Ben Hur Live pictures: chariots and fire
First look at The O2's multi-million pound spectacular, Ben Hur Live
16 September 2009
THIS is the first glimpse of the stunning £5m epic Ben Hur show that will have its world premiere in The O2 Arena tomorrow night.
Chariots, gladiators and a Roman army have returned to Greenwich, the site of an ancient Roman settlement, for a spectacular production based on the Oscar-winning movie.
The 90-minute performance features a cast of 400, accompanied by 32 horses, 100 doves, three falcons, two eagles, two vultures and two donkeys.
Audiences are set to be wowed by a naval battle involving pirates and soldiers, swordfights and pyrotechnic effects.
But the show’s centrepiece is the famous racing scene, in which five chariots compete in a 35mph race. The floor has had to be covered with 10in of sand so that the horses, who have been trained for a year, can run safely.
The musical score has been written by Stewart Copeland, the drummer of band The Police, who also narrates the show.
Creator Franz Abraham said it had taken him 15 years to plan the show.
“The show will have the speed of a musical, the depth of great theatre, the power of a rock concert and the visual opulence of a Hollywood blockbuster,” he said. “We count on this show running 50 years.”
Tickets are still available for Ben Hur Live’s London run, which ends on Sunday. Show backers deny claims that it involves animal cruelty.
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