Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-15
BEN HUR' STILL
HOLDS APPEAL
SPECTACULAR PLAY CROWDS
THE MASON
CHARIOT RACE, AS USUAL, CEN
TER OF ATTRACTION
Present Production a Trlfle Stage
Worn, but Still Strong in Human
and Emotional Interest.
Acting Commonplace

the children, and who had looked bored
through the first four acts, held their
breath as Ben Hur's horses began to
forge ahead. The race is one of the
greatest achievements of stage mechaL-
ism, and probably will hold it's appeal
long after the play itself has gone the
way of forgotten things.
Undoubtedly ben Hur" possesses all
the elements of a strong romantic
drama, but in these days of close man
agerial competition and a yearly
plethora OF new plays, SO much is re
quired of a piece that it is almos1
phenomenal for a spectacular play like
ben Hur" to hold its own for nine
years, as the Klaw e. Erlanger produc-
ton has done.
Both the play and the players seem
a bit the worse for wear. The star
which guides the wise man does not
seem to burn with quite the same brill
lance as when 1t first famed forth in
the Colonial theater in New York nine
years ago. But the eye of faith sees 1t
still undimmed and the play still holds
the audience in the spell woven of its
exalted message, it's human appeal ana
its Illuminated atmosphere Of spiritual
suggestion.
In the theater of Dionysus, where the
actors wore clogs on their feet and hid
their faces behind masks, they were
able, through the subtly contrived
symbolism of the Greek drama to
create an atmosphere and to give illu-
sions, in spite Of the lack of semblance
to life. In Ben Hur" there are two
distinct appeals, one the theoric and
the romantic, and the other the deeply
moving religious mountaineering alike
to pagan and saint-the one which
might have been made at Dtonysus,
even though the actors wore clogs and
masks. In Ben Hur' it flashes out, or
rather burns steadily in spite of a
,af ha u
perceptional which would do violence
to the deeper theme, were it not, if the
words may serve again, the atmosphere
of spiritual suggestion. The prelude,
showing the star and the wise men, and
the references to the new faith in the
earlier scenes constitute an effective
dramatic foreshadowing which, before
the climax is reached, is woven into a
fitting apperception for the apprecia-
ton of the deeper motive.
Neither in the acting nor the staging
of the production now at the Mason is
there anything which could not proper
ly be clasSed as commonplace. Con-
way Tearle, who appears as Ben Hur,
is a good-lool1ing young man with
good voice, considerably at ease,
and with some mastery of dramatic
technique. Practically the same may
be said of Charles M. Harris in the
role of Messiah. Antony Andres ST.
monides probably is the best part In
the play.
Among the roles there is none which
by any stretch of the imagination could
be called more than mediocre. AS to
the staging-well, the scenery needs
painting; in fact, a whole new set of
scenery would help considerably.
"The House of a Thousand Candles"
opened before a highly appreciative
audience at the Auditorium theater
last evening. Lewis Stone in the role
of John Glenarm made his usual
strong appeal. The play will be re-
viewed in Wednesdays Herald.
One of the prettiest plays seen in Los
Angeles for a long time was that pro
duced at the Belasco theater last night
IN Madeline Riley's Mice and Men,"
Delightful in construction, pretty in
staging and delicate in lines and situa-
lions, it's very quaintness appealed
tremendously to the good-sized au-
dience that applauded it, Its period
allows of picturesque costuming and
scenery and the Belasco cast fitted 1t
to perfection. The climaXes are good,
the humor rich and the whole play
redolent of the times-the seventeenth
century. 1t is we'll worth seeing. A
review of the play will appear in this
column later.
The four Magnanis, musical BARRIERS,
provide the best act at the Los An
geles theater this week, though the
program features Chester Damon,
billed as the Great White Mystery"
Damon says that his stunt is psy-
chromancy and doubtless he will find
many credulous theater goers who will
agree with him, whether or not they
know the meaning of the word. Others
perhaps, will be less charitable. line
in the program warns persons against
acting upon D'Armon's advice, which
nevertheless is given freely and fully
to many in the audience. Yesterday
afternoon the man made some twenty
predictions of what he conjectures is
likely to happen in the business life of
individuals who questioned him.
Vaudeville of general excellence and
all round headline merit comprises the
bill offered by the Empire theater for
it's first week under the new every
seat-ten- cents" policy, and 1t met with
popular favor last night. The opening
performance, yesterday matinee, was
free, as all Monday matinees are to be
at this house from now on, and the
house was well filled. bicycle Bill, !"
with his lariat throwing and Juggling,
is first on the program, If not abso-
lutely the best of the list. His throw
ing Of the rope is unique and well exc
euted, while the way he juggles guns
knives, sticks and other things while
balancing on the pedal and front wheel
of a bicycle is astonishing. The Stel-
lings are also !ugglerss of ability.
If all inventors had as easy times
financing their inventions as 1.-THE Pro-
moters' at Herr Fischer's theater this
week they would be a happy crowd
True the men personated by Ben r.
Dillon and Max Bloom would both have
sooner married the actress than have
had her marry their "angeT' and then
provide them with his money but they
get the wherewith to float their
schemes, which helps some. Aubrey
Carr plays the "angel' and Libby
Blondelle the actress. Incidentally
they present an acting travesty that
is good, while both offer solos of worth.
Miss BlondelIe, "Queenie Was There
With Her Hair in a Braid" and Mr.
Carr, TITS the Girls" The Misses
Blondelle, Nellie Montgomery and
Laurel Atkins, and Messrs Carr, Bloom
and DilIt sing ';Follow the Man From
Cooks" pleasingly'.
Browns Vacation" a laughable
two-act musical comedy was well re-
ceived at the Unique last evening.
Brown takes a vacation, so he tells
his wife. Instead, he and Hogan have
quiet time in town and bring the
latter and an actress home with him.
His wife finally discovers the truth