The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-05-05
The PISTON Play.
WALT WHITMAN.

There has been a great squable in New York
city recently over the proposed public rendition
of the Passion Play by Salmi Morse. At
tempts have been made to suppress the
play by legal procedure, but so far, Morse has
triumphed and after many delays, it is probable
that the representation Of the play on the stage
will have taken place before the arrival of the
next mail. In order to give our readers some
idea of what the Passion Play really is, we
abridge the following from the Century for
April, On the production of the play at Oberam-
mergau. The representation cannot be con-
sidered solely a drama, neither is it to be con-
sidered simply as a historical panorama, pre-
senting the salient points in the earthly career of
Jesus, called Christ. Whatever there NAV have
been in the beginning of theatrical show and
diversion and fantastic conceit about it, has
been gradually eradicated. The presentation of
the scheme of seeks to portray not
only the scenes of the life of Jesus on earth, but
typical foreshadowing of it in the Old Tesla
ment narratives. To this end there are given
before each act of the play, tableauX of Old
Testament events, supposed to be directly typi-
cal and intended to be prophetic of the scenes III
Christ's life which are depicted in the act follow
ing. These are selected with skill and rendered
with marvellous effect. For instance, a tableaux
of the plotting of Joseph's brethren to sell him
into Egyptii is given before the act in which
the Jewish priests in the full council of the San
hedrim, plot the death of Jesus. Last Supper
with his Disciples the sale of Joseph to the
Midianites before the bargain of Judas with the
priests for the betrayal of Jesus the death of
Abel, and Gains despair, before the act in which
Judas, driven mad by remorse, throws down at
the feet of the priests the . price of blood" and
rushes out to hang himself Daniel defending
himself to Darius, before the act in which Jesus
is brought into the presence of Plate for trial {;
the sacrifice of Isaac, before the scourging of
Jesus and his browning with the thorns these
are a few of the best and most relevant tableaux.
The Play is divided into eighteen acts, and
covers the time from Christ's entry into Jeru-
salem, at the time of his driving the money
Changers out of the temple, till his ascension.
The salient points, both historical and graphic,
are admirably chosen for a continuous repre-
sentation. In the Second Act is seen the High
Council of the Jewish Sanhedrim plotting
measures for the ruin and death of Jesus. This
is followed by His Departure from Bethany, the
Last Journey to Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the
Final Interview between Judas and the Sanhe-
drim, the Betrayal in the Garden of Geth-
semane
The Performance of the Play up to this point
consumes four hours and as there is here a
natural break in the action, an interval of an
hours rest is taken. 1t comes none too soon,
either to actors or spectators, after so long q
strain of unbroken attention and deep emotion.
The next Act is the bringing of Jesus before
the High Priest Annas: Annas orders him be-
fore Caiaphas. and this is the ninth act of the
Play. Then follow: The Despair of Judas and
his Bitter Reproaches to the Sanhedrim, The
Interview between Jesus and PLATE, His APP
pearance before Herod, His Scourging and
GROWING with Inorns, Inc fronounclnS OF his
Death Sentence by PLATE. The Ascent to Col
gotha, the Crucitixion and Burial, The Resur-
rection and Ascension. The whole lesson of
Christ's death, are thus shown, taught, impress
ed with a vividness which one must be callous
not to feel. The quality or condition of mind
which can remain, to the end, either unmoved
or antagonistic is not to be envied. But, setting
aside all and every consideration of the moral
quality of the Play, looking at it simply as q
dramatic spectacle, as a matter of acting, of
pictorial effects, it is impossible to deny to it a
place among the mastery theatrical representa-
tons of the world. Ones natural incredulity
as to the possibility of true dramatic skill on the
part of comparatively unlettered peasants melts
and disappears Mt sight of the first Act, the
entry of Christ into Jerusalem.-Th Century.