THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 960, 29 October 1910, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

; fr. The World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—Heywood. (By Sylvius.) Plimmer-Denniston Company. As was supposed, "The Passing of the Third Floor Rack," the queer but fascinating morality play, from the pen of J. K. Jerome, who wrote one of the funniest hooks ever written ("Three Men in a Boat"), has created intense interest among local playgoers, and is a general theme of conversation ill many circles. I am quito convinced, personally, that the play is a splendid sormon, that will uplift many by the force which it possesses of compelling one to think. "List-en to your better self!" the stranger seems to infer. "Do unto others moro than you expect them to do; fori you I" is the splendid spirit of the thing, and when such lessons walk abroad in other setting than mere words, a new influence for good is assuredly created. If managers would give us such good plays as this as a steady tiling, the theatrical taste would be uplifted, and an added refinement would permeate the playgoing class, but,- as we have such 'a play ono week, and have "The Crimson-haired Shriek" hurled at us next, the New Zealand playgoer is not given the opportunity of following a bent-rhe has to take the hotch-potch as it is served, and a certain confusidn of thought must arise. But "The Passing" stinds out like a pillar of purest light, throwing ft soft kindly glow, which embodies all that is best in man The murky clouds which obscure the light at times are our mean and wicked acts, but the good is somewhere behind the wrack all tho time. It only lacks a moral influence, like Jerome's play, to dissolve the packed clouds, and reveal the light of our better selves.

"Lovers' Lane," ■ Tlio Plimmcr-Deiiniston Company is to be seen next week in Clyde Fitch's delightful comedy drama "Lover's Lane" —a. play which made a "huge success in Sydney, and is sure to bo popular with Wellington audiences. "Lover's Lane" is the country road, resplendant in tho garb of' spring in which stands the church, presided over by tho Rev. Thos. Singleton, a broad-minded cleric who did many . things that were not ortlior dox, perhaps, yet''wbro done in tho spirit «f tho purest Christianity. He had offered a home to Mrs. Woodbridge and her invalid boy after she had been expelled from the church choir and shunned by the leaders of'the sewing guild and. other church organisations, who-had been horrified by the discovery that :sho had divorced her husband; In their blind, unreasoning jealousy - ana prejudice, they offered the minister his choice between his living and these people'whom, he sheltered, after he had given fifteen, years' heartwholc Work and 110 inconsiderable portion of his wealth to the church which-now hounded' him out. This is one of the most dramatic moments of the piece. All of these "charges," another concerning doctrine, and that the minister had "refused to take a helpmate from the members of his- congregation," which; included "several .well-favoured' women'," were'brought- against; tho parson one evening just before the, service by the deacon, who demanded that these' matters be changed, his dependents dis-' charged from his -'household, or his resignation. ' -Their the parson told them he was ashamed of;tlieiii all. ■ ''And your answer is thundered. the deacon, "My resignation," a' totally unexpected finale, as far-as the deputation was concerned.:: For-declamatory effort this scenc would be-hard to excel, and for the absolute -.^naturalness-. of: .the, .clergy-; man's collapse. ■ - How the' .pehdiilunf swung round,•aridliowin six;months' the congregation-found';no .'minister;.to -.riut up: with .them, ;and- how they-begged of him, to come'-'back on. -his. oivn' termß, need ho;telling..- : -

"Paid in Full." ' ; iii "Paid in 'Full": the author (Eugene Walter) has told an • interesting story in an /.absorbingly 1 ' interesting manner; the .dialogue" : is crisp and clever, displaying the fresh,'quaint picturesqueness,'. which makes .the American: naturally/, an engaging talker ;, and the narrative, is well, built throughout, the only blemish being, ; from a dramatic point of view'; that here.'and there .the. writer allows ;irrelevancies to prolong the suspense of the audience, and in the third act of his drama, indiscreetly,; it would seem, permits one of his, charac-ters-to "give away" largely the nature' of the impending crisis.. Nevertheless (says the Sydney .• "Telegraph"), "Paid iri Full" is pre-eminently a natural play, deliciously American, and the work of an intelligent craftsman, who, having an intrigue of compelling Interest, can afford to tease the keenlysensitive expectation which he has aroused.

Mr. Cyril Mackay seems to have carried " away tho acting honours of the play. The "Telegraph" says that he had the difficult and not very grateful part of Joseph Brooks. His interpretation was intense and intelligent, and in several, strong scenes • stirred the feelings of tho great audience which watchhim in a strangely effective way. Of the new-comer, the same paper says: "In Mr. William Desmond's Jimsy Smith' one got a capital presentment of the type studied from tlib life, the result being an easy, natural, and convincing portrayal. The dialogue given to 'Jimsy' abounds in quaint, philosophical humour, , and his shrewd Ameiican generalisations in domestic sciences wero greeted again and .again with shouts of laughter. Sonic divertiiig observations on the aspects of revolution in South American republics, though away from' the story, were worth their place for their satirical candour. Mr. Desmond's work in other 'roles will bo looked forward to." Miss Katliqrino Grey piled up fresh honours, and Mr. Leslie Victor is credited with a cameo sketch of high merit.

A Dramatic Shocker. At tlic King's Theatre, Melbourne, on Saturday ..last, . Mr. William Anderson put on "By Wireless Telegraphy," a melodrama which is founded on the Crippen case. The -management lias issued this synopsis:—lnterior of the Boyal Music Hall—The Wireless Wizard—lnspector's' Mission—The Message from Mid-Channel—-In the Toils, etc.; Outside Charing Cross Station—En Route for Paris—"Follow that MaJi"— Oil the Trail—Arrested by Wireless; and so on: Notes. Mr. Georgo llignold was 71 years of ago on October. 18. He has for somo years residod at his picturesque suburban home on tlio shores of Middlo Harbour, Sydney, and but rarely visits tho city. Miss Ethel Irving, the charming comedy actress, who is coming to Australia next year under engagement to Messrs. Clarko and Meynell, will appear in Somerset Mangan's play, "Lady Frederick," and "Dame Nature."