Everyman

The death of House drama, universally predicted while the Loeb was being built, is now all but official. Only one or two "straight" dramatic productions outside the Loeb are being planned this fall.

But the head giant is undergoing a reincarnation in some other forms. One House is planning an opera, another has produced some short plays at the Ex, and there will be the usual quota of musicals.

The Adams House Drama Society came up with the most original idea of the year Friday. The members of the society sponsored a brief poetry reading (by William Alfred) and a reading of "Everyman" (by themselves) and called it "An Evening of Medieval Poetry."

A reading is a good way of tapping the resources available to a House drama society, since sets, costumes, and the usual weeks of rehearsal are not required. And "Everyman" lends itself to such a production. A reader may not have time to create a character, but he can create caricature; "Everyman's" dramatic personae is made up of caricatures. There is also no on-stage action to be lost. I was surprised, however, to find that the lines that seem so stilted in print develop a good amount of tension on stage.

There were no great voices in the cast, but the reading, directed by Joel Martin, was done with considerable polish. Barry Forman (Everyman) read his part very intelligently. He had one of the least distinct voices in the cast, but made up for it by acting more than anyone else. Richard Blau's wonderfully reserved reading of Death stood out from several good performances in minor roles.