The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-11-15
THE BELASCO.
..The Passing of the Third Floor
Back

Back"
'.UglineSs is but skin deep. The bust
ness Of art is TO reveal the beauty un-
DERIVING all things" That is one line
from Jerome X Jerome's beautiful play.
The Passing OF the Third Floor Back, 8
which was presented at the Beiasco The
alter last night before one OF the finest
Rudiences OF the season. by Mr.. J..
Forbes Robertson and his splendid Eng
lish company.
The line that / have quoted, which
seems TO me the keynote of this great
symbolic play, is. too. ample justifca-
ton and answer TO those who may object
that THE Passing OF the Third Floor
Back is not drama, but a tract
Rather, il might be said that II is a
parable. and ike ali parallels 1t Is not
sufficient within itself, but depends on
the intelligence. the willingness, the apt
ness. the inherent goodness of those
who hear. To sueh-and there were
many present last night who listened
with something closely akin to devotion.
certainly with something OF awe and
with much OF sympathy-this play has
ar appeal that goes deeper than the
heart; an appeal that transcends the
intellect; a lesson that strikes with firm
and truthful hand those spiritual chords
that in the rush and hurly- burly OF Grass
materialism we so often forget or ignore;
but which. rust though they may or
seem 10 atrophy, must answer 10 the
master-strOke and vibrate in the harmo-
MES OF beRuty-which is truth.
Here Is play without beginning, with
out ending. 1t has no plot; improperly
speaking-dramatis personae. On the pro-
gramme you shall find certain names,
Maj and Mrs Tompkins, Jane SamueIs,
joey Wright Stasia, Mrs. Sharpe. and
what not, but even this concession to
the god OF things as they are" the
conventions, strikes one as being unnec-
essary, the characters themselves being
much better limned In the fashion OF the
EliZabethan mOralities. as they are in
the prologue. a Cheat. Sloven. a PANT
ed Lady, Snob, a Bully, a Coward a
Rogue, Satyr, Cad. 1t is Ike the
characters in Pilgrims Progress as
Bunyan saw them. not real people; not
characters after the fashion OF Charles
Dickens or Thackeray, but symbOls-sym-
bols OF human nature. OF character-sym-
bois that hold the mirror up TO nature"
and show us-the audience-"virtue her
own feature, scoTn her own image, and
the very age and body Of the time his
form and pressure"
To judge this play by the accepted can
ons OF the theater as we have known Il
IS impossible. Unless we should stretch
point and take the revival of Every
man. which. in its turn. undoubtedly led
to THE Servant In the House." We
81 a.
presidents TO guide US. But. at it's best
that is what art means-creation, not
slavish imitation. and Il Is for us TO
thank heaven that playwright dares to
be himself, TO speak his message in his
own way; 10 turn our theater from a
place OF froth and glitter and tinsel into
real palace OF art, where truth may
reign, be hailed with honor, and crowned
with glory.
IL is so simple a story, this of THE
Passing of the Third Floor Back" sim
pie, and yet-the oldest story in the world
It's scene IS a London boarding house,
where there are gathered men and
women 10 whom life is bitter; failure;
a scene OF petty strife and pickering, OF
hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness
The mistress cheats her dodgers; the
servant cheats her mistress; the dodgers
Father would sell his daughter; the paint
ed lady euwrapt In false vanity; the
artist would prostitute his gifts and pam
der TO the evil of money; the Jew would
dishonor his race and live by knavery.
AS you see these people in the prologue
yOu wonder at them-you might think
them exaggerated in their seihshness and
meanness, unless YOU paused TO reflect
10 take the lesson home. and 10 ask your
own heart whether II is not only a ques-
ton of degree that separates you from
them.
Then comes the stranger, gentle voiced,
and with a smile that no one can resist
With tender sympathy and love that can
not be denied. he searches the hearts Of
all with whom he comes in contact, and
by some subtle influence; by the needed
word here and there; by the pressure Of
his hand; by his evident faith and belief
in the inherent goodness that only wants
chance 10 express itself, he changes
the whole complexion Of the household.
Love comes IN and regenerates all the
characters THE meeting place of
friends is the heart, he says. and before
the play closes all hearts are beating In
unison; smiles Of beauty light each face
evil has disappeared and love has taken
It's place. 1T Is a great privilege 10 "a
deemed worthy 20 suffer" he says. and
when he leaves these people they know
that even suffering can be good. can
make for happiness-that it is only
through suffering, for ourselves and 9TH
ers that any of Us can hope to attain
that measure of perfect peace and happi-
ness which the Divinity intended us to
enjoy.
And not the least wonderful thing
about this symbolic play is that Il is not
alone acted upon the stage; It reaches
out beyond the footlights and compels
the audience TO take part. The message
that the Stranger brings-it is the old.
old message. so meaningful In that holt
day season that is SO soon to come upon
Us, OF Peace on earth, good Will toward
men" II speaks with infinite pathos,
though IN other words that new COM
mandment' that He gave-"That ye love
ore another"-and il is not hyperbole to
say that there can be no man or woman
with soul so dead to the finer impulses
but mast go from the theater after see
ing this play better mana more
thoughtful man: a man who has received
an impetus toward the sweeter. better
things Of life.
Great as the play Is. It would be hard
TO Imagine II with an actor OF less fine
feeling, less honesty Of purpose. n lesser
art than that which j. Forbes Robertson
brings TO IT, Dignified always, and with
face OF that sort OF spiritual beauty
that must have been the Tennysonian
King Arthur's he dominated. and right
y. every scene In which he took part
His very presence on the stage seemed
10 bring a benediction with Il. And so
wonderfully has this distinguished player