The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-08-21

years ago by the village priest,
Monseignor Daisberger, assisted by
other learned priests from the neigh
boring monastery of Ettdl. In the
olden time, the devil played quite an
important part in the play: for in
stance, he used to assist in the agony
and remorse Of Judas, and help to
hang him. The suicide was then
gone through with in full sight of
the audience, and as soon as Judas,
with the Satanic Majesty grinning IN
very sinister way behind him, had
completed his Independence. a crowd
of little imps USED to dart out al the
side wings and tear his bowels (all
ready properly prepared for the Sc
RIO comic climax open, and eat
them with great gusto.. This, with
the change of modern ideas and pro-
prieties, has all been omitted: Judas
is seen just a60ut to hang himself,
when the two curtains in the centre
building come together and hide the
denouement. The idea of letting the
imagination of the audience play its
part in the representation of the
death scene Of the traitor doubtless
was derived from the theory of the
Greek ancient drama, where actual
death scenes were never, or scarcely
ever-presented to the eye of the
spectator; but were supposed to take
place behind the scenes. The idea
of the chorus, too, seems to be an
evolution from the ancient tragic
stage.
Having now endeavored-tho' |
am we'll aware of how faulty pen
and ink and paper, without some
thing to appeal to the eye can re-
produce anything of a scenic char
acter-to give you some idea of the
building, the ground work of the
play itself, and of the actors, will
close by saying few words as to
some of the striking scenes. At 8
a. m. the spectators being all seated
in their numbered seats, the chorus
came on and the Choragus began
recitative of the Old Testament tab
leaux to be first presented. 1t was
the driving forth of our first parents
from Eden, as typical Of the loss and
sins of mankind which neCessitated
the saving passion and death Of the
Redeemer. Then follows solo by
the Choragus with part singing by
the other % Choristers, all descrlp
tive, after the manner Of the Greek
chorus. of what was Immediately to
come. This took about II minutes.
They then retired to the side por-
tico, IL on each side, and the cur
tains, closing the centre building,
parted in the centre and swept aside,
disclosing a vivid tableaux of Adam
and Eve fleeing from the garden,
while the angel Represented by a
handsome youth, clad in shining
white, with we'll formed feathered
pinions neatly fastened to his back
with his flaming brand guarded
against their return. The scenery
was all set inside Of this main build
ing, which afforded a stage breadth
of some 50 feet, with background
depth of some 80 to 40 feet. In set
ting all the various scenes which fol-
lowed, such as the assembling of the
Sanhedrin, the hiring of Judas. the
last Supper, (Which, by the way, was
in appearance an exact copy of the
we'll known "Last Supper of Leon
ard de Vinci, large fresco painting
in the church of Santa Marie della
Grazie in Milan), the bringing of
Christus before Caiaphas, and after
wards Plate, the scourging, knocking
and Crucifixion, the entombment and
resurrection,-it was all done inside
this centre building; while the ample
stage in front and at the sides af-
forded full scope for the natural rep
resentation Of scenes requiring large
numbers of people; like the entry in
to jerusalem, where 100 were on the
stage, the passage to Calvary of the
Z malefactors carrying their crosses,
etc. The use of artificial lights, and
of all the tricks and methods" of
the modern improved stage, we're
fully made use of, so far as was nee
essary to the complete scenic repre-
sentation and presentment of each
scene or tableauX
H. N. SEAvER.