New-York tribune., 1911-02-28
THE DRAMA
"Everywoman." Her Pilgrimage
in Quest Of Love: by
Walter Browne.

partly on an OLD model. Its speech is In
large measure speech Of the nast-thst is
the characters thee" and "thou" each
other: and when that Is not the case the
So, ech is that of this evening; it's lines are
s. metimes cast in verse sometimes in
blank verse. sometimes in rhymed coupets:
occasionally II is In plain prose such as
NJ Jourdain might have spoken, had lie
u oxen in English: its characters are named
for qualities and attributes. as in the
Morality Plays OF long ago. The princi-
pal character is Everywoman. who is at
tended by Youth. Beauty and Modesty. ad-
monished by Nobody pursued BY Flsttery.
offended by Truth: she is employed at one
time by Bluff and Stuff. managers OF thea
tres after she goes forth on her adventures
t. find King Love; Time IS the callboy.
Wealth a millionaire. Witless a nobleman;
Passion a play-actor; Puff press agent:
Age. Pride. Greed. Scandal. Self. Malice.
Vanity, Envy and Spite are society per-
sons: Vice is a siren Of the Gay White
Way; Law and Order are policemen;
Charity is minister o. the Gospel; Pert,
Flirt. Dimples, Curls. GiGgle, Shape.
Curves, Smiles and Sly are chorus girls;
Grovel and Sneak are scrvants, and Con-
science is Everywomdn's handmaicen. The
scene in New York. to-day. And the char
acters are types OF to-day. For even to-
day Conscience lives in New York, Truth
has lodging here. Nobody is numerous
enough, Modesty sbides, even IL the news
papers know her not. and all The other
folk help 10 give bulk 10 the census.
Here. then, any one may say, Is an ex-
pertinent Of an unusual kind. even If II is
OF unusual interest. But II rasses the
bounds of experiment and is resolved into
success. Literally endowed With every
adornment that can make II attractive 10
the eye with music which charms and
instructs the ear and With a story which
edi1es while il entertains. 'ENeryroman
avoids some OF the forms which 80 TO ne
making OF modern plays and sets up forms
ana combina tons of forms uith result all
its own. The author had courage when he
ventured 10 choose this method of express
sion: the producing manager. Mr.. Savage,
had courage when he undertook the pres
ontation Of what many may think is
mixture Of musical comedy Empire Ballet
end fourteenth century morality play,
because the risk was that the piece might
come out neither one thing nor the other.
and that the public might not know how 70
take il. But the public took II with en-
thusiasm at the Herald Square Theatre on
Monday night. IT liked the serious bus-
ness" and it liked the familiar pictures OF
what goes for New York life. The stage
crowds. a dance or two. snatches or song
relieved the audience from any suspicion
that 1t was being subjected 10 moral uplift
Of undue exaltaton. and the wary Broad
raytes did not appear 10 believe that the
piece was too literary for their favor.
The play Is in FIVE acts. The book Of the
play calls them 'canticles.' Some persons
shifted at the word bit they were not much
harmed. When the curtain dropped on the
fourth ranticle the house shook with ap-
plause. Mr.. Savage was called three times
to the front and Vas not permitted 10 de-
part until he had spoken feelingy Of the
author, who, after toll, hope and privsuons.
had died on the morning Of tho day on
which the play was first performed. two or
three weeks ago At Springfield, Mass. II
was certainly bitter thrust Of fate that
Walter Browne. who had never known sue
cess as the world measures it. should have
died just before his play was 10 win
metropolitan triumph For IL won no less
than that Monday night and the sight
and tine ovation must have both cheered
and raddened those members OF the authors
family who we're present. cheered them be-
cause the work which cost him his life had
won saddened them because he was not
there 20 hear the long and loud applause
BY this time the story Of 'Everywoman"
IS fairly we'll knC IN. Ev'rywoman. urged
by F1attery. turns from Truth. whom. tn
deed. she cannot see when Flattery speaks.
and goes forth upon pilgrimage in quest
of love. Come she says TO her com
panions. Youth. and Beauty. and Modesty.
I'VE will seek within the playhouses. There
Youth and Beauty will surely be welcome.
and. Modesty. We will try to smuggle thee
in with us. With such companions Every
woman cannot fail 10 lind King Love the
First"
Everywoman goes 70 the city. goes on .hs
stage. becomes a star, lays siege 10 the
hearts OF men ard to their pockets. runs
the race and pays the penalty. Modesty
deserts her. Beauty dies. Youth leaves her
and perishes. Everywoman drops into pow
erty and the streets. Truth saves her. ana
she returns home where she finds Love a.
her own freside.
Be merciful be Just be fair
To every woman. everywhere.
Her faults are many. Nobodys the blame
This appears 10 he the lesson OF the play
II is, at all events. the poin; OF the epi-
logue an epilogue which is spoken by No
body who also delivers the prologue 70
each act or canticle. Mr. II. Cooper Cliffe
is the Nobody OF the cast This selection
was wisely made Mr.. Cooper Ciiffe seems
to have studied tie portraits OF Dante: and
he moves and speaks with dignity and i'm
pressive effect. The audience applauded
him at all his exits and his entrances.
To Miss Laura Nelson Han was given
the character of E;vervwoman Miss Hal!
is not what may he called poetic actress.
There are some scenes in which she ap-
pears TO satisfy the audience completely,
there are others, the first and second acts,
in which she does not wholly penetrate the
deeper significance Of the part Eut the
character demands an artist Of rare quail
ties Mrs. lie Moyne. cordially welcomed,
&C course. was Ycry good as Truth. The
most refreshing portrayal OF the evening.
the most charming and by far the mort
artistic was that Of Youth. by Miss
Patricia Colinge, whose girlish beauty is
not the only gift that makes her work de-
liehtful. She knows how TO speak. This Is
one of the rarest OF stage arts Ii should
be a common possession. She has an ear
for the music OF me spoken word. She can
listen. too. This IS. perhaps, the rarest OF
stage arts She is graceful in every move
ment ana pose. The poetic spirit which
nearly all the others lacked she seemed
filed with. Her Youth was nothing less
than a lovely poem. When Miss Collingbs
n-g .co,,trad t.nIuvua carrNi