New-York tribune., 1909-10-05
THE DRAMA
Mr.. FoRBEs-RoBERTsoK.
..Tbs Passing of the Third Floor Back at
the Maxine Elliott Theatre.

the MdAAue E444Obl 4uCdlIS.
r,,r,es- Robertson. the most distinguished member
- tbe English speaking theatre al the present
- was last night heartily welcomed back TO
,-ics Al Maxine Elotts Theatre he produced
=. me first time in this country Jerome X Je-
-,s,s rlay OF the last London season, "The Pass
-. ~ tbe Third Floor Back Forbes Robertson 5
-s-g on this occasion was strangely beautiful
-5-ously delicate, convincing. and in all Of these
.,e-ts uasterly. But the play is not a play. il
4. a succession OF sermons There is great art up-
,tenr ar Qf that much worn phrase may be for
-,,srl charming art, but OF il is the
s-suatists, all Of II belongs 10 the players who
,.sr night appeared. and chief among them all
Fo-bes- Robertson. Almost every member Of the
rsst made a hit last night "A circumstance remark
,be ia the records Of a season And these sue
cesses conspicuous as they We're, gratifying as
,bev must have been 10 the actors and
sorresses concerned, We're due less TO individual
r-e-eminenoe OF skill in the performers than
= The uumstakable touch Of the directing hand. 10
Forbes -Ro5ertson's IS genius in stagecraft-
The play had three hundred performances in Lon
s,r i Is Unnecessary 10 guess how many per
fo-rauces it VIII have in New York. The acting
sose-,es -o he all the season, but II the play
,Cs here il viii Doe for the same reason that il lived
!, London Forbes -Robertson's art.
rnike .fThe Servant in the House with which
his play has often been compared The Passing
m the Third Floor Back" IS tedious didactc, It's
sanausions are forced, strained and unnatural
This Is because there is too much preaching
Everybody in the play is preached at in turn The
second act IS all preaching; il is a series Of un-
checked sermons, there many sermons in
ts aat - there are characters on the scene. This
IS not arr but sheer lteralness. Mr.. Jerome says
AZ arr rfar -its business IS TO reveal the beauty
unde-lytas aI things" But he has not revealed
The beauty 0f playwriting.
His theme rs noble one, as noble as that ~
aThe Servant ia the House, similar. indeed But
Nr KenDalys play was a work of art. whereas
NJ Jeroufs effort is merely d constant harping
ou one string.
The Stranger comes into the most commonplace
The -lalEast surroundings. where everything ia
s1r5ll and erimy and every one afflicted with len
rosy NJ -le soul The air is cleared. every being
within The Strangers reach Transformed In q
Upical middle class lodging house OF which Lon
den has ms thousands, the Stranger works his won
ders Ee rents The back room on the third floor,
and instantly his radiant influence touches every
lie under that troubled roof The cheating woman
WL0 Keeps tEe lodging house. the sIaVey who serves
The dodgers the lodgers themselves. first scorn,
then rilel.e. then learn 10 love him for the gentle
spirit which is The grace of God in him He wears
On robe his face resembles no partraiu Of the
Saviour ot lleu you are not asked 10 believe that
De- is Christ again on Earth, but you see spirit
~ Clris- is in him as IN now is in many sanity
characters and has been aforetine; he is oivue as
al men are divine bur with this difference. that ia
him -r- divine spirit overfoWs and reaches out TO
all H.s dress is thai of amy modest gentle man
Of Jean purse his bearing that OF GTaciOUs
dignity MS voice deer. rich and ever gentle;
Llrn5r le has. far humCr Is divine. and his knoWl-
edge r- mankind peuetrates an man 3 weaknesses
and shadows and hnds their depths and the God
concealed therein II is The man within the shell
le Seeks -l= man behind the physical veil. The
s.-- Hs-l- Here, then, IS the theme. But the
IlsEE----- CEerdCeS it, and the players impart 10
i- whatever power OF conviction il brings TO an
s-l.sl.e The Stranger. the Friend the Passer BY
is l.r called Christ. nor a reincaruation Of Him.
-ss. rEe=- Is not mentioned. which is a fact Of
sJ-a r.--- since the case is not stretched TOO far
r.l- direction. II the spectator chooses TO call
..-a E..-1ra-e Conscience the intention viii be
g. Hz- served The most sensitive VIII ind i'm this
TO disturb Ile-r religious convictions,
-. --1rest shadow NJ sacrilese.
H aea- AN is said, this play, preachy though il
B.. and most wholly lacking in dramatic inter-
81 al uiayWrtiug skill. is 10 be preferred above
r. aasl nleudfully spilled upon the New
stage of Iate- There is al all events, sin
sort TO do something worth the doing. some
Tar above commonness, something absolutely
l.. from FulgaritE, something that Is not cheap
f..- tor cheap minds. What faults there are are
Ira faults of the author His theme was 100 great
-.r Nam. Without FoI bes- Robertson the play would
lng ago nave vanished. But this eminent actor
gives II beauty dignity and appealing power Ills
personality makes all
Forbes-Ro5ertson is AT al shines worth seeing
All no actor now before the public is Wei worth
Lear-Hg. Though he were TO speak for three hours
Fi-olt interruption, he would euCLaur the ear.
E-- nor even the music OF Lis voice nor the great
a. C- which he is d master can make this play
E.LE -rue, the phrase is. All the s0rdld inmates
a. LIat London lodging are converted IL q fash.
i ire world then 30 short On kindnesse For il is
Lle giving of kindness which instantly transforms
a. REESE crearures-the Cheat. the SlOyen, the
Painted Lady the Shrew. the Suob. Bully, Hussy
ss-yE, coward and Storms them spirit
-sg and physically. II life il is lived outside
me theatres such changes are not instantaneous
p-- gradual, they come not from words alone bur
from rI- living o. q life. Mr. jerome waves 4
Harlequin wand and the change is as quick as
Iat " --e Christmas pantomines. There Is not
much ae-E n calling his play 'idyil-' But every
one cen tlat he had beautiful dream. He
mas Dol transferred 10 the stage the inspiring
1-alE n --s dream. Would that he had done so,
--ai be beer able 10 do So he would have been
dramatic poe- Of high order. As il is. ne will be
''Ie. known the author OF Three Men in
Boat"
A-t fgr.a-- Robertson eunObles everything he
-.--aes 81 Hatcvcr success this play may have IN
america V.- he due 10 him His art. his person
amy Hir t-a sincere regard OF every lover OF the
stage And for his continued success no one wiz
".lHl wish d. every respect this play is
e-.-rat.- reformed. All that actors can do for it
is d01e
THE PASSING or THE THIRD FLOOR
BAH
THS PROLOGUE
.....-.....-... Mlss Madge Avery
---.----------- Miss Molly Pearson
4 "a Miss Haid-e Wright
4 Miss Kate Carlyon
4 Miss 2Iary Eelph
.-..-....................-. Miss Evelyn Weeden
.--..-.----.- David Powell
. a. - P9Ilt1n