The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-02-19

H "E....L
MoRGANToWN, Feb. 19.- PROBES.
sor Charles n. Pattsrsons who is man
laying lie appearance OF Ben Greet
and his company Of English players at
lSwisheFs theater, February 81. in the
Merchan. of Venice, announced Fri
day afternoon that Mr.. Greet and his
company will also present the old
morality play. 'Eyeryman,r Thursday
afternoon. Feb. 81. The announcement
was made after Professor Patterson
has communicated with Mr.. Greet's
company by telephone. 1t will be re.
called that when the play for the sin
gle performance was selected by popu.
lar vote, "Everyman" poifed a large
number of votes. It was greatly re-
GREETED that Morgantown could not see
the morality play and a shakespearean
play also. The announcement of the
matinee performance of "Everyman'
will be hailed with delight.
Everybody knows Shakespeare, but
few peonie know much OF the fifteenth
century morality play. The perform.
ance viii be an event of public inter.
est, and in order that those who hav.
not read the play may get a fun meas.
ure OF enjoyment out OF 1t, the New
Domini l-has asked Professor Patter.
son to tell the story OF the drama. He
has granted this request. and the fol.
lowing IL Interesting paper was prepar.
ed by him:
Coming in chronic1ed order midway
between the Miracle play first intro.
duced by the church, and the Myster.
les, which Immediately preceded the
profane drama OF the Middle Ages, the
morality play is among the most cur.
ioas remains of early English life. For
the most part, however, 1t is now
known cniy to the students. 1t Is a
rare privilege indeed for the modern
public to witness a fifteenth century
spectacle presented with faithful ad.
herence to the customs and the art of
that distant period,
"The piece is entirely different from
the conventional drama Of to-day. 1T
1t in facs, an acted aliegory, the nature
OF which may be largely judged by a
perusal of the list Of characters. They
are, besides the principal one, whose
name IS given to the play, Dethe
tdeath), Felaship fellowship, Kyn.
rede 0indred), Cosin .tcousin),
Goodies, (wea1th), Good Dedes, Knowi.
eye, tknowledge), Confession, Beaute
tbeautyi. strengthe, Discretion, Five
Wytles, Aunge1l, (angel) and Doctor
tpriest1.
There Is but a single stage setting,
representative of the exterior Of a
stately eGiice, with a canopfed portico.
At each side Is a long, low window,
behind which. in the coarse of the nc.
ton, two OF the characters, Good
Dedes and Goodies, are revealed by the
drawing Of a curtain. The scene chos.
en- represents the cloister yard Of Sal
amanca cathedral in Spain, where au.
thentic information shows that "Ev.
eryman" was many times enacted, and
where the early passion plays were
commonly performed in the 14th, 18th,
and 10th centuries. The play is given
with sacred choral and instrumental
music II the thirteenth century, and
with religious professionals.
When the audience enter the play.
house they will find themselves at
once In the midst of the cloister of the
cathedral There will be no curtain,
and the auditorium will be really a
part OF tho stage and cloister yard. At
each side of the dimly lighted stage,
monks will be seated, awaiting in alb
sofute silence and reverence the be-
ginning Of the play. At last the time
has arrived. The lamps are lighted,