Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-09
CorlINCATTPACTIoNS'
Columbia Theater.

The fifteenth century morality play 'Ev-
eryman" will be presented at the Columbia
next week, beginning Monday evening, with
matinees Thursday and Saturday. Coming
in chronological order midway between the
miracle play first introduced by the church
and the mysteries that Immediately pre-
coded the profane drama of the middle
ages. the morality play is among the most
curious remains of early English life. For
the most part, however, 1t is now only
known to students.
The piece is entirely different from the
conventional drama of today 1t Is, In fact,
an acted allegory. the nature of which may
be largely judged by a perusal of the list
of characters. They are besides the prin-
clpal one, whose name is given to the play,
Death Fellowship. Kindred, Cousin. Wealth,
Good Dedes. knowledge. Confession, Beau
~, Strength, Discretion, Five Wits, Angel
and Doctor. There is but a single stage
setting, representative of the exterior of
stately edifice, with canopied portico. At
either side is a long low window, behind
which. in the course of the action. two
of the characters Good Dedes and Goodies
(Wealth) are revealed by the drawing of
curtain. The stage master the stage
poet first appears and speaks the prologue,
which has much the character of the eXor-
dunn to a sermon. Death, then, with his
trumpet and drum, comes to hear the COM
mands of the Most High. who speaks in
awful tones from unseen distance. Every
man is to be summoned to go upon a long
journey, from which he shall not return,
the journey into the next world. He speaks
to those who have professed to be his stead
fast friends to accompany him. One after
another, beginning with Fellowship, they
refuse. Then he thinks of Good Dedes, but
she, alas is too low and feeble to follow
him. knowledge, however, cheers him up
and turns his thoughts to confession, who
bestows upon him precious jewel, pen
of adx ifIy'' oh
guish of dread and apprehension he accepts
the haircloth and the courage, with which
he Is to work self-purification. Beauty,
Discretion, Strength and Five Wits are
still his companions, but as he nears the
end they too, forsake him. Good Dedes
alone goes with him into the other world,
but knowledge escorts him far as the
grave. AS he descends into it the celestial
choir is heard chanting the welcome to the
enfranchised spirit.
The company is almost equally made up
of men and women. The part of Every
man is presented by woman with an in
tensity of pathos which certainly deeply
moved the spectators. knowledge appeared
as a stately queen. and Good Dedes as a
beautiful saint, with a golden aureole. Con-
fession was in the guise of a monk, and
Strength bore mighty sword, the hilt fig
uring the cross. The narrowing fears and
pangs of the last moments of mortality
were rendered to the imagination with won-
derful power. Many of the entrances on
the part of the actors are made from the
auditorium, and in the procession to the
grave Everyman and his companions pass
around through the audience and thus back
upon the stage. The performance ends with
an epilogue spoken by the stage poet or
StagemaSter, the hidden organ pealing forth
its solemn harmonies.
Mr.. Frohman while abroad last year saw
the play and liked it SO much that he
brought the entire production with the orig
inal company to this country. 1t will be
produced here under the direction of Ben
Greet and by arrangement of the Eliza
bethan Stage Society of London.