The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-19
zHE PASSION; .PLAY .i,l,oy.
80 -. .t.-i l4s.l..G III JJ1.. * !'Nss' o.,
Scenes at the Ober-,lAlmmsrgaufsP fsPeeta-
c1e-This Years .Per1ormance g y. d
Performers. -, -. .I

>
.''N!s5: y Is ;,9iisa3z G,ot sh;;. sw.l
The famous aPaislon Play PA In obet III II r.
gau (BavarfaJ began on tie 2lth d. June, and
was to be continued d:throdgh ghoat the following : :
week. a very great number Of strangers were
on the ground, principally Amsrlc cans and
,Britons. a correspondent Of the, London
News describing THE scene, says ,a.,, I,I ~. 10
It is impossible K, give an adequate idea Of .
the contrast tbetweeHf the grandeur of tic siiral
rounding mountains and theqnaint simplicity
of the theatre IN which, the Passion P1Ays
performed. As ! s!t writing, ]lat AFTER the C
Termination Of the play, the mountains are
almost hidden 10y dark masses or cioad, .andos
the theatre is deserted, land Q thglderstorm " b
rolling along the valley with splendid effect,
These constant flashes Of lightning come.
strangely across the glow OF ofjsunsst from the
western horizon, and 1.-The, tremendous: voice.:
Whichis heard booming overhead forms 9 ~,
sequel t. the tragedy which as Rat p9x Rse
The simple wooden theatre at!Ober.A Ammarsd
gau has served for as wonderful and q, ,stllsd
Fling performance as, Il, Is possible TO im;;,,
arine. 10 many who have watched 1t with
breathless interest; the performance may have
seemed q mistaka- 10 point OF the lepgthR /
which It's grim reality Is carried. But oil must
agree that the act0rs go through their parts
with an earnest devotion worthy OF helr
theme. The central figure the Vrsssas " "a Oh Inc
'Ammergau Play, is singulariy gli5ed by nature
for the part which has been allotted him. D. He e..
is tafl, handsome man, with long hair and
crisp curly. beard. His. movements are very
slow and graceful, and his voice is strong
without being at all harsh. After watching
him for little while, the audience begins to
realize the majesty ot The part.whichih he plays
.tal, has ofn "a N H.
ern times. The story, so, familiar TO us. az,
30 grand and touching, however II may be
told, is well brought out by the Ammsrgano
performer. They have eeizedTthe Oriental as-:i
pect of the life around Christ with greet skill.
but have rigidly adhered to: their traditional
outline Of the play. No effects founded on
recent discoveries, no. scientlhc grouping, &C.
them. Such as their acting Is, IL Is to. be quite
their own. They enter into the spirit OF the
characters they represent and rather live 1.-THE
characters-as far as they can realize them
for the moment than act them, Peter and
Caiphas, John and Judas, are as Intensely
themselves as the noble lmpersonauon rouno
which they appear. How strong the impress .
sion of 1t all is Why men are talking close
about me of the crucdxlon aslf 1t had. been
real, The deep, affectl0nate interest which,
centres in the Christus, and grows stronger
as his death approaches, has been reused, !
to almost fever point 0y lnat awIuity
vivid scene, when the living actor is liked
on the cross in presence OF the whole assem-
bly, and is raised alOfC where all can see him.
He must be some fifteen or twenty minutes
thus raised; and must be very resolute and
well prepared TO go through his part so well.
OF course he Is not nailed, but he looks as
though he were, and the blood, which, flows
from his side. little later on, Is terribly wei
contriyed. Well contrived We have been
seeing an actual event, not a mere play. We
the darkenlng sky to shake off the spell Of this
performance In the wooden theatre BY
peasant amateurs. The theatre is open, as In
ancient Greece; and there Ia, as It, 'were,~
the classical proscenium, which occupies
but small part of the frontage, and
leaves side scenes for the entry and
retreat OF che chorus. The peasant amateurs
sing very sweetly. They have frequent meet
ings, in the long winter evenings. and practice
together for the great work of their lives.
Yet rhey are only actors once In ten years; tor
iher VOW is to give the Passion Play at that
interval of time. They have other occupations
as a means of livelihood. Some are wood
carvers, some herdsmen, and some farm the
neighboring land. But In this first hurried mo-
tice I can only touch on small part of what
occurs In Ammergau. Enough tnat tue ''sea-
SON." II 1t may be so called, has opened with
fair promise, and that there will be several :
other performances during the summer
months. must speak in my next letter Or
one or two practical details In regard to get
ting here, as well as say more about the play
itself. There were many Of our countrymen
present to-day, and many others are likely to
be coming.