The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-27
THE PASSION PLAY.
INTERESTING DESCRIPTION OF Il RE-
MARKABLE DR4MA.

| MARKABLE DRAMA.
The Scene, the Actors and the Chorus
Curious Tableau1-nerits OF the Per-
formance, Sc.
From the correspondence of the London pa
pers we have full accounts of the success OF
the Passion Play in Ammergau, in Bavaria,
which commenced early, in June, and will be
| played throughout the summer. The perform
once, which is repeated every ten years, was,
1t will be recollected, to have taken place last
year, when IL was interrupted by the breaking
out of the war. All the preparations having
| been made at considerable expense, royal per-
| mission has been obtained to carry out the pro-
gramme during the present sumner. The
| height of the season was expected to COM
mence about the middle of the present. month,
when the schools CLOSE, and to continue for
three or four weeks, during which time the
little village will be crowded.
Tte play lasts from A.. N. to P, N. It Is
conducted within q long wooden enclosure,
which forms the theatre. A correspondent of
the London Telegraph says:
The stage itself Is wide open flooring. On
either side you see street going away direct
" at right angles to the stage. These are the
streets of jerusalem. In the mlddle Oh; tne
stage, well back, there Is On actual theatre,
with o drop scene representing portion Oh
Jerusalem. The situation Of this little theatre
Standing in the midst oil the stage, each eide
| of it forming house with practicable" doors
and balconies, must be well realized; .ior ID
this iicontaInedn theatre and on these balc0.
- ftOof1 RIO n
the Passion Piay take place. There are what
we should call swings" to the open stage, and
from these, on either side, the chorus enters
In two divisions. AS nearly as may be at a.
NJ, the conductor took his seat, and the per-
formance began with what appeared 10 me
music. The chorus enters eight from one
wing, nine from the other. The cnoris-
ters range themselves in curve, the con.
cave side towards tho spectators IN front
| of the theatre, theleader Of the chorus ID the
centre. He begins the prologue oy cnantlng,
In q very solemn way, 20 race bowed Gown
under the curse of God, cast yourselves down
in holy awe. Peace to you. Grace comes to
YOU once more from Zion. Not forever does
he keep his wrath-the Injured One" Letit
be understood, once: for all, that tnls cnorus
performs the functions of the chorus IN a
Greek play, although 1t ls stationed otnerWlse.
In the Interval between. each scene Wnicn re-
nreSGnLS au lUClQcuk Ill tho = oosASA sAAS'
Saviour, the chorlsters array themselves as
stated, and chant their song: When TINS
has reached certain point they part and
range themselves half on one side of the stage,
hall on the other. Ther the drop scene OF the
little theatre is lifted, and you see the groups
which represent the Old Iestamens sceIes ,ies
silent and motlonless The chorus chants
the explanation OF their attitude, and
their significance as connected with the
Savlour's life and death. In the Passion Play
there are three things: There is the simple
chanting the chorus, Greek fashion, WhllsC
they occupy the stage alone. There Is their
chant whilst the drop scene is up, and the
tableaux vIvsnts-for such they are-from the
| Old Testament are under exhibition. Finally,
there Is the performance OF the Passion Play
proper, maintained with dialogue like any
other play, during which time the chorus is
off the stage altogether. Be rememoereo
that as the drama OF Cnrlst's Passion ls pro-
ceedIng' the actors have the Stage 20 tnem-
selves. The rest is lnterlude.
The play, representing the portion Of fchrist's
earthly career, from hia entry Into Jerusalem
to his resurrection, is represented BY sixteen
scenes, arranged in three divisions. We make
two extracts, which will give q fair idea of the
| Hhole:
| The eleventh scene represents the taking Of
Jesus before Plate Tie opposite balcony to
| the one on which Anniss had appeared is part
of Pilates house. We have, however, Inc
usual Illustration from the Old Testament De oe-
ceeded with. This time 1t is Daniel before
King Darius. 1t is adjudged that he be cast
| into the Iona den. 30 the Saviour is brought
before the Romans. PLATE, who had been in
| formed OF the prisoners approach, is standing
\ in the balcony when tho crowd enters; headed
by Annias and Calaphas. The prisoner, wild WIN
his hands tied behind his back, is In the eusto-
DIV Of the soldiers. Pilate cannot see what he
has done which Is worthy OF death. The
priests insist that lie has broken their law;
and, by their law, he must die. All they re-
| aulre Is the order OF the Roman Governor tnat
| their sentence shall be carried Out. Pliate re-
sists, and will not be convinced. Finally, the
natienr. unresisting prisoner is carried off to
King Herod. The twelfth scene represents
King Herod's palace. The Old Testament
tableau is taken from Judges, and IN lt we see
| Samson standing amongst the Pnlllstine ssaie
lords to make .spora tor them a. az linen ineir
carousal. He has already broken one pliiar,
and is about to lay his sgong hand on
| the other The Saviour, on whom the soldlers
have placed white robe, Is brought before
| Herod, and Is jeered and Knocked by the King
and his courLiers, and Is finally RENTED BACK
| to PLATE AS "Vorbilder" to the thirteenth
scene, we have first the Patriarch Jacob over
| Whelmed with grief, as his sons display before
him the little parli-colored coat OF the child
whom be loved so well, bespattered and be-
dabbled with blood. In the second tableau
there is representation OF the ram entang1ed
| in the thorns, whilst The hand OF Abraham ls
lifted up to slay Isaac. Another victim Is
ready for the knife. Pllate-to continue the
story as 1t Is told In this Passion Play-stlll re-
sisls, but his reluctance to shed innocent blood
ONLY proYokes still louder outcries from the
priests and the mob. At length, wearted out
with their Importantly, and as though induig-
Ing o last hope that the sight of their victims
| agony might touch the hearts Of his persecu.
tors, PLATE commands that Jesus shall be
scourged, and thea brought back to him. He
| is taken out for this purpose; but, before the
scene changes, an attendant comes IN, VINO
| brings to Plate the message from his vile.
| She had had dream. Let him beware now
he shed the blood,of this Just man
Then, the sad procession having moved for
ward on Its way and disappeared, the chorus
re-enter, and sing the preliminary chant TO
1 the sixteenth scene, which Is the crucl1xiou
of Jesus Christ, or, as 1t is called in the book,
Jesus on GolgOtha." Thus they sing III
quaint old German verse, "up, plous sous,
and. in glow With repentance, sorrow and
thanktulness, conc with me 10 Gogolha, and
ace what is being done there, iu order that
| Won NAV be made whole. There the Mediator
/ between God and sinful man is dying the
Il 70 20 Droc