New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-18
CpfrrCJSHS or -AMMERG3U


An ENGLISH critic fresh from Ober- Ammer'
cau publcly condemns the representation OF
rho Passion Play, by which the village Is alone
known to the outside world. and denounces
| il rs wholly commonplace and vulgar. 1t does
| violence, he says. to ones InStlhct'e re'c',
| encc and the entire story has been dcpaSeu
| into caricature. This news, il true. wonid DC
unweIcomc to many students OF the N''Ec.
| who. rightly or wrongly. have been interested
in the performance a. a lingering relic OF the
MEDIEVAL DRAMA and have based hopes OF It's
| perpctuatiOn on the good report OF MS con-
duct Whatever other objection has been
offered the play and the actors have hitherto
| escaped the present imputatlon. NO Ia"it mas
been found with the treatment OF inc SUBJECT
considered apart and by itself. ana me re'er-
cnt demcanOr OF those engaged IN tho prc>ch-
tatlon has justified general belief in their de-
yCutncSs and sincerity.
The Continental fashion OF selecting sacfeu
subjects for stage exhibition has always done
violence TO English and American S'i>crp'i-
bitics I'm this country the scenes ami stores
of Scripture are held i'm too solemn an esteem
for the mere suggestion OF their theatrical en-
actmcnt to meet with anything but r"b''ke.
The few attempts that have been made to
disregard this sentiment have boon promptly
and severely frowncd on. When SalInl Morse
tried to obtain a license for the production OF
"A Passion Play in New-York som" years dG"
lew and Gentle. Protestant and Catholic. were
unanimous in condemnation Of the PROJECT, ana
MorScs rebuff showed that even those not I'M
pressed with the idea Of III" contemplated
PROCLAMATION were determined 10 respect Inc
feelings of those who were. II was rightly
argued that the associations OF In" theatre
have no natural affinity with tn" incidents "i
the Passion. that no good could possibly ac-
cruc To the spectators. since tine play would
! neither deepen religious sentiment III NhrIS-
tian> nor inspire it in nnbclcN"r>. ana that III
any ease tn" production must involve drgia-
dation Of the sublime facts ot Christian his
tny 10 the purpose. of public entertainment
Now il i. significant that many who holt
these precise views have witnessed without
offence the representations by Ma"r ami his
>upportciS Visitors. * Il rule" flock - ohrr-
\mmclgau not that their viIin' or reverence
may be- cnhauccd by IA mock exhibition Of the
Divine tragedy. but to crafty the sam" curl
o>ily which draws them to POmpc or III"
Paris Exhibition set critics Of tho highest
tn;lII 7 r ana Ilt'lll1'nt'. ll'IlullS
recent spectators Archbishop torrgan and
Mr. Dcjer. have born" ample tr>im"n! l."
the imprc>>iyrn">> and pr"pfl"iF az ~" per
(u nance and while III" usefulness - . moral
agency Of the m,>t"i! play i IN 'hc>" days
-ciiuu>l y open Ia question. tn'i" >c"h'> H'I
reason to b"li"N" that th" present >iirtuto>
have no Legitimate" foundation III tn" Facts.
~ Ion. IS tn" representations ar" coin"d Ia
IN, ,uIi., valley in IN" lIl;aiian mountains
liner. i, little dangl that their character VIII
,uil or and their effect OH spectators VIII SIN
be independent Of III" >pirt III winch thcy
arc approached.