The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-02-16
'SBen-Hur" prOveSa
Splendid Spectacle

| 'Ben-Hur' last night, presented to
the largest crowd that was ever adj
| mltted to the Keylor Grand theater
proved one of the most successful
piays-f play it can be rightly called
that has ever been staged there. Ben
Hur' is one of those combinations of
effects on stupendous scale that rem
resents great success for it's touch of
the nerve center of in crest of a ma
Jorlty of theater goers, as well as the
uninitiated; filing he eye of the one
with the splendid $agentry of a half
barbaric period of the worlds his
tory, and the mind of the other by its
impression of religious sensibili les. AS
a spectacle, it's equal has never been
seen here.
From the Star of Bethlehem. i'm
pressive and aWa-inspiring, to the final
scene where the lepers are cleansed
and Ben Hur' is with his mother, sis
ter and sweetheart the play is full of
great scenes. Not single stage eff
feet that is of ordinary class. Not a
single line in the players mouths is
superfluous. And while at times the
dramatizers have taken liberties with
the books, it is weakened but little-it
was done of necessity.
The theme of lie play, Ben Hur's"
revenge, is drawn with a masters
hand. From the time when as a youth
he is taken from his home and placed
in the galleys, the one great idea of re-
venge is predominant Revenge is al
lowed a jew" And this is the keynote
of the play. Revenge most mastery,
most exquisite.
The company is a large, and is a
thoroughly capable one. The Keylor
Grand stage held the play easily and
at no time was the play allowed to
drag. With clock like precision the cur
tain went up and down and the large
audience was not allowed to tire be-
tween the shor, intermissions. The
acting was very good, 1t cannot be said
to be of a quality-as is the scenic eff
fect-that has never been seen here;
but it is coed. But most of the energies
of Klaw and Erlanger have been di
rected towards he spectacular, and
they have won success. The choruses
were good and they were large, with
between IS and 100 people on the stage
at time.
The Roman galley. with its three
banks of oars and the hortator new
er f1inching as the barbarians rolled
down the S airs. but always keeping
his stroke; the galley slave and the
duumvir in the seas on a bit of wreck
age and the approach Of the Roman
galley; the gOndOla and the lake in the
orchard of Palms; and lastly the cha
riot race, are all great spectacular eff
fects, tina are in themselves great as
deceits For beauty of the
scenic painting, the house-top Of the
palace, the grove Of Daphne, the vale
of Hinnon and Mount Olivet are mas !
terpieces.
But it is On the chariot race hat the !
interest was conferred. The rumble of
he wheels and the running of the
horses is heard before the curtain goes
up Then as the curtain goes up the
rumble becomes louder bu+ the stage is
dark and the chariots are not seen. !
the lights are flashed and the
two contestants are urging their horses |
on to their top speed. ben Hur' is !
length behind and with the old hauteur !
MESSIAH" turns and looks at him.
Then Ben Hur' leans out, throws his
reins loose and his horses, running as
only animals trained to the act can
do, FORCES ahead and as the curtain |
goes down, Messala's car is wrecked
and he falls to the ground. And While |
the chariots are running. the scenery |
behind is moved so that the Illusion OF
the race is perfected and he eye OF
the spectator seems to be following the
around the circus. bit
of realistic stage work that will inter- |
est all.
The show in all. pleased he audience.
Few were in any wise disappointed. |
And while more a spectacle, perhaps
than a play it is we'll worth the seeing. ,