29 pages • 58 minutes read
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
59
Play • Fiction
2018
Adult
18+ years
Everybody by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is a modern retelling of the medieval morality play Everyman, where God orders Death to bring a character named Everybody through the process of dying. Everybody seeks companionship for this journey, encountering personifications of concepts like Friendship, Family, and Stuff, who all refuse to accompany them. Eventually, Love agrees to go, but only after transforming Everybody, and only Evil joins them at the end.
Mysterious
Contemplative
Emotional
Fantastical
Inspirational
356 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Everybody by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins revives the medieval morality play with contemporary relevance and inventive theatricality. Critics commend its humor, diverse casting, and philosophical depth. Some find its structure disjointed and pacing uneven, but its thought-provoking exploration of mortality and identity earns overall praise for an engaging, modern adaptation.
Readers who appreciate thought-provoking, modern adaptations of classic texts like T. S. Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral or Beckett's Waiting for Godot will enjoy Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Everybody. This allegorical play, inspired by the 15th-century morality play Everyman, combines existential questions with humor and contemporary relevance.
356 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Death
Played by the oldest actor, this character embodies the inevitability and mystery of mortality, bringing depth and a sense of experience to the unfolding events.
Everybody
The central character chosen by lottery, representing a relatable, average individual navigating the inevitability of their journey and challenges with companions and personal faculties.
Somebodies/Friendship/Kinship/Cousin/Stuff
Characters played by a changing cast each performance, these figures represent Everybody's earthly connections, including personal relationships and possessions.
Disembodied Voices
A chorus representing the collective inner thoughts and struggles of Everybody, providing insight and commentary during periods of introspection.
Beauty/Strength/Mind/Senses
Characters played by the Somebodies, these personifications of innate qualities offer advantages in life but cannot accompany Everybody into death.
Love/Evil
These characters symbolize important moral aspects of Everybody's life, with Love offering support and Evil representing personal misdeeds.
Little Girl/Time
A dual role played by the youngest actor, representing both innocence and the passage of time, integral to the play’s exploration of life’s constants.
59
Play • Fiction
2018
Adult
18+ years
Continue your reading experience
Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.