Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-04-19
BEN HUR.
The First Production Was Success
 i'm Every Particular.


 The magnificent spectacular success, Ben Hur," was produced under the management of Klay and Erlanger, and under the personal direction of Joseph Brooks, at Polls theater last night The theater was crowded. Al though there were many familiar faces in the large audience yet ere were equally as many strange ones. People from this city and neighboring towns, who are not in the habit of attending the theater, were present and enjoyed this morality play.
 Ben Hur" has been widely adver- tised. For weeks it has been the chief topic of conversation ill many quarters so great was the interest manifested in the announcement that the public of Waterbury and surrounding towns would be given an opportunity of see- ing this production, whose praises have been sung by innumerable per- sons. Columns of newspaper space have been devoted to lauding it, pages of magazines and periodicals have been given up to lengthy reviews of it and well deserving is the production of such tiattering notices and atren- tion.
 There has been some doubt eXpresS- ed as to the suitability of the stage at Polls for the production of such q gorgeous spectacle. Some persons were of the opinion that the stage was was not large enough to permit the production of the play in a manner to set 1t forth i'll the proper light, but all such opinions were rudely shattered when it was given last night. Every thing worked nicely. There appeared to be no drawbacks. The stage was apparently large enough Persons, who had witnessed the production at the Hyperion theater in New Haven and again last night, stated that the production was equally as good last night as when it was produced ill New Haven several weeks ago. E
 The play is produced in six acts with prelude and contains fourteen scenes. The scene ill the prelude shows the three wise men in the desert and their adoration of the Star of Bethlehem, which appears in won drous .lustre to them.
 The first scene in the first act reveals a picture of the house top of the pal ace of Hur, the joyous meeting of Ben Hur and Messala, old friends, after a long separation, their quarrel and Messala's departure in great wrath, threatening revenge. The passing of the troops of triumphant Graecus be fore Hur's palace, the killing of Graecus by Hur, who knocked stone from the wall accidentally onto the Roman chieftain's head. Hurs arrest by Metellus and the seizure of his family by The Romans excite the tender emotions of the spectators.
 Hur is made galley slave while his mother and sister are confined in q desolate tower Tn the second act is pictured the interior of cabin in a Roman galley and the appearance of Hur as q galley slave. His youth, his beauty, his innocence, his quiet sub- mission appeal to the sympathy of the captain of the boat, who sends for him, hears his story, believes in his veracity and orders that he shall not be chained on that night A fight with the Pirates ship is begun and the Roman galley is sunk. Hur saves the life of the captain.
 The scene at the opening of the third act is transferred to Antioch, to the house of Simonides, d lifelong friend of the Hun family. Hur appears here ill search of tidings of his long lost mother and sister, but his search is in vain. The next scene is one of extra ordinary loveliness and beauty. It represents the grove of Daphne, the temple of Apollo. or the same unsur- passed beauty is the following scene, which pictures the fountain of Cas- talia and reveals to -he admiring eyes the revels of DaphAe, participated in by nearly hundred girls, 1.-the of form, graceful of poise, dainty of step and rich of beauty. They formed many pretty tableau. Hur meets his enemy Messala at the grove of Daphne learns that he is to participate i'll the chariot race, determines to enter il himself, and engages to ride the un- trained and wild, but fast as lightning horses of the Shiek Inderim.
 The first scene in the fourth act shows the Orchard of Palms and the preparations for the chariot race while the final scene reveals the beauty of the lake scene, the wooing of Hal and Iris, who Is well adapted to the arts of Cleopatra. For a time she plays with the hearstrings of Hur as did the famous queen of old toy with the affections of the hard-hearted An thony The chariot race Is the feature of the fifth act and incidentally is one of the features of the play. The race is well depicted and the triumph oi Hur Is acclaimed with many plaudits In the final act the scene of the play returns to the palace of Hur, who re ceives news that his mother and sister are lepers and are in Ahevale ot Hinnom. The second scene discloses leper's cave i'll Hinnom, where Hul l has gone ill search of his family. Hm 1 is seen in an exhausted condition after his long search. The next scene re veals the vision of the healing of his mother and sister by the Messiah. The l final scene is enacted on Mount Olivet where Hur meets his mother and sis ter. who have been cleansed from th' l foul disease, their affectionate greeting and their unspeakable joy. The pla. ends with the grand singing of '.Hosan ma! Hosanna. Hosanna in the High 1 est" Words cannot picture the beaut, of the remarkable scenic display dur 1 ing the show 1t is magnificent spec tacle, abounding with scenes of rar' exquisiteness and excellence. It is ! InonOrnna of han11tv and cO1andor On,