Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-10-27
|AnnuSenenfS
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Last night was memorable one at
| the Salt Lake Theater In point Of re-
celpts all previous records OF the house
for single performances were broken
unles It might be the Gerster opera
night when SO and IS were paid for
seats, and the Booth & Barrett night,
when SO was the prevailing schedule.
The actual number Of people was less
than that which thronged the house
when "Sapho" was presented and when
Nance O'Neil gave "Oliver Twist" but
these productions We're at popular
prices, and they yielded to the box Of
nee nothing like last nights receipts.
The count-up showed that close TO
s2,l0O was In the Golfers, The upper
gallery too, and the standing spaces
were not entirely filed so that the
record may even be passed at the re-
naming performances. II Is not too
much TO expect that the seven perform
ances Will yield over $4,000, which viii
again break the house records for any
similar number of consecutive presen-
tations.
The audience, too, was quite remark
able from another standpoint. While
the usual throng Of first nighters was In
attendance, there was a big sprinkling
OF an element rarely, IL ever, seen With
IN the Theater walls, an element at
tracted solely by the religious character
OF the play, and by the wide fame of
General Wallacs's book. To the pres
enoe of this element perhaps, was due
the absence OF any actual enthusiasm.
The galleries and the house generally,
'pt course united In n whirlwind of ap-
Nause over the wonderful chariot race,
hut aside from that, there was a dispo-
sltion TO follow the action IN more Of a.
studious vein, but with a rapt breath
lesspess and Keen appreciation more
hattering than bursts of applause or
curtain calls
Ben Hur, is In truth noble, upIlft.
ing picturesque and stirring drama.
one IL amazed TO note how much of the
atmosphere, the color and the purpose
OF the great story has been preserved
IN transferring II TO the stage.
but one sees In the rendl-
ton, the reason for General
WaHace's reluctance ever to have IL
dramatized. He steadfastly refused
year after year, because he did not be.
lieve the book could be made into a
play without bringing the character OF
the savior before the footlights, and TO
TINS he was opposed. When, however,
me GIFTED dramatlst, Mr.. William
young, author of several plays for
Lawrence Barratt, had mapped out a
sketch of what might be done with the
book as stage production, obviatine
the necessity OF the appearance of the
Master and when klaw e. Erlanger
pictured the monetary possibilities OF
the production. Gen. Wallace yielded
with the result that he is richer by
100000 received from royalties, the
sales of his book have taken a new
bound, and klaw 4 Erlanger have built
up fortune. The play Is now In It's
fourth year and may go on for four
years more, so that its money POSSIBLE
tiles IN the future are as great as they
have been in the past.
Last nights presentation, first as
spectacle, second as play, can only be
styled as magnificent. The players ar-
apparently selected so that no one per.
son shall predominate, but that an even
excellence shall prevail throughout The
result Is generally satisfying, although
no one rises to any degree of brillance.
Mr., Kelley as Ben Hur played In SYM
pathetic, manly fashion, though his wig
Is not exactly heroic, and he looked
much better In his Roman helmet than
without It. Mr. Either, the Messiah
remembered from "Coranton," had a
pleasant greeting, and he. too. played
with vigor and fire, He and Mr..
Kelley both presented handsome spec
tacles OF the Ideal Roman soldier. from
the standpoint Of physique. Mr.. Wright,
as Simondes, was effective while Miss
Pitt as Ben Burs mother, did the best
work among the ladies, though all filed
their roles acceptaby' The scenery
the costuming, the dancing, the group
ing, and the music were all of the high
est sort OF excellence. The
Theater put In specially for
this engagement a new system OF
electric lighting, the number and yari-
ETY. OF color effects which II Is now
possible to obtain, being specially beau
tiful The effect OF the star of Bethe-
hem with the three wise men watching
It's expanding pilliance, was a most
beautiful sight, and not less so was the
purple flood OF efrulgence which spread
over the stage IN the moon light scene
between ben Hur and Iris. The music
by Kelley, was full of food for study.
The big orchestra and the large chorus
did their work In excellent fashion.
Throughout the earlier portions OF the
play the music was Of the severe, un-
melodiC, half barbarlc strain, and Il did
for the story. At the close. where IL
developed into great chorus OF
thanksgiving on the approach OF the
Savior, Il was grandly beautiful, and
the effect OF the singing throng on the
stage all waving palms, was inspiring.
The great scene OF the night, the
chariot race, was all that Il had been
described The management announce
their Indebtedness for the idea OF the
revolving stage to Nell Burgess, who
gave Il 10 US in a modified form in
The County Fair" but Burgess never
dreamed of putting eight horses
abreast, Of a moving panorama behind
them, and OF the effect OF the wheel
rolling of one chariot and the other
vehicle forging ahead II was won-
derful piece OF realism and mechanism
combined and It fairly took the breath
OF the auditors
ben Hur' will run TIL Friday night
with a matinee Wednesday and Thurs
day.
AT the Grand last evening Miss Jessie