The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-26

New Testament history combined with
 the most enthralling romance that ever
 came from the. pen of writer. And
 yet the pristine success of the drama
 Is still its own and triumph piles on
 top of triumph. fortune upon fortune. house has there been anything to equal
 Ben -Hur" as an ammasser of money. The demand for it's performance is so great that even the most colossal theatres are packed when 1t is an- nounced. and thousands are turned away. even though the engagements last for months.
 The appeals of the story is univer- sal. fora in It's unfolding it touches on many of the worlds questions which are as much alive today as they were two thousand years ago. the period of the plays action. Ben Hnr" Is made up of pure romance. terrific adven- ture. savage intrigue, reverent and awed comment on the living Christ. searsome realism in the Wonderful shariot race. and the most interesting of love stories. The beauty of the scenic setting. the splepdors of the paseants which fill it's scenes. thr gorgeous Eastern garbing of the characters and the fine performance of the drama are concomitants of the Kiaw and Erianger production of the play
 Nothing more real, nor more terrible In its intensity. than the chariot race has ever been attempted on the stage. When the foaming horses, driven by Hur and Messala against on another. come into view. audiences forget to breathe and the awed silence of the scAne is so terrific it makes q picture never to be forgotten. The triumph of Hur lifts the strain and the cfowds cheer as crowds never before cheered inside theatre. If 1t had nothing else to offer, Ben -Hur'' would have creat- ed furore such as was never known before. but the drama is crowded with tremendous scenes. wonderful pictures of old world life in which the color and the splendor Of the Orient is crowded against the opulence of Pagan Rome.
 There Is the exquisite beauty of the Grove of Daphne where moonlight lends It's enchantment to the attrac- lions of the wondrous garden; there is the terrible storm which sewers the galley and gives Hur his chance to escape from the thralldom of slavery. There is the beautiful panorama of Jerusalem seen from the roof of the Palace of Hur; the gorgeousness of the luxurious Roman life: and last of all there is the sacred beauty of the final scene when the Christ is about to make his entry into His own city and the people flock outside the walls to well come Him with songs of praise and thanksgiving. and where the very near ness of His presence is sufficient to make whole the lepers who press eagerly forward to see Him.
 There are some of the things which have made sBen- Hur.' the unparaiIeled success it is. Klaw and 'Erlanger have given the Sdranfa an even more expen- sive production this year than hereto fore. as will be seen at the Grand on Thursday, Friday and Saturday even tngs next and at the special matinee to be given on Saturday.
 The attention of theatrexoers is called to the fact that the curtain on Ben Iur performances is raised pre- eisely at o'clock in the evening and at two o'clock at the matinee The drama opens with "The Star of Bethle- hem" scene. accompanied by the i'm pressive musical score of Edxart Still man Kelley. In the nature of an ora torio and iate-conlers will not be seated until It's conclusion. Seats for the four performances to be given in Mont gomery will be placed on sale Monday morning at the box office.
 The cast this season includes Thurs ton Hall as Ben-Hur, Wilmer L. Wal ter, Henry Weaver, William Leyden. Charles M. Harris, Alfred Hollings- worth, Charles Garfield, Helen Singer Gertrude Dalton. Stella B. Weaver. Meta Green and Margaret Dilis.