Review: THE PASSING OF THE THIRD FLOOR BACK, Finborough Theatre

Mrs. Sharpe's (Anna Mottram) run-down boarding house is the home of a bizarre group of people. Harry's (Benjamin Chandler) music career is going down the drain, Vivian (Claire Redcliffe) is being forced to marry a man she doesn't love, Alick (Richard Stirling) is planning another deception, Stasia (Ella Dunlop) goes through her motions as a maid, while Mrs. Sharpe herself has become a hardened woman. But their lives seem to take a turn when a mysterious stranger arrives.

Directed by Jonny Kelly, Jerome K. Jerome's The Passing of the Third Floor Back is a weird concoction of elements. The text, which hasn't aged well, isn't the most interesting, and where it probably hit the right notes with its original Edwardian spectators, now it holds little resonance for modern audiences.

However, Kelly helms a compelling dance, with Alexander Knox's Stranger in the middle. Each character seems transported by his presence, suspicious and enraptured at the same time. Knox does his best to deliver his character's magnetic essence, but is perhaps a little bit too stiff. This doesn't deter the cast from reacting to him, making the exchanges somehow balanced and intriguing, as the audience doesn't fully grasp what makes this Stranger so attractive.

Jasmine Swan's set design is what stands out in the production. Brass walls, torn up and dirty, encircle the characters and give a decadent and dark ambience. The absence of windows and the continuous games of light (by Robbie Butler) trap them, heightening the grip the Stranger has on everyone. In his absence, they seem to be slaves of the house; in his vicinity, they become his subjects.

Even though his existence is supposed to be positive (he speaks to each and every sojourner and steers their inclinations and dreams on a constructive and beneficial path), the way the interactions are calculated makes it impossible not to suspect foul play, and encourages everyone to keep him at a distance.

Though once one of the longest-running hits of its time, on both Broadway and the West End, The Passing of the Third Floor Back now lacks the impact of his main character and is generally a bland and puzzling piece of theatre - albeit one with a great set design.

The Passing of the Third Floor Back runs at Finborough Theatre until 22 December.

Photo credit: Nick Rutter

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