The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-02-22
ssEUerywon,an Stirring Play,
Teaching Great Moral Lesson

product OF the brain or waiter
Brown, who completed it only after
many years OF toll. and who died Just
as the production was successfully
presented TO the theatregolng punllc.
The truth .'Everywoman tells-tna1
even when Youth and Beauty forsaAe
a woman, and when Modesty has been
spirited away, Love, who perhaps
lies asleep before the fireplace. will
welcome her on her return to her
home-is borne to the understanding
in most striking manner.
The story of "Everywoman" has
been told so often that, possibly, It's
repetition here is not timely, and yet
one cannot resist the temptation TO
epitomize the allegory, SO pertinent
are its incidents, so vital its teach
ings.
Everywoman sets forth from her
modest home in search of King Love.
She is attended by Youth, Beauty and
Modesty. Warned by Nobody. she
yields to the seductive wiles OF Fiat
terry, and turns her back upon Truth
who, to her, appears old and decrepit.
She hears the voice OF Love in her
own home, but Flattery. speaking to
her from her mirror, humors her
whims and she sallies forth in quest
X.
Love behind the footiights. She be,
comes a star, acquiring fame, but
here Modesty is forced to leave her.
Passion comes and forces his atten-
ton upon her. For a moment she
believes Passion is King Love, but
the warning voice Of 'Modesty comes
as in a vision and saves her. Wealth
and Wiuess Ca nobleman) seek 10
woo her, but they are disappoint'
ments. She seeks solace and pleas
ure in midnight revels. and here
Beauty dies. The soene at the mid
night banquet Is one never to be
forgotten. Here are gathered Sell,
and Greed, and Vanity and Puff. and
Bluff. and Age and many other char
acters in the drama OF life. The rev.
elry is real revelry. toned by the
presence and voice of Conscience,
prim and demure creature VINO 70
fuses to desert Everywoman. The
scene closes with Everywoman be-
lieving that Wealth is King Love.
Then comes the gay New Years eve
scene on Broadway. Amid the clam
or and the gayety OF the gay white
way. amid the riotings of Vice, Faith
er Time Stays Youth. and Everywom
an finds herself at last alone. She Is
deserted by Wealth because Youth
and Beauty have gone. Now Truth.
once believed to be SO misshapen and
unattracuve, appears as a beautiful
creature. Ewerywoman accepts the
solace that Truth brings and. after
hating briefly at the open church
door, Is led back to her home, where
she finds King Love, who has been
sleeping beside the humble fireplace
awaiting her coming. The curtain
falls with Everywoman in King Loves
arms. with Modesty returned to be
her companion, and with Nobody ut
terinE the closing lines o6 the play:
BE merciful. be Just, be fair;
TO Everywoman, everywhere;
Her faults are many. Nobody's the
blame"
The characters OF. the play are all
human attributes, and each perform
er was adequate in portraying the
part. The bulk OF the acting, OF
course, fell upon Miss Paula Shay,
who appeared in the title role. Miss
Shay brings TO the stage splendid
conception Of a most difficult part
Her fine presence, an attractive per-
! sonality and the ability to read her
lines well, gave the performance
finish that won the enthusiastic ap-
probation Of the audience. Her work
IN the third and fourth acts was
/ particularly noteworthy.
Especial mention should be made
of George Sydenham. who enacted
the role OF Nobody, and who appeared
at the beginning of each act in an
explanatory prologue. o
The audience last night was both
numerous and appreciative. The
opera house was filled almost to its
capacity, and the applause was gen.
erous.