The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-21
Professionalism
PRESENTS SERMON
.PAssING OF THIRD FLOOR BACIgaS
WRITTEN BY PHILOSOPHER
WITH HUMOR.
AUDIENCE LIKED IT
COMPANY OF wELL-NIGH PERfEE4
ARTISTS SEEN IN UNIQUE
PRODUCTION At THE
ACADEMY.
LIKED III

IOTDeS- WHOet
perfect. presented THE Passing nv
the Third Floor Back" twice ysster.I
day. in the Academy. The play W.
Jerome X. Jerome. Is serm0m
written by q philosopher with SENS
OF humor. 1t lis an illustrated lec-s
ture on humanity. before and altar
applying the cardinal principles 04|
Christianity; principles perfectlE
plain when presented clearly. buts
which often become distorted whG1|
rehearsed impersonally Of q Sunday
by q congregation in supersatcrt1K
raiment, with eyes fastened on gor-s
geous pulpit and a beautifully eSh.S
bossed. magnificent volume frorn
which the lessons are read.
The program tells the entire story
in advance 10 that the intelligent In.
the audience may not be unreas0nably
bored. Says the program: H
Story OF tie Play.
I'm this play we have presented IN
us a scene Of q boarding house in an
unfashiopable part Of London. During
the progress Of the play there are
introduced characters who are CONE
mon in such houses, and whom thu
author has chosen to designate bXE
the titles-a cheat. slut. hussy. ~
satyr. a coward a rogue and esd
The authors aim II to show TINT
within US all, even among such char:
acters, is to be found good. and thM&
however much our ideals have beets
crushed through the vicissitudes oGs
life. they still live. sss|
TO uplift this better man within ~
the .author introduces another
boarder. who comes in unexpectedIy
unlimited. amongst this motley crowd
Of uuerulous selfish and appareutrWs
soulless people. sa
1.-The Stranger as the autisol
designates this new lodger. representa-
In this symbolic play, the embodimeS
Of the spirit Of our better self, *th4E
still. small voice. our inner con-
seriousness, our youthful ideal. anx|
the love that was once in our .hearf18
1t la the conflict OF The StranGexS
with the sordid characters presens3
to us. that Mr.. Jerome has choeo
as the subject OF his play. sSH
During The Strangers stay Axs
lives In the back room of the Thru
floor. His work accomplished. h
passes on 5
A Company Of Artists. M
All OF which 10 quite true but
does not convey the great art Of FcrhS
Robertson and hiH company Of .n1o35
ers. artists everyone. To he sure. AJI(1E
Thomas as the retired bookmakcr, !
eatyr. who becomes in the third acf~9
respectable middle-aged bacle1
whom all children would naturally Gr
uncle. won the greatest share Of M
plause. The part demanded 1t. Bnt
Thomas was no greater in his N
than Montague Rutherford as the tn
lying. retired officer. who become
devoted husband and father as a rdG
of the visit Of the paeserby. or ~
ger. u -. ID n
And these two were no more
feet than r. W. permain, the rt1
who becomes the Jealous guardian
the honor Of the entire Jewish Y&M
or Alexander Casey, the cad. who
comes music hall entertainer
philanthropiEt.
OF the woIner Miss Maud BneA1
an the philosophical slayey. wh9S
velops from the sloven with =
~ face TO a servant with q clea1
collar and apron. was perhaps
most notable hut that again 49,
cause Of the part Miss HorAAe
Clerc AZ the painted lady 49,
son Skinner a. tho landlAdys
Augusta HAxiiand - tlse iA6y.
aristQcratic connections ~
Dorothy Browne a. tie damn
wAs called the hussy III $500
BILE. And not IesS - Waa
un0hetrusfve performances o
Powell an the artist. II Il, "a n
NFevhes- Rsb6rtaeN seSeoe
Nothing need ~ said 0e t1
fornsance u Mr.. Forbes noe1k Z
Is the perfect actor 10 mAe1o
may be said Of the gfeaxxs
art. .sssssl 3za
Az for the play ii M fni