New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-15
A CHORUS OF DIsAPPRovAL.

/
| AGAINST TIE SCHEME.
The production of the Passion Play, which is
announced by Henry f. Abbey TO take place at
Booths Theatre December ;. Immediately follow
! ing the engagement of Nile. Brmhardt is the sub-
ect of earnest consideration among the religious
| members of this community. No action has been
taken 10y any of the churches with regard to it. but
there is possibility that a formal protest will be
made. Several Of the leading clcrgymen of the
city were visited by TRIBUNE reporter recently,
an their opinions about the matter asked.
The Rev. Dr. Henry c. Potter, rector of Grace
Church, spoke as follows:
"Ot course | have no knowledge OF Mr.. Abbey
play have also no knowledge Of the motives Of
Mr. Abbey in producing it. II 1t is a pecnnary
motive / think II unfortunate that any one should
make use Of such a subject for such purpose. If
it is for purposes OF cdiicaton instruction, it
seems 10 me unnecessary. 1t is impossible to sepa-
rate the play at Obcrlmmergau from the conditions
under which it is presented. In crticsing it you
are bound to remember how it originated In other
words yoa are bound to remember that there was
a time in Germany when there were few books. and
when most OF the people cOuld not read; and when
the only vehicles of instruction were the living
voice AMI pictures. Undoubtedly tue design of
the Passion Play was to represent TO the minds of
those to whom other sources OF instruction were
not available the story OF the life of Christ. All
the miracle plays and sacred dramas, of whatever
kind, ar, TO be explained by that fact. They were
ecclesiastical representations carried on under tho
auspices Of the clergy. In Olerammergau there IS
the additional and peculiar reason for them that the
people undertook 10 give this representation as
kind OF annual thanksgiving for Geliycraacc from
pcstilcncc OF course the reasons for such repre-
t,r4,.iors which e-,s+,9 ty-o mp +rr,e hundred
,. .,.,,, b,,-, ,.,ss1
p.+ ..,,.+ g., tl,, st..,.4...... - c,t......-,,,
-,,., -, t...., -,.,.., ,- r.-...t i.,,,,,1 r,,
the oul5lio ""-I-' 'Nt s-H-i''tliJ unih'Neru zed'
no one who has u''n among uen, as have been
rcpoatcilv. coul fail 10 observe that they have
.~,-ol 10, , ,,,,,,ri-,l,o faor,o +to eirrrlioi.y
&NN o'Nouih'e7 WIi'H l" a.ii' it'I-rI'' Ht|o ut'h
Characteristic OF Dthar ages rather than orr own.
p. ,,,.,o.o,,.7 I- tb.-, tl,rcf,re fine Passion
--' i' 8
Play has character Qil.e it3 own. II is con-
d-otel under the direction W the parish priest
.,t ma irl, i1rsfrl,;3,, OF +no s-i,,t in which
me NAp-e I' ''--''' "| ''.' +l'Hti"H 'I.I
the five hundred performers IN 10 Enccl to-
rcthor i'm silent prayer upon the stage at
i ,..,.....-...,.,. .r-, Clio o..-..., ,i.,s Tho
people VINO t'"e l3'u ID ~ HNio'Dltuy resar1
themselves ga somehow e.t 9u1rt for the e1cred
Office. aud the whole performance is peryadCd with
q s!ngu.ariy tender ldI elevated spirit It i5 ie-
gou, act; and the training for b. has consisted not
merely i'm fhc dramatic education necessary To take
part n ti. p,ay but also in the occupations and an
tcpatioua ~ tho community for whole lifetime
FOR instance. the best performers are wood carycrs
and the suujec ou winch thew arc engaged are j.
most exclusively slCred subjects. Nobody who has
talked t. Mayer vino fakes tnp part of lie Chgsfs
at Obcrammcrq1u can fail t1 feel how saturated Inc
man d. with tine spirit of his vocation. The spirit Of
The play saw illustrated iu the case of some boys
Quarlr.liu2 40 the street on Saturday afternoon.
do th-u there came an ofer Doy, VINO parted them
"lih ma2i l-eing ahi ;ale; rs ihs me way yol |
Ri"p'-' i'4 ',''"'l"" ii-.i' ''o il''iI'cS ANU
;I ,i,,o4 ;.t,'+ ,.,'..t 'o' ''~-' 10 '"O"-
'Cln Won r0pa to reproduce ,rel d co,ii f;.t, ~ |
thing, here2 Without impu1umg 10 the slightest |
d gree he la.ae ief or motives tle p.tlorn r'
,1 orbrr th,.l ,tr... ur5f., ..,laj MINI All A.
vy.r, ,vl.f IL. f. p-l,itI,f. f,4f tia.a viii be-