ABSTRACT
The 1901 stage revival of Everyman, undertaken by William Poel and the Elizabethan Stage Society of London as an antiquarian experiment and a charitable benefit, was so successful that it soon took on the appearance of a public triumph. In 1902 the Everyman production was revived for a series of indoor, non-charity performances at St George’s Hall, London. From its commercial triumph in London, the Poel production of Everyman went on to gain international notoriety. As the Athenaeum critic had pointed out, the significance of Everyman depended upon the point of view from which it was regarded. The success of Everyman on the stage set a precedent for stage revivals of other moralities. The revival of Everyman had a formative influence on the whole idea of modern religious drama. The paradox of human nature is at the heart of Brecht’s best plays, embodied in a series of memorable central figures.
