As told over by R’ Yoske Sossonko in the name of his father R’ Asher Sossonko:
The Alter Rebbe once told his chassidim that the Yetzer Tov fooled the Yetzer Horah three times; this is the third story of just such an incident which the Alter Rebbe shared.
The Jewish theaters of old would often mimic Tzadikim and Chassidim in their performances. The theaters were run by Maskilim, those who were “enlightened,” and they loved to poke fun at the way Chassidim Davened and served Hashem.
The Alter Rebbe was known to roll on the floor in great ecstasy during Krias HaTorah and while giving over Chassidus. The Maskilim knew this and decided to write a derogatory play about the Alter Rebbe’s Avodas Hashem. To properly prepare for this production, they sent one of their actors to the Alter Rebbe's city to spend time there and study the Alter Rebbe’s behavior. When the actor felt he fully understood the Alter Rebbe and the way he did things, he returned to the theater and the Maskilim prepared for their grand play.
As the play opened, the actors began mimicking the Alter Rebbe’s behavior, using a Shul setting and even wearing Taleisim to really sell the part. The actor playing the Alter Rebbe stood by the Bimah and began reading the Torah in the manner in which the Alter Rebbe would lein. In the middle of reading, he started rolling on the floor, acting his part. However, in the midst of this drama, the actor began to cry before suddenly getting up and running off the stage and out of the theater. Eventually the actor did Teshuva, returning to the ways of Torah and Yiddishkeit.
