The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-04-01
JOHN swrNrox AT THE PASSION PLAE.

knew nothing Of the Passion Play. ant
had no opinion about the propriety Of puttini
Il on the stage. whom went. by Salmi Morsel
| invitation. to his theatre last night.
On my way there I act my fancy free. ant
tried to raise some notion OF tho style In which
the theme might be projected In the theatre.
What Of the play from . realistic historical
standpoint or ss dramatic spectacle. or as Q
work OF art. or In the view OF reverent faith
What Of It's scope. features. characters. Ian
gua9e spirit. and motive? How. upon the
whole. Is ones reason or sentiment touched In
view Of this new thing for the American thea
tro2 Is IL to Ill ones heart with awe. or with
holy horror2 1t is revolving thing" said q
friend OF mine. to counterfeit on the stage
tho Saviour Of the world"
Well. here now is the theatre. small. plain
sombre. satisfactory. full OF spectators. not q
few OF whom arc evidently from Jewry. 1t is q
Jewish drama. the tragedy OF Jerusalem!
The pensive overture soon stills the mind
and some OF my questions are answered a,
once rs tho curtain rises ovor a scene in the
Temple OF Jerusalem. 1t is picturesque. novel
Oriental Hebraic. and rivets tho interest OF every
spectator. 1t Is evident that there have been
years OF serious historical study Of all tho details
Of ancient circumstance. service. custom cos
tune. md manners. The High Priest. tho priests
and Levites. tho mothers with their babes
among whom were the Virgin and Child the
altar and incense. tho ark and chcrubim. and
oil tho other pageantry and paraphernalia OF
the Temple. brought back tho traditions OF far
OF ages In way that was at once vivid. gor-
0eous and seemly. Amid tho solemn chant OF
tho white robed chorus OF priests and Levites,
the shrill voices OF the women were heard with
fine effect at the opening. The reclamation OF
the Christ. tho warning Of the prophecies. and
the murderous attempt upon the Divine Child.
were followed by the Hallelujah chorus. which
closed the first act.
1t had made IN suspicious impression upon
evory mind in the hushed theatre. had given no
one tho slightest idea of anything like impro-
priety or sacrilege. and had shown that at least
some Of tho sacramcntal features OF jewish
and Christian history may be adapted TO tho
modern stnge. and made befltting for dramatic
display In those times. 1t was we'll worthy Of
approval. not unqualified
I do not propose to review hero tho various
acts and scenes Of tho tragedy.
In every way splendiferous was the third
act. which showed the interior Of Herod 3 palace
whom Salome danced before the enthroned
king and queen surrounded by their glittering
court. for the prize Of tho Baptist's hoad. The
scene was superb; tho chief actors and actresses
played their parts grandly; the dance was
uhNiuO. ohtbuc othtoIS, Dcuutllul, uHTmOuN-
ing with the soft Assyrian music which accom-
panied the clashing OF the cymbals; and the
accumulation Of tra9cal incidents with which
this act closed made the impression that prop
erly belongs to the highest order OF tragedy.
Thus far. at least Salmi Morse's sacred
drama lisa triumph Of the dramatic art.
In the fourth act the Christ appears amid his
twelve apostles. He is in every way the familiar
figure OF the common religious pictures. in his
person. features. and dress. and in his aspect
and attitudes. There is in this Christ nothing
to shock the devout mind. 1t was in some
features meritorious impersonation. and tho
clerical actor did his part we'll. on the whole.
though would warn him that hereafter he
must refrain from all attempts to look or to act
as IL he wore milksop; and would further
inform him thatl when he stood before Plate
he was neither u king nor God but demeaned
himself ignobly and without dignity. As for
tho apostles. 1t was an outrage against the au-
dience to put such caricaturcs upon the stage,
The trial before Plate in the fifth act was a
marvellous spectacle. Pontius Plate himself,
az a dramatic character. was all that could be
desired from any tragic actor In and about
himself he bore all the power and majesty OF
Rome. and no gave full display OF the better
traits that are ascribed to him in the Gospels.
The performance OF the Christ In this act was
close he was led away to death amid tho cries
OF Cruelty Him |" from the Jerusalem mob,
the sceno. In its heavenly and hellish features,
was such one as only a very imaginative
reader could draw from tho New Testament
narrative.
There had been nothing in the tragedy. SO
far. to raise revolt in tho mind OF the deyoutest
man or woman.
The actual spectacle Of the cruclnxion was
not given In the final act Of the tragedy. which
is very briof. showing merely in the distance
great wooden cross. surrounded by wailing
women who sang plalntive chant till the cur
tain fell Tho Passion Play was over.
1t will be noticed that the author OF the
tragedy has not attempted to portray many Of
the most wofu scenes in tho Passion, and that,
as 1t was shown last night. he refrained
from anything that could give umbrage to the
Christian spectator.
must say that many OF the objections have
heard urged against this play do not Amply to
Its performance as given for the first time last
night. And feel. certain that everybody who
saw 1t will agree with this remark. Tho audi
ence was often awestruck. and appeared to be
Gravoly touched blythe tragedy from first to last.
Now. then. must tell Mr.. Saint Morse that
much OF tho text OF his tragedy is too stilted for
federation; that II. when it ia available at ALL he
Wouiu toAo 'uo HsHk ubSo OI INC gospels Tor his
Gospel characters. his drama would be infinitely
better than 1t Isl that the climax OF the tragedy
should DO made more elevated: that thore are
meretric!ous features and qualities OF the play
which ought to be changed; that his apostles
and his dolls are not ut to be shown: that he
must look out for several things that might be
turned into ridicule and damn his drama; that
he must see to tho business Of the stage and
that ho must not subject his audiences to tho
danger Of such conflagration as two gentle
men In the front row OF tho theatre prevented
last night.
And now guess that this Passion Play will
yet be publicly performed here: that those who
denounce 1t will alter their minds when they
see IT; and that for many weeks after 1t is
opened to tho ticket-buyers it will attract and
Impress full audiences Of Iudicious citizens.
New YORK. March 81.
A Warning 70 Nc wing (3irls.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir. 7 should