The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-09
Something About
"Everywoman, a
Odd Entertainnne

'Everywoman" has been secured
the Academy OF Music manag eeE
for six performances beginning
Monday evening. January 18th. d
play unites spectacle, drama, ba1ll
opera and comedy.
"EHerywoman'' liz an absolutely ~
idea in theatricais and lis difficuIk
classification. 1t is not prope1
speaking, drama, although 1t contM0
the elements Of drama--tense atfX
atoms with powerful dramatic seem
II Is not opera, though In it's textN4
there are twenty-six musical num64
of a serious and dignified chAractfl
and 1t is not wholly spectacle, thou
In recent years no production has -
mounted SO lavishly and with 50
utter disregard for cost. II has BE-
largely labor OF love on the part 4
the producer. for astute manaGNu
could not see during long months
preparation preceding the first r..
Torrance how one with such els
Judgment could risk an outlay OF m
ward OF sixty thousand dollars on =
''experiment''-for ''Everywoman" ~
entirely without precedent.
Walter Browne. the author. who1
tragic death on the morning OF u
day Of the first performance Of q
work upon which he had labored u
years, found his inspiration in Ever
man." the ancient morality play WIKI
was performed throughout America
few years ago by band of Eno1tl
players. That play was a product
the sixteenth century, before the tt1
of newspapers and the free dissen
nation Of thought 1t told in stir
and ornate style the futility OF IN
man effort and the certain fate Tn
q al q rHyn
Inorose and morbid. ''EverywonAM
on the other hand, is entertainment.
has a deep undercurrent of phiio4|
ply and conveys a message, biting
times with it's grim satire, but
smuses while II instructs. The g
Is whimsical At times IL is aim
playful "Everywoman," it's cent?
figure. whose life store Is the md
OF the play. Is a concrete example
a beautiful, refined. accomplished
man of this period. She Is OF our q
one Of us, and the yearnings ~
fill her soul are those of the aver
young women OF the time.
An unsatisffed longing in her hel
for love--great. mighty. overwhelM
love--is the mission which sends
from her own fireside out into
world. Her mirror tells her that she
bea utifui, and FIattery, a personif
dandy. whispers TO her of a Er9
King Love, who Is waiting somewhe~
In the vast mystery of things to c1aM
her and make her his own. Acco1
panied by her three handmaids. Youe
Beauty and Modesty, she sets out url
her pilgrimage. In pursuing her due
she visits strange places: great cte
playhouse, where she ia woocd b
Passion, an actor; Wealth, ma
nate, and Witless, a nobleman.
She plunges into the gaieties OF T.
world, burns lifes candle at both enc
and In the third act is banqueted
midnight in her luxurious apartmeal
by the moths and bats her beauty H.
attracted. One after another her Il
lusions are shattered. until in 81
fourth act upon Broadway, New Yotl
on New Years Eve, In the riot as1
carnival OF the mad holiday. forsaks
bv Youth. Beauty and Modesty, o.
wanders alone. M
Ward and vokes Coming.
What promises to be a theAtrtc|
event of more than passing intAr~
is underlined for the Bijou. next wee5
where Ward and vokes. the internz
tionally- famous comedians. are b00M
ed to appear In a new edition OF the
huge. rapid fire success. "A Run
the Bank" Besides a large and "a
flcient company the cast fnciuoz
Lucy Daley. coincidence. who -
equally well known as the two Sta
The production LIZ under the dtre1
ton of f.. d. Stair. who has provfdM
new scenery. costumes and other n
sentiai and meritortous details.