that ''The Maneuvers of Jane" by
reason of it's very indeterminateness
will also do fairly well, though it is not
at all likely that it will go down in
stage annals as one of the best plays
presented by the former Lyceum the
alter stock company.
"Ben-Hur" was dramatized by Will
lam Young, the author of "Ganelon,"
one of the plays in which Lawrence
Barrett achieved distinction. Mr..
Young's work has been done in mas
terly manner, and it is to be regretted
that the gentleman has not made more
frequent contributions to the stage 1T
erature of the day. Nevertheless,
"Ben-Hur" is a melodrama, a raw,
uncompromising melo-drama. There
is never a moment when it rises to the
dignity of either historical or romantic
drama, but that is not Mr.. YOung's
fault. 1t is a simple thing in novel,
for an author to SO minimize the melO-
dramatic features of a story by pages
of description that the reader will be
deluded into the impression that he is
getting a remarkably accurate picture
of the times, but in play all that is
different. 1t is then necessary to use
only the salient points of a novel, and
when this is done it of necessity stands
forth in all it's melodramatic naked
ness.
It would scarcely be worth the space
it would occupy to consider 'Ben-Hur'
as a play, and it is practical certainty
that if the novel had never been writ
ten the stage work would not have one
chance in thousand of success. But
the novel has been written and has
been read probably in this country by
millions of people. These will all wish
to see the flesh and blood embodiments
have been taught to regard as one of
the greatest stories ever written in
English, and for that reason, coupled
with the fact that we all like mechani-
cal melodrama, the piece is likely to
succeed. The costumes are excellent,
rich and in good taste, the scenery is
as good as any that has been seen on
an American stage and the production
is handled in a wonderfully prompt
and accurate manner The stage man
agement, too, on the whole, is quite
good, although the manipulation of the
mob in some instances falls far below
the high standard which prevails else
where throughout the play. Notably is
this true in the first scene of the sec
ond act on the galley, where the
pirates rush down into the cabin ard
overpower the crew.
The greatest disappointment of
"Ben-Hur" is the feature which has
been advertised most extensively-the
chariot race. The same thing was
done at least as well in Neil Burgess
production of "The Year One" at the
Star theater, nearly half decade ago,
and in the same gentleman's "The
County Fair" the horse race scene was
to my mind much more effective. We
were told that we were to look for
number of new features in connection
with the chariot race in ''Ben-Hur";
that the wheels were made uneven, for
instance, in order to give the impress
sion of travelling rapidly over a some
what rough arena. We were told that
MO ch IJriU hi
chariot into the one containing Mes
sala, and that the latter would be
thrown from his vehicle, almost under
the feet of the maddened horses,
whereupon, we were informed, Ben
Hur's chariot would forge. to the front
and the race would end. So far as /
could discover the wheels of the char
lots revolved with painful smoothness,
there was no collision. MESSIAH did not
fall from his chariot, and Ben-Hur's
horses did not forge to the front be-
fore the lights were snapped out. 1t
is true the spectacle of the eight horses
galloping madly on the stage makes an
inspiring sight for a few seconds, but
as soon as one has the opportunity to
become used to the scene and takes
occasion to observe that with all the
clatter the ground does not even APP
pear to be moving under the feet of
the fiery steeds the striking effect
which is at first created is almost en-
tirely lost.
Another scene which is distinct dis
appointment is the one Immediately
following the fight in the cabin of the
galley. MESSIAH and Arrius are seen
upon raft which rocks rhythmically
to and fro, while the supers energeti
cally agitate the canvas water. Some
profile galleys of the Romans are
seen well up toward the back of the
stage, and when one points its prov
in the direction of the shipwrecked
Saen Ben-Hur announces that they are
saved. Naturally that ends the scene.
This same thing has been done in
dozens of plays, and. while Messrs.
Klaw & Erlanger have the advantage
of the large stage of the Broadway
theater and are not compelled to
economic in the production, it may
at least be said that the effect was not
strong enough to be so prominently
featured in advance of the production.
Mr.. Edward Morgan, I am afraid, has
become confirmed repressionist. This
would not be deplorable circumstance