ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 243, 13 April 1912, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

'• EVERYWOMAN." The following is a brief outline of the story of "Everywoman," the spectacular morality drama to be, staged by J. G. Williamson, Ltd., at the Theatre Royal on Monday, April 22. In the first act i we see "Everywoman" in her Alina-Tadema-like home, guarded by the handmaidens Youth, Beauty, Modesty, accompanied by the strong restraining influence of Conscience, and confronted by Nobody, offering worldly counsel and advice, which are received in the manner customary to the headstrong. Truth, the author, transforms into an ugly witch for his purpose, which is that of being disliked by Everywoman. She adds her warning to Nobody's, and they might have prevailed had not Flattery appeared in her mirror, said to be a beautifully arranged effect, and urged her on her pilgrimage of love. In the second act, Everywoman has become a theatrical star; the vulgar and bloated figure of Wealth, who is ready to buy

everything for her, and the. nobleman Witless, follow her about ready to do her bidding. Her managers are doing so well that they determine to cut down salaries and weed out the chorus, poor little Modesty being the first to go, as she has only the charms of a sweet voice, and that thing is not wanted in the chorus. With the disappearance Passion holds sway, and Everywoman continues on her downward career, and she is sinking into Passion's embrace when she hears the pity-pleading voice of Modesty exclaiming, "Everywoman, fare thee well!" This culminates in a magnificent dramatic scene in which Everywoman denounces Passion for his falseness. It

was at the conclusion of this act that Sydney playgoers cheered Miss Spong's brilliant acting and called her before the curtain again and again. There is another intense dramatic scene during the midnight supper at the heroine's luxurious New York fiat, the supper party being unostentatiously joined by Age Suddenly in the midst of the orgie Conscience calls Everywoman on one side to the couch of Beauty, who dies a few ! minutes later. Wild with horror and fear Everywoman turns to her mirror,

only to see in it Youth showing signs of joining Beauty. Smashing a champagne bottle through the glass she falls senseless, with Conscience attending her, while Wealth and Witless and the rest of her followers prepare to desert her The next act depicts New Year's Eve in Broadway, New York, and the streets are crowded with people enjoying the festivities. A brilliant cafe is on one hand, while a little church, over which tower huge sky-scrapers, is on the other. Jiverywoman, in the garb of Poverty, is now only a unit in the streets. Wealth sneers at her from the cafe steps, and the young aristocrat Witless obliges her with a stony .British stare. Time, the inexorable callboy, has claimed Youth and she is carried dead by a little procession into the little church. -Win come Truth and Nohody, and to them Everywoman now turns a willing ear as they point out the fruitlessness of her quest. From hereon the interest is said to be intense. Miss Hilda Spong was described in Australia as being one of the best actresses yet seen in this part of the world. Mr. William Desmond will take the. part of Nobodv The plans will be opened on Friday next at Collier's.