Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-21
Belasco.

to mingle with the cry of the present
hour in "Everywoman." the poem-pay
now being seen at the Belasco Theater.
The result is a strange and wonderful
harmony of ideas. The form ceases to be
! archaic Nivified by the genius of the
anthor. who. having done 4 great life
work died in the very day it became
complete. the morality play becomes a
means of vivid and intense modern eX-
preston. Like the morality play of old.
! it is addressed not to scholastic arts
! tic standards. bat to the masses. IL $
| language is more effective because il is
! simple and not profound. The literary
style of the production is ruggedly sin
cere. The imaginative power which forms
| the basis of the work is SO big that it
| disdains tho ordinary efforts at figura-
! tive establishment.
| 1t is in itself q splendid metaphor com
| plete and symmetrical, massive gem OF
thought beyond ali need of setting in
| trope and epigram: a work that deals
! in Ideas. and not in phrases EVERY
woman does not fulfill the requirements
Of delicate rhetorical analysis. 1t speaks
the veraacuar of its own time. 1t Is a
voice strong, clear and commanding from
the midst OF its own audience: the voice
of messenger who has news worth
while and not the passing song Of the
troubadour. There is no trace OF ped
antry. no pride of intellect. no display
OF imaginative power for :ts own sake.
| It is as simple, direct and sincere of pur-
pose John Bunyan's ''Pilsfim's Pro-
gress," written as John Runyan might
have written had he been immlred in IA
New York lodging house instead Of Bed
ford Jail.
.Everywoman seems like an out
growth OF the time rather than the prod
uct of an individual. 1t is a great imper
sonaI appeal to the mind and the SYM
pathies. Many forces have co-oDerated to
produce it, For years Walter Browne
wrote plays which managers rejected
At last out of his toll he produced
'.E,verywomun. Henry w Savage has
experimental with diverse forms of en-
tertainmcnt. some trivial and some mag
niticent. At last out of his experience
he acquired the means of recognizing the
worth of this play.
George Whtetield Browne has written
much good music, and many audiences
have taught him the art OF making the
melody support a. thought instead of over
Whelmng it. George Marion, after stag
ing pieces which ranged from the most
rudimentary farce to the highest dra-
matte forms. has at his finger tips the
technical knowledge necessary to pre-
sent clearly ana precisely work which
demands the fullest resources of the
modern stage and its highest craftsman
ship. The performance is focusing of
many rays of light into one brilliant
idealization.
With all the skill and enthusiasm that
has been brought to bear on the repre-
Sentation, the author is the one COM
mandng influence. His work is best de-
scribed in his own words, simple, direct:
the speech of conversation rather than
of books. He says of it in an introduc-
ton:
..WhiIe 'Everywoman' is absolutely a
modern play, as regards characterization,
action and environments, it is fashioned
after the model of the ancient morality
plays. 1t is not sermon IN dis
guise, neither is it a quiXotic effort to
elevate the stage. At the same time 1t is
hoped that the play may be found to con
tain some clean and wholesome moral
lessons. To every man 1t may Su2-
gest an admontion, the text of which is
contained in the epilogue to the play:
BE merciful, be just, be fair
To everywOman, everywhere.
Her faults many. Nobody's the blame.
The character Nobody is a strange
conceit which in the humble guise OF
chorus. dominates the play. That lowli-
est Of all rhetorical devices. the play
On words. is utilized to secure most
lofty effect. Nobody, from whose cpl
logue the above quotation is taken, not
only closes the play, but opens 1t as
we'll The verse form he uses is sim
plicity itself. There is nothing in 1t to
alright even the taste which limits itself
to the current and irresponsible forms of
speech. Nobody introduces himself thus:
Good friends. and I have many such.
Who treat me we'll and love me much,
To introduce myself l thus make bold.
I'm Nobody, a sorry wight.
Who reads a wOman's fate Alright;
For unto him her hidden thoughts are
told"
The old English style of speech employ
ed through the play is suggestive of allie
gorical purpose, just as the touch OF
fantasy in the costumes serves to remove
the players from the realm of realism.
They are stimuants TO the imagination
and help to an easy comprehension of an
allegory in which. double lines of thought
are carried on with masterful security.
Ordinarily production OF this magni-
tude would call for extensive reference
to the fine work Of the players. among
whom Laura Nelson Hall in the title
role and II. Cooper Cliffe as Nobody"
are most frequently before the eye. 1t
would call for admiring comment in the
scenic beauty of the production and the
accuracy of stage management in COM
pick scenes. The work of the large
l$chestra would claim more than passing
notice. Yet the impression that remains
leaves all these considerations subordinate
and the thought stands out supreme the
completeness of its expression being suf-
hclent recompense to all concerned