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''[[Everyman]]'' (English) (or '''''[[Elckerlijc]]''''' in [[Dutch]]) is a morality play by an unknown playwright.

Also known in Belgium as ''[[Den Spieghel der Salicheit van Elckerlijc]]'' ("The mirror of salvation of Everyman"),  the play is more generally found simply as ''[[Everyman]]'' (English), ''[[Elckerlijc]]'' in [[Flemish]] or [[Dutch]], ''[[Jedermann]]''  in German, and ''[[Elkeman]]'' in ''[[Afrikaans]]''.  

The spelling of the [[Dutch]] play's title actually varies substantially, including ''[[Elckerlijk]]'', ''[[Elkerlijk]]'', ''[[Elckerlyc]]''. 

== The original text ==

The play, by whatever title, is possibly the most famous example of a [[morality play]] from the 15th century, telling of how God summons Everyman by ordering Death to take him for his own. Everyman pleads delay and then seeks around for anyone who may bear him company. First he turns to Fellowship, later to Knowledge, Beauty, Strength, and so on.

Though '''''Everyman''''' is often considered  an original English morality play, there is a strong argument for its being a Flemish work, most probably first known in the [[Dutch]] form, though many sources are mentioned by various authors. (See for example the overview of the text's hisory by Clifford Davidson, Martin W. Walsh  and  Ton J. Broos, 2007)

Another suggestion for the origins of the play is that it is a version of a Latin play called ''[[Quilibet]]'' by Petrus Dorlandus (also known as Petrus Diesthemius or Peter van Diest). (The latter suggestion from J.W. van Bart in his introduction to his edition of Gennep’s ''Een comedia ofte spel van Homulus'').  

Notable productions of the Dutch text were mounted well into the modern age, especially by [[Johan de Meester]] in 1907 and at the Holland Festival between 1950 and 1971.

==Translations and adaptations==

Everyman, in English (16th century)
Homulus, translation in Latin (1536) by Christianus Ischyrius[1] 1536 Latin translation entitled Homulus by Christianus Ischyrius, rector of the Maastricht Latin School, 
Hecastus, adaptation in Latin (1536) by Macropedius
Jedermann (1911), Hugo von Hofmannsthal's German adaptation of Everyman
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elckerlijc

A modern play, based on the medieval morality play and also called ''[[Everyman]]'', was written by Charles Frohman and directed by Ben Greet was first performed in 1901 in Britain, and opened on Broadway in 1902. (See "''Everyman'' (modern play)" in ''Wikipedia''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everyman_(modern_play)].)

''The Summoning of Everyman: A Modern Version of the Mediaeval Morality Play'' by Herbert W. Payne. Samuel French, 1947

Generally found in German translation as '''''[[Jedermann]]'''''.

In 1987 ''[[Elckerlijc]]'' (or ''Den Spieghel der Salicheit van Elckerlijc'') was published as part of a series of Medieval [[Dutch]] texts for South African students and [[Afrikaans]] versions of the text include the titles '''''[[Elkeman]]''''', 

''[[Everyman: A Morality Play. A Modernised Version of the Medieval Interlude of the Same Name]]'' is a South African English text written by [[Guy Butler]] in 1950. (The unpublished manuscript is held in the [[NELM]] archives.) 

''[[Crossroads]]'' is an improvised and adapted performance text by [[Theatre Workshop '71]] of ''Everyman''.

[[Reza de Wet]]'s  [[Afrikaans]] play ''[[Mirakel]]'' uses an attempt by a touring company of actors to perform  an [[Afrikaans]] version of ''[[Everyman]]'' (referred to as ''[[Elkeman]]'') in a rural South African town in 1936, using this as the framing event for the contemporary intrigue.  First performed in Afrikaans in 1992 and published in 1993, then translated into English as ''[[Miracle]]'' in 2000.

== Performance history in South Africa ==

1927: Performed in [[Dutch]] as ''[[Elckerlijc]]'' in the open air, on the grounds of St Cyprian School in Cape Town on Saturday 9 April by the visiting [[Dutch]] company of [[Anton Verheyen]], [[Louis de Vriendt]], [[Mignon Sorel]] and others. A choir was directed by [[Sarah Goldblatt]] was also incorporated.

1927: This same production was performed in the [[Recreation Hall]] in Stellenbosch on 12 April. Due to bad weather the planned open-air performance was not possible.

Pre-1931: ''[[Everyman]]'' produced in English by professor [[William H. Bell]] as his first production at the [[Stal Plein Hotel]]. (This activity which would lead to the founding of the [[University of Cape Town Drama Department|Department of Speech and Drama]] in 19**.) 

1963: ''[[Everyman]]'' adapted and produced in English for the [[Rhodes University Players]] by [[Guy Butler]], in collaboration with the Rhodes University Chamber Choir, directed by Georg Gruber, September 1963. ([[NELM]] AN: MANU-36130).

198*: ''[[Everyman]]'' performed in English by [[PACT]] with [[Pamela Gien]], [[Madeleine Bertine Rose]],

1992: [[Reza de Wet]]'s  play ''[[Miracle]]'', containing an section of ''[[Elkeman]]'',  performed in [[Afrikaans]] at the Grahamstown Festival.

== Sources ==

Clifford Davidson, Martin W. Walsh  and  Ton J. Broos. 2007. Introduction to ''Everyman and Its Dutch Original, Elckerlijc''. University of Rochester, Robbins Library Digital Project - TEAMS Middle English Texts Series [http://d.lib.rochester.edu/teams/text/davidson-everyman-introduction]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everyman_(play)

''World Drama'', Allardyce Nicoll, 1949. p 164.

H.J. Schutte  and G.J. De Klerk. 1987. ''Den Spieghel der Salicheit van Elckerlijc''. Pretoria: HAUM-Literêr Uitgewers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elckerlijc

''Die Burger'' 8 April 1927.

Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]

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