The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-15
in II THEATRES
ENGAGEMENT OF BEN HUR'
AT THE NEWARK.
"The Governors Son" Among shubert
Vaudeville Features-The Pro-
gram at Proctor's Pleases.

In its nearly a decade OF extraordinary
success on the stage ben Hur' has at
tanned 70 the position of an institution. 1t
is so firmly established in popular approval
rs to render critical comment gratuitous-
Dramatically considered it may not satisfy
all the requirements of art; 1t may not be
sufficiently motived; Its action may be
episodical, lacking in logic and cohesive
ness; its character delineation may be OBJ
Jious; its heost Wanted situation, that OF
he chariot race, may belong to the child
ish things of the theatre, the dolls and
baubles that used TO pass for stage realism
and which the twentieth century, tired OF
spectacle and eager for the drama of
thought, has outgrown. Yet ben Hur'
still has Its splendid record Of prosperity;
and its hold upon the public, with whom
the age and reputation of a play count SO
Importantly, is still unabated.
But this dramatization by william
Young. though, Of course, but a faint sha-
dow of Lew Wallace's famous novel, a
novel approaching near to greatness, too,
he il said. has in general been we'll done.
Its story appeals sentimentally as a story
of such sacrifice Of mother love and brother
love and love of race must. The language
is dignified and sincere, with very infre-
quent attacks of turgidity, and the re-
ligious element of the novel is reverently
employed. As a segrnentary presentation
Of the great history of a noble race and as
a spectacular production on a scale such
as is seldom attempted in the theatre,
Ben Hur'' exceedingly well repays a visit.
The dramatic interest is indeed secondary
to the pictorial, but. regarded from any
standpoint, the play must, in its final eff
feet, be impressive, instructive and edify-
ing.
1t was expected that the scenic magnifi-
cence of the first production OF ben Hur"
in New York would hardly be duplicated
here last night, and expectation was not
disappointed. Neither could so much have
been anticipated Of the actors. Yet the
performance in both respects was reason
ably adequate. The Son of Hur, imper-
sonated by Thurston Hall, lacked the ply
steal force and distinction of William Far
NUNS embodiment. but the character was
sympathetically dealt with and the lines
were Spoken clearly and with right ex-
preston. Miss Margaret Dills was the
Mother Of Hur; Miss Meta Green, Tirzah;
Miss Margaret Dills, the guileful Egyptian
Iras. and Miss Gertrude Dalton, Esther.
Walter L. Walter was good as the villain
Gus Messiah, and Henry Weaver gave an
excellent representation OF Simonides. Very
little of the acting was so bad as to be
positively distressing.
The sixteen scenes were manipulated
smoothly, and the chariot race, though
principally for the omission Of the NOV
ing background, by no means so complete
an Illusion as it used to be, received the
usual applause.
The Newark Theatre management wishes
it made emphatic that performances be-
gin promptly at 2 and 8 o'clock all the
week. Late Corners are not seated until
the conclusion of the prelude.
Last nights audience was the largest
of the season at the Newark.