“PASSERS BY"

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7450, 26 May 1911, Page 5

“PASSERS BY"

HADDON CHAMBERS’ NEW PLAY. Fnon one speciai, coeeesponpent. LONDON, Maxell 31. One of the brightest,- deftest, and richly human comedies .that has been produced for many a long day is Mr iiaddou Chambers’ four-act play,' “Pass-ers-By,” produced at Wyndham’s Theatre last Wednesday night. Mr Chambers has kept out of the public eye so long that some of us had begun to look upon the Australian dramatist as a “back number," but with tho instant and signal success of "Passers-By” ho regains at once his old place in the very first rank of our writers of comedy. Therein we see all his old knowledge of life, and of stagecraft, the wit, the touches of frame sentimentality, the daring, and the skilful charaetcr-draxx--ing tnat made Mr Chambers so popular an author with playgoers in time past. “Passers-By" has a very simple story —almost casual, freely coincidental. Peter Waverton is a rich bachelor well blessed with the world’s goods and engaged to a charming girl, Beatrice. Quo toggy, raw evening, being boxed, be gives up nis social engagements, and at first, from oux'iosity and then from interest, gets the Passers-By into his rooms.' first a cabman.' rough, merry, sensible, and with sound ideas of eugenics. Then a “verminous” wastrel, feeble-minded, idle, helpless, and hopeless. With tixem he discusses affairs, their affairs, his own, and affairs in genera], and sends them off with an invitation to return. Then comes another Passer-by, a-wo-man, young and delicate,' who is lost in the fog. They recognise each.other. She is Margaret Summers, who was governess in Xxis family, and he has loved her to her undoing. She has disappeared, and two lettex-s written to him have been ’ inrex-cepted. She tells him of her life since they last met, and that he is the father of her six-year-old child. He is immensely iutexestod in her, in the child, and in himself, and she promises to come again and bring the little Piter with her. He tells her of his engagement, Her visits continue, he growing fonder of the child and the child of him. The wastrel Burns has been taken on as an edd-job man,,but, as he expresses it, “work is for workmen,” aud he makes but little of his jobs. In half-witted anger he tempts tixe child away. Margaret is discovered-, in Peter’s rooms by Beatrice and her step-sister. Lady- 'Hurley, and the truth is told. Just then the loss of tho child is discovered, and Lady Hurley, a hard, interfering, oppressive xroman, leaves, scandalised. Beatrice, however, insists on staying with Margaret while Peter scours London' in a motor car, and the two women pass the night together: Beatrice, tender, kind, aud cheering; Margaret, tired, anxious, and nervous. Tho communion of the early hours brings them together. Beatrice learns that Margaret still loves Peter, and learns also that Peter 'loves Margaret, so, stifling her own lore for Peter, -nobly stands aside and thus paves the way for their union. A mere sketch of the plot can, however, give little idea of the tenderness, the wit, and charm of the play, which is splendidly acted in ex-cry pax-t, not the least of the honours falling to an Australian actor. Mr O. P. Heggie, xvixo gives a really vivid presentation of the feeble-minded, yet cunning wastrel, Sammy Burns. Miss Irene Vanbrugh acted the character of Margaret beautifully, with exquisite natural xvomanlinees axia expression. Mr Gerald du Maurier appears as Peter.