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Landry McRee

Professor Lisa Bernd

DRAM 3713

16 April 2017

The Language of Design

In a play filled with allegories and metaphors, it is unsurprising that symbolism

would be a key element of design. Everyman, author unknown, was written in the late

15th century as a morality play. It follows the story of Everyman and his journey towards

death. On this journey he encounters many symbolic characters he has possessed or

valued throughout his life and seeks for one of them to join him on his journey towards

the afterlife. Though Everyman encounters Fellowship, Goods, Beauty, Knowledge and

others it is only Good-Deeds who will accompany him to his grave. It is important that

every element in this production contributes to the teaching aspect of the play and helps

the author contribute the message that is intended. This extends not only to sets and

lights but also to costumes. I have chosen to detail the costume I would provide the

character of Good-Deeds if I was designing this production.

The character of Good-Deeds is introduced half way through the play after

Everyman has been rejected several times. When we meet this character she is on the

ground unable to speak or move because she is so weakened. When Everyman begins

to question her we discover it is because of neglect that she is so weak. She was

abused throughout the life of Everyman and sin has weighed her down. After Everyman

goes to confession and clears his slate Good-Deeds is able to accompany him and

eventually goes to his grave with him alone.

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In the production I would design Good-Deeds would be dressed in a ethereal

white chiffon gown that is reminiscent of a Grecian goddess, there would also be a

detachable white chiffon ruffled cape that Good-Deeds would appear in during her

introductory scene. This should create the affect of a heap of chiffon during the first

scene where Everyman is searching for Good-Deeds, helping the illusion that she is

buried and overwhelmed. When Good-Deeds rises from this pile she would remove the

cape and be left with a still flowing but more tailored dress.

There are many symbolic elements to this costume, the first is the color. White is

traditionally representative of purity and hope. Good-Deeds offers both of these in this

play especially after Everyman seeks penance for his sins. White also represents

spirituality and since Good-Deeds is the only character able to cross over to the spirit

realm as a part of Everymans life I felt it was an appropriate choice. The choice of

fabric, chiffon, is also important. Chiffon is a light and movable fabric that will create a

floaty and heavenly presence onstage, but also will contrast to the weight of the journey

Everyman is taking. The reference to a Greek goddess in the silhouette of the dress is

to represent the elevated status of Good-Deeds. While this character is not placed on

the same level as God or Death, she is valued higher in the end than any of the futile

earth bound characters the audience meets previously.

Ideally this costume would highly contrast to other characters, especially

Everyman and would communicate a clear picture of purity and eternity to the audience.

The play ends with the explanation of this journey and how it affects all men, not just

those in the audience or the one represented in the play. And Angel states,

Hereabove thou shalt go

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Because of thy singular virtue:

Now the soul is taken the body fro;

This is a perfect example of the value Good-Deeds should embody and how it should

be communicated in a production.