The Washington herald., 1909-10-10

good II he were mcarnate IN a cheal
clearinghouse. A second makes dis
closure OF graft and backmail in prao
teal politics. A third depicts the horror
OF nihilism and installs a star actress.
The eve that is on In ION the Eve" Il
the one that precedes the dawn Of free
dom In Russia; for this melodrama 1!
nih!listic. and It depicts the assassina
ton OF Teplon the chief OF st. Peters
burg's secret police. A prince and q
girl almost as far up In aristocracy are
active nihilists. The author, Leopold
Kampf, says that often such conspir-
ators don't know one anothers identi-
ties, and he makes these two Yassili
and Anna. each unaware OF the other S
social rank. They are introduced in a
secret printery OF revolutionary tracts.
where they pass from devotees OF their
perilous cause TO equally ardent sweet
hearts. Anna at the outset rejects Vas
silfs advances because she doesn't wish
10 let personal affection lessen her pa
triotic ardor; but he convinces her that
their hearts and souls may hold the two
loves with room for BOTH and the play
is no more than under way ere their arms
are simultaneously entwined In hug OF
betrothal and uplifted IN vow or ale
glance to nihlllsm. At the plays end
her hands give the signal for his hands
70 hurl n bomb that kills him as well
as the hated Teplon
Fix YOUR mind on this. please. The girl
has got to loving the young man with
all her might Her mansion is to be
visited by Teplon one evening and the
plotters tell her 10 signal at a window
with a candle 10 the assassin. who waits
across the street. when the doomed off,
Ger energies and which way he goes She
has not been told that Vassilf has
drawn the murderers lot, nor does he
know that It is she who is TO show the
fateful light; but he goes 20 her for a
farewell. and in the conversation they
learn of the strange condolences. There
upon, she sayss that she won't-she
cant-give the signal for him to hurl
bomb that's sure 10 take his llfe in
killing Teplon
Decides 10 BE Heroine.
Now Vassilf is the devoted. self-sacri-
fetal nihillst He reminds Anna that.
when they pllghted their troth, It was
she who insisted upon paramount
VOW OF fealty 10 the cause OF Russian
freedom. Which viii she break-that
oath TO her race. or her own one mere
heart? She decides 10 be a herpinei He
kisses her good-by and goes out TO his
post OF murderous duty She waits In
agony for the time TO use the candle at
the window IN an arranged code OF Sig
nails. The fash and blast Of a bomb out
side tells that Vassli and Teplon are
destroyed. The frenzied Anna cries
For Russia Down comes the curtain
Dull matter between the brisk begin
ming and the rOusing conclusion Of ION
the Eve keeps Il from being a satIsfac-
tory drama. The characters talk In bonn.
hast and walk on stills. Yet at the con-
clusion OF the first performance. Hedwig
Reicher. who had PLAYED Anna, got a
contract with the manager 70 be his
starred actress for five years. and don't
doubt that. in better dramas, she will
gain fame. Hedwig IS stately and hand
some. her voice IS strong and melodious.
and she has been trained TO excellent
facility in the theaters OF Berlin and
Vienna. During two seasons she has led
q German company in New York A
year ago she set about tho improvement
OF her English. and now she speaks II
with no more OF foreign accent than
as I thinks liked by most Americans.
From Helena Modjeska 70 Anna Held,
which means from high tragedy 20 low
comedy, Polish Jewesses have been IA
vored here for their quaint utterance OF
our language. And Hedwig Reicher, an
artist Of tho first grade, will survive the
death Of her initatory play.
Not all the luck is good that comes 10
an actor through extra cleverness in
doing one particular thing. Audiences
as well as managers are 10th 20 give him
Job IN any other line. The speciality OF
Harry Davenport. son OF Edward l. and
brother OF Fanny. IS tipsy scenes: so
when a Russian nObleman in "On the
Eve" was found to be a drunkard.
Harry was secured for the role; and the
people laugh duly at his inebriety
There IS a passage Of pathos further
along In the role however, and he gets
through II very well. but he has started
laughter BY drunkenness at a jollihca-
ton. and he can't stop ii, strive as he
may with lament over a son banished
20 Siberia.
passing of the Third Floor Back"
Enthusiasm in the theater is not rare,
but It is extraordinary to come upon II
unmixed with disapproval or, at least.
disregard Therefore the reception OF
tombstone Forbes-Robertson on the &C.
casion Of HIS re-entry upon the Ameri-
can stage-the universal recognition OF
him as a great and dominant actor of
the stage-is notable But Il leaves no
room for discussion, whereas opinions
vary as TO the exact artistic worth OF
The Passing OF the Third Floor Back"
1t Is by Jerome X. Jerome, and was pro-
duced In London at about the same time
as The Servant IN the House" was re-
vealed IN New York. In both a Christ
like stranger is an humble lodger IN a
house o: hypocrisy. dissensiOn. and petty
vice, and In each his gentle presence !
eXerts reformatory influence.
The likeness OF the two plays has been |
widely and emphaticaly discussed. Let
US. rather. look at the positive differ |
ences. In the Kennedy play the stran- |
ger is indicated absolutely as Christ upon /
earth. even as to face and garb, where /
as borbes-Bobertson presents no such |
suggestion. Mr.. Jerome's people are /
everyday folk. not the thinly yelled SYM !
bolic figures OF the other drama: the /
lesson OF The Third Floor Back" is 1
universal, while Mr.. Kennedy confined !
himself very closely 10 religion as view /
ca through Church OF England ewes
But to me the most important difference !
IS that The Servant In the House, /
drove IN its lesson by admonishing the |
badness Of humanity, whereas Jerome |
uplifts by Illustrating the vein Of good !
IN every one.
The Third Floor Back is. IN fact. /
more similar to The Devil" Just as |
IN that great drama mysterious stran- /
ger came among mortal group, linked /
at the ear OF each. and awoke dormant 4
temptations thus changing the whole /
course OF their lives, so does the IN
known visitor rekindle smoldering fires
rather than work HIS influence from /
without. The one famed into flame the |
bad in mankind. the other the good-that
IS all.
Enters Into the Spirit.