The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-25
AT THE THEATERs
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES"

acknowledgements
The appeal Of the abstract to the SIM
pie mind must be made thru the con-
crete. a mere concept, naked and I'M
clothed, does not impress the mind UNI
trained. Personify that concept, clothe
1t in familiar habiliments, give 1t voice
and action and individuality straight
way the allegory gains audience. This
human fact is broadly responsible for the
outward forms and rites Of the religions
Of the world. The fetch, the totem pole
and the icon represent widely variant ef-
forts to translate the abstract into the
concrete. The monks OF the middle ages,
striving to impress on the ignorant masses
the basic truths Of religion as they UNI
derstood it, hit upon the morality play as
a medium. This early alliance OF stage
and pulpit, which were later to become
bitterly antagonistic, resulted in the evo-
luton Of some oddly impressive and alto
gether unique allegories.
"Everyman" is a quaint preachment OF
this sort on the inevitableness of death
and the consequent necessity Of ordering
ones life in preparation for it.. Peter Dor
land, the Hollandish monk who wrote it
nearly fifty years before the discovery Of
America, possessed an unusual dramatic
instinct. Without action in the ordinary
sense Of the term, tho allegory neVerthe-
less moves onward to It's dread climax
with cumulative effect as fateful as that
of pure tragedy. After the summons Of
Dethe (death) has been given and while
! it's execution impends. Everyman seeks
for company on his long journey. One by
one the things he holds most dear-each
| ingeniously personified in the allegory-
| fall away from him and decline the jour-
ney Friends, kindred, riches. strength,
beauty, discretion, and at last Fyve
| Wyttes (the senses) desert him In sue
cession, while only knowledge and Good
! Dedes (good deeds) accompany him to
the graves edge. aA
The gloom of "Everyman," character
istically medieval is in sharp contras:
with the good humor and CHEEKY optimism
| of John Bunyan and his immortal "Pil-
grin's Progress; yet it is equally work
Of genius, speaking a universal language
whose appeal no man may deny.
| Quite aside from ethical considerations
| the production Of the old morality play
d by Ben Greets players in q manner adj
herring as faithfully as possible to middle
age methods, Is venture intensely inter-
esting to the student Of literature and the
drama, as we'll as to the general public
| The absence of any curtain or any specla
light effects, the unchanging scenery, the
unconventional entrances and exits, the
monastic atmosphere that pervades thru.
out, the simplicity and directness Of the
dialog are items in the whole. One car
understand how and why jaded Gotham
athirst for a new sensation, found a CRATE
full refreshment in "Everyman,' a play
SO old that it is new. a>' ~. ~. IT,.
The performance at the Auditorium las
night kept the large audience in rapt at
tention. in spite of the fact that it was
difficult at times to understand the rever
berating voices behind the scenes. Th'
most striking Of the approximations were
those of Constance Crawley as Everyma1
and J. Sayer Crawley as Dethe. Mis-
Crawley, of course, is almost CONSTANT!
on the stage. Her picture Of the doomed
man and the Christening influence on hi
soul of his impending fate Is q rarely i'm
pressive achievement. The contrast be
tween the light-hearted carol1pg yout]
who is summoned by death and the pale
distraught and trembling man who de
scends alone into the grave was startling
Mr.. Crawley's inpersoration OF Deth
with his trumpet and his drum, is remark
: ably wierd and awe-inspfring. The s1mu
lation Of skeleton is theatric, but tru
to tradition. The strident monotone, al
! most without infection, is calculated t
, give the impression Of the supernaturs
and to strike terror to the soul of tn
hearer. I ~ ~ .s>.., ..'a ~ -.
!. l. y. The other impersonat ions; are CAREFUL
wrought out by intelligent and skilful &C
: tors Sidney Greenstreet plays FelaW
ship with just bonhomie, while Samuel
Goodwin works out a picture OF Goode
: that is fatty selfish and complacent. Agne
Scott as knowledge and Sybil Thorndik
- as Good Dedes are commercially pfctoris
D in their roles. Mr.. Greet himself pre-
;, nounces the prolog and the epilog in tn
guise Of a Doctour, or learned man-all
;, simple, unaffected style.
;, >, Minneapolis is privileged in the oppoa
. tunity to see unique production that ha
:. :. made a most unusual impression in tn
y eastern centers. w. E. chamberlain.
u Metrop olItan-"The Earl Of PaWtucket
f If a tall, well-groomed, proper, heavy
O moustached, dragoon-like Englishma1
lust over here for the first time, or eve
: acclimated and self confident of an under
|. standing Of American ways, were to wal
S der into the Metropolitan and look {
: Lawrance D'Orsay as the Earl OF Paw
" tucket, he would doubtless stalk out
q a huff and brand this English actors ca
# a caricature and a libel, Thereupon E
i American would go into transports Of gle
Gov +bo doporncino Fng1iShman, would