The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-05
now CHARIOT RACE
IS RUN IN BEN RuR
IMPORTANT PART STAGE MA.
ClxINrsT PLAYS IN PREsENT,s.
TON OF GREAT SPEC
TAC14E.

The American stage mechanic liz
one Of the nost Important persona In
connection with big amusement spec
tacies. Fifteen years ago the atteH-
tson of Elaw q ErIan9sr was drawn
TO General Lew wallaoe'm Interesting
sevel, Ben Eur." ana negotiations
were started towards drsmatiEing H..
General Wallace was like the man
from Afsssouri--hv would not agree To
this work being dramAtized unless the
chariot race could be presented as
realistically as HIS description tn the
book.
1t was here the creative mind Of the
American machtntst showed his capa-
city, for Klsw a Erlanger commits
stoned every one OF prominence In
this country. as well aE In Europe, to
furnish practical working models for
this big scene. and the prize was won
by Claude Hagan. an American. It
cost thousands Of dollars In expert
ment!ng. but rich reward has been
rsared, for In the fourteen years that
"Ben Hur" has been before the pub
lie a profit OF more than four million
dollars has been earned.
The mechanical device which Mr.
Eaean employed IN constructing this
sceae was not exactly new sto the
stage In It's simple form II has been
the back bone OF The County Fair"
a1G many other plays, and has helped
enrich the men who have staged melo-
drama. with their accom- paniment OF
storms, steamships, moving trains, lltt
bridges and avalanches. The chariot
race IN ben Hur" as now represented
is held 10 be the most thrilling stage
picture ever shown within the four
walls OF q playhouse
In plays where the horses actually
cross the stage there IS no need for
Illusion TO give the appearance Of
movement. but In race like that
driven by the three charioteers III
Ben Her," where the twelve thor
oushbrsds actually run. but do not
move forward. there must he some
mechanical means Of deceiVlng the
eye TO give the impression Of actual
progress It is just such things as
this that make Ben Hur" stand ont
In stagecraft. There is nothing half
done. The illusion is complete. even
in the whirr'ng of the wheels and
the driving clouds Of dust that fly
from the imaginary floor Of the hip
podrome.
Ii is not behind the scenes that the
secret OF all this IF found, but down
beneath the stage in a wilderness Of
dvnamos. electric wires, windlassed
shafts and wheels. While the horses
are pounding out thunder on the
stage floor during the race. the under
region is like IA beehive, Electricians
han here and there. throwing switches
and giving signals The men are
Juggling at windlass Cranks, The sig
nal bells from which wires lead e
the stage above keep up a constan
din-~one ring for one switch, i've
rings for another and SO on.
Only two minutes 1t lasta, nut dur
-ll.e -tt1oss two r1t1uts5 tfT6 rEHsT0n II
the under region is greater than il
the audience. All the effect OF tn,
chariot race Is not cxerted upon TIT
nerves Of those who pay to see tn
spectacle There are other men wh
are paid 10 be there, who are wori
out with the terrific work of thos
two minutes under the stage.
Ben Hur'' viii he seen here o.
Monday Tuesday and Wednesda
evenings and Wednesday matinee. 80
yember 10th, nth and l9th. at tn
Academy Of Music