More than 1,000 costumes, 70 acrobats and dancers, 32 horses, 100 doves, three falcons, two eagles, two vultures and two donkeys.

Welcome to Ben Hur Live.The stage extravaganza - based on the 1880 novel by Lewis Wallace which in turn engendered the Charlton Heston screen epic - arrives in London on 17 September with the world premiere at the O2.

The O2 show, starring little-known actor Sebastian Thrun in the lead role, will be the first time a high-speed indoor chariot race has been staged.

The thoroughbred horses have undergone 12 months of intensive training with a team of trainers and charioteers.

Five chariots with four horses each will be seen racing at 55km an hour across a dirt floor.

Check it out:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8232208.stm