University of Virginia Library

Easy-Going Extrovert

As everyone knows, Harvey is a
6'2½" invisible white rabbit, who is
the best friend of one Elwood P.
Dowd, a kind, easy-going extrovert.
Their constant companionship
causes much embarrassing consternation
for Elwood's sister, Veta,
who is desperately trying to introduce
her homely daughter, Myrtle
Mac, to society. Veta decides to
commit her brother to a sanitarium,
and only through a series of
complications and confrontations is
the value of Harvey's existence
made known to all.

Harvey, of course, is one man's
conception of the perfect being. His
name is Harvey because Elwood
never knew anyone else by that
name ("Perhaps that's why I had
such high hopes for it," he
explains). Miss Chase sums up her
play's meaning in the second act
when Veta differentiates between a
photograph and a painting, noting
that a photograph records only
what the camera sees whereas a
painting captures the artist's imagination
as well and therefore is more
beautiful.

Miss Chase's comedy is also very
funny. Yet it is the warmth of the
humor, the loving manner in which
the authoress fully develops her
characters, and finally the indomitable
belief in man's essential
goodness which she conveys at
every turn that makes "Harvey"
such an extraordinary play. It's a
vehicle which momentarily restores
one's faith, not only in mankind,
but in the theatre as well.