Show fiRE ETED BY I 1 C T ift N V 0 1 W DE n V 11 U AUDIENCE DELIGHTED WITH BEN HUR performance remarkable story of gen lew wallace reproduced in a manner that holds spectators spellbound A crowded house greeted t the he first performance of ben hur last evening an audience that was held spell bound and delighted from the opening prelude to the final curtain this Is a remarkable dramatization of a remarkable story and words are entirely inadequate to present its strength and beauties tho the prelude opens with a tableau scene showing the three wise men of the east cast grouped in the gloom about thorn them suddenly in the darkened sky above there flares the lambent name brighter and brighter grows the twinkling star until with a flash it bursts forth with a rad lence that bathes the scene la in an effulgence efful genco of glorious light then follows the initial scene of the th e first act the housetop house bouse top of the home of ben hur in jerusalem the latter enters with his roman friend Mes sala the rough sentiments of the young centurion fall harsh upon the ears cars of the jew jewish ish famil family y the mother and sister of 0 f ben hur and they depart in the conversation that ensues the roman scornfully suggests that ben hur forsake his birthplace come to rome and there forget he is a jew the hot blood of the youth is stirred by the insult and his reply of scorn but III appeases the rising wrath of the haughty roman the hot words of a quarrel follow and result in open declaration of enmity by the proud and warlike son of caesars caesara Cae sars rule the mother of hur seeks to soothe the afie outraged honor of her son but with small success ben hur gives vent to his feelings and aspires to become a soldier A trumpet sounding from streets below announces the approach of a roman column and den ben hur leaning from the parapet to gaze thereon inadvertently loosens a stone from the wall which falls fatally crushing a soldier the accident results in an immediate attack upon the house hur is seized at the command of the vengeful revengeful Mes sala and with his family the unfortunate jew Is condemned forthwith forthwith jorth with to prison scene one of the second act is laid in the gloomy hold of a roman galley the sides of the massive ship lined with the laboring forms of the convicts bending to their oars metellus descends from the decks above and addressing the captain of the slaves speaks of one ot of their number as aa different from his fellows den ben hur for it is he who is discussed Is called from his station and questioned by the interested metellus he tells his story to the roman officer who hears him through and orders him again to his bench the galley galle y is pre presently s antly attacked by the ships of the enemy and in the wreck which follows pandemonium reruns scene two shows a fragment of wreckage tossed on the open sea clinging to which to is metellus and his rescuer den ben hur the latter having escaped taio fats fate of his fellow convicts through having been released from his shackles by the kindness of metellus A roman galley approaches tho the raft and its struggling occupants are arc rescued from a watery grave scene one act three Is laid in tho the homo home of Simon idos at antioch where the patriarch and his daughter receive a roman caller who proves to be den ben hur the latter asks news of his mother and sister but the same is denied him by Simoni deB and he takes his leave esther presses her father tor for an explanation of his attitude toward hur eur and at length acquaints her with the fact that all they possess in gordly goods la is but the property of the son of hur and that in truth they are his bis bounden slaves scone scene two shows the grove of daphne and the temple of apollo is IF a splendid stage setting that its fits fl well tho the words dotter better be a worm and feed on the mulberries of daphne than be a kings guest A wedding march and its attendant revelry la Is in progress which gives way to a bacchanalian cha toast feast with scores of singers dancers and merry makers scene tareo shows ho the fountain of castalia Ca stalla to ibach wery wend their way to drink vom its life giving stream it Is here that mes sala eala arrives in his magn Meent chariot with its milk white ben hur seizes tho the bits of the threaten tu borscs and throwing them back on their haunches rebukes their haughty driver leaps from his charlot and ben hur prepares TO meet him when the two are thrust apart by i their friends and tho the combat averted scene ono one of act four opens with wih tho bower in the orchard of palma palm where tho the egyptian iras tempts tho tha virtuous hur with nith hor her and witcheries wit cheries and by tho magic of her charms causes him to forget his love tor the fair esthor esther As the lat latter ter crosses and views her bar lovo love in th the 0 arms of the beautiful siren her heart Is hi broken and she is borno borne weeping a 2 from the scone act five opens with an exterior view of the great gateway of tho the circus nt at antioch with its hurrying throngs th of joy anticipating citizens offering their bets on tho the races deriding riding do each others favorites and boasting bo sting of the prowess of their own it is hore here that tho admirers of ben hur trick and tantalize ao the proud messana and hia ats w wealthy colleagues to lay wagers on the ink hn pending race which will bring them all to ruin scene two follows quickly tho the rumbling of the racing machinery heralin her alil lag ing the great chariot cli arlot scene before oven even the curtain lifts anti and what a scene it is tho the great gre at white charlot chariots the shouting drivers and the beautiful bleeds coursing at tull full speed over alio mechanical runway their lithe bodies stretched to their utmost when in answer to tho excited urgings of their masters they plunge on in frenzied effort slowly the car of hur diminishes I 1 the lead of jils ila roman competitor I 1 for an instant they aro are neck I 1 jid aid neck when suddenly there la 19 a cash anil and as the outer wheel of mod atoa salas charlot chariot Is crushed crush fI and thrown from its axle tho the car topples to om side and tho the proud roman Is humbled in tho the dust of his defeated steed 4 act five opens in the palace of hur jerusalem where the young master at last wins the hand of esther and ad later Is acquainted with tho the fact that his gentle mother and tho the sister so dear to him aro are victims of leprosy ond and abide in a distant tomb thence he departs to seek them and falling asleep in tho the valo vale of efin nom ho he sees a wonderful vision of his bis mother and sister elster seeking the christ that they may be cleansed from their terrible terri blo affliction presently he awakes and joined by bv his faithful friends hastens to mount olivet where the miracle of healing has actually been performed I 1 rest restoring or to him his mother and sister with their affliction entirely cured tho the closing tableau and the grand ensemble of the tha company in a final son ef cf thanksgiving and praise to the saviour brings to a close this remarkable spectacle aclo tho the company Is an excellent on one throughout the costumes and settings aro new and the piece Is staged with admirable attention to detail |