A REMARKABLE PLAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 959, 28 October 1910, Page 6

A REMARKABLE PLAY.

"THE PASSING OF THE THIBD FLOOR BACK." .■'.:' "The Passing of the Third Floor Back," ! a play by Jerome K.-, Jerome. Cast:— ■ Stasia _ Lizette Parkcs Joey Wright ....-~. 8. A. Fitzgerald Christopher Penny ...._; Paget Hunter Major Tompkins ..; Eeynolds Dennirton Mre. Tompkins ........_., Alice Deorwyn Vivian _....:..„.......- Myra. Wall Jake Samuolls ...,—._..... Ohailes. Throeby Harry ..™ _... Harry Neville Miss Kite' ......: Valentine Sidney Mrs. Percival de Hooley...Marie La Croisette Mrs. Sharpe Mrs. Robert BrouEli The. Third Floor Back ...... Harry Plimmer In. "The Passing of the' Third'. Floor Back," produced by the Plimnier-Dennie-ton Company at. the Opera House last evening, Wellington playgoers are given the opportunity of seeing a most remarkable play—remarkable in its' compelling ■appeal to the reason and the heart, in its inculcation ' of, ■ the soundest CSristian philosophy, in the daring originality of its ' thesis, and. dramatic structure. So, curious,is the blending of farcical, comedy, drama, and morality play, that many of those present might be excused for encountering mild perplexity ini classifying work. That was apparent now and again by. observing that some tittered at times when,-, others- applied a , furtive handkerchief ■to the eyes to dispel the mist of tears that '■ threatened W obscure tho action of, the play.: But as the clever allegories were made plain, and the mission of the Stranger became manifest, the simple yet' profound force of the argument took a tight grip of the audience, and maintained.it until the curtain slowly fell—fell upon a patch of moonlight illuminating' a patch of dingy carpet of'a shabby genteel.boarding-house in.Blooms-bury,-as a very beautiful voice a "Gloria" in the night beyond. There is a fine moral uplift ■ in'\the.'. fantasy. • It creates in one a desire t<^'be a better man, to , turn down anything in the nature'.of petty deceit,- foolish vanity, aiinless, blundering witong-ddine,,-.- and. the hundred-and-one little sins that,' perhaps, may not be classed among • the seven deadly ones,- yet the.prosecution of which makes up the sum total of a great many of ■ Hfe'e miseries. This is' freely practised in Mrs. Sharpe's boarfling-houEe :■ in Bloomsbury. She herself waters the niilk, palms cold tea on a ■ toper for. wliisky, and is. indescribably mean in.a dozen ways. . It exists amongst the .boarders — the. painted., lady, w.ho at forty .. makes. up. 'as ■ seventeen; the impoverished .Major who proposes to sell his .daughter to .a broken-down bookmaker three times her age; the Jew who sells shares in'an alleged silver mine in Ireland; the artist ( who is disposed to neglect art for money gained by selling insults to art, and. to the "slavey" who ,helps.the landlady in' her petty , frauds'. .. It is' evening in the boardinghouse, when a knock is neard, and the grey-haired, courteous,;dignified Stranger appears, merely to: engage the vacant third iioor back. He: diffuses some • form of mystic sDirituality, which spreads through the house. , He is strong, magnetic, and gentlemanly—something so niucli apart from them all, that, as one character says:, "He. makes you' feel uncomfortablo. Ho encounters each character in turn, and bearing,, their troubles, hopes, and fears, with a strong logic gradually convinces one. and , : all how much happier and brighter, they would .be if they would! "play the game," so to ■speak. Yet his teaching is not"e \homily or a preachment. His methods might be illustrated by a few lines of dialogue. He is'speaking to Miss Kite (the painted lady who would defy age),: and' says in reply to her arch query as to whether: he. thinks her beautiful: ; - !■•"■■■ : ,

'•Stranger: "Yes, I think you are beautifuL But , you have , one failing that mars

Miss. Kite: "Hadn't you better tell me of it? ... I might be able.to correct it," Stranger: "It is a lack of vanity!' You look into your glass and are quite,needlessly dissatisfied with yourself. It '.is— forgive me—so foolish of you." . ; . : Miss Kite (hesitatingly): "You mean you would like ■me better without the paint and powder and false hair."-. ■•■.. Stranger:... "I think that you yourself may Idraw the; picture? A graceful, comely woman, :a ■ bttle pale, j .'perhaps-' there are white . roses , -'and :■ 'red—with delicate .features,. on>.which\ sculptor Thought has chiselled his fine lines, giving. l to them character, distinction, her. still bright eyes unspoilt, with • her fit crown of soft, brown nair'that time has 'touched with no unkindly' handwould, be more beautiful." / ' . .

The Jew wishes to sell the Stranger shares iu a bogus , mine. | The Stranger accepts thankfully, , taking the . Jew. at his ..word. At the same .time he .'says. that many of the noblest men he had known, were Jews. It was a great racerich in' honourable names. So' genuinely and comically embarrassed ~ does ' ;tho mine-jobber become, that he withdraws '. the olfer and snatches back the fraudulent scrip'; from the emiling Stranger, ; And in, like manner he deals . with the' quarrelling Major and his wife, ca.uses the "bookie" with' the lost voice to give up his daughter to the poor artist (whom she loves), and directs the latter to the lofty ideals of his youth: The lady; who is forever bragging of her great connections, he causes to rise to help her' fallen sister; Mrs. Sharpe Becomes less sharp and more generous and ladylike, and even ; Stasia, ' the, smudgy "slavey," '.becomes transformed. The allegory.is made complete in the prologue, where all is sunlight. No one is Weary of well-doingY all are thoughtful and considerate to each other in a-■'domestic elysiuin. His work being done the-Stranger passes on to the «iccorapanim«nt 'of .'a moonlit "Gloria." '

It is pleasing to record that (he acting was in artistic accord with this quaint, but exceedingly beautiful, • play. Mr. Harry Plimmer has 'in his time played many parts, but never has he risen to such histrionic heights as in his finished portrayal of the Stranger. He assumes a profound loftiness and restrained dignity, while still preserving in tho character a prepossessing benignity that is so suggestive. His appearance was precisely what the part demanded, and he had ample opportunity to display his fine elocutionary, qualities. Mrs. Robert Brough, who' received a .warm reception and floral offerings, was really capital as the worried old boardinghouse-keeper, and her talent for com-cdy has not been dimmed in the slightest degree by ; the passage of time. Her scenes, with 'Stasia were delightful. Miss Lizette Parkes, too, is tho brightest of spots in , the play. She has a part which suits her talent for comedy commingled with pathos admirably. Mr. S. A. Fitzgerald presented a clever sketch as the bookmaker, and Mr. Charles Throsby as' Sanmells and Mr. Harry Neville as Harry Larkcom were both excellent. Miss Myra Wall, who played Vivian, the Major's daughter, was quite charming. She has a future. Miss Sydney Valentine as the painted lady, and Deonvyn were both parts of a very complete picture. ■ ■ • .:■ .

"Tho Passing of the Third -Floor Back" is a play that everyone should SDO.. -■•''•.!'

A hundred years ago tharo were in. Exirope only 22 cities,..with, more than lflO-OM iahebitaßifce, ''•.■ : ', .