Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-20
LECTURE ON THE PASSION PLAY.
Miss Gay Addresses Select Audience at
the Y. NJ. c. A.

Miss Matoaca Gay delivered her lecture
ON the Passion PLAY at the Young Mems
Christian Association Hall last night. and
in defiance of the inelemency OF the
weather a large and select audience greet
ed her. The front of the stage was deco
rated with rare exotic plants, with Dack;
ground of japanese screens. The small
stand upon which her manuscript rested
was placed between two plano-lamps that
shed a mellow red-and-yelloW light over
the table. Miss Gay was dressed IN black
silk and delivered her lecture while sitting:
She commenced without the formallty OF
an Introduction, but with modesty and be-
coming self-possession. She said she had
witnessed the Passion Play With some de
gree of reluctance.
VERY FoBCIBLY IMPRESSED.
L II was impossible 10 express her impress
sions. she said. They were so different
from what she had anticipated, and she could
give no idea Of even the approximate eHeeL
The solemnity. beauty, grandeur, naturalness,
and apparently devotional nature OF the actors
was a striking feature OF the play. The simph-
city and freedom from all stageness OF tne
actors, OF whom there are not less than ~, lu-
pressed her greatly. aud she would ieel lhat % sne
had uttered an irreparable loss hao she not Wit
nesse1 the play There was nothing IN the
whole drama 70 which the most fasudious person
could take exception. IL was, she SAID, schooI
OF religious training, and practical Illustration
OF the subject. The play was fostered oy me
Government who received one fourth OF the pro-
cseds, and the drama was work OF Catholo
priest, who for twenty-five years or more per-
sonally trained the actors. but who had reeehuy
died.
BROUGHT TO PUBLIC ATTENTION.
This play although It had been acted since
1900, only attracted public attention about looO,
when Dean Stanley and Canon farrer prought
Il 10 the attention OF the outside Worio. AT ina.
time there was great preiudice sgeihst y .sll sho
many thought IL was dOuDuul question
whether it was good in It's results, but since looO
all that feeling had changed, aud now there was
an unnRgging interest In IL, and sOo,OOO persons
had attended II last year Ihe acsins HS w ,i'-
tural, and the actors were possessed OF plous
and reverential feeling, Dut she olo nos
she said, know how long THIS Nonid Oe
the case, as tho crowds that attended now were
OF every nationality, and Hefe so Cosmopolitan,
consequently less reverenIal In the earlier
production u this play, which occurs eYefy leh
years, and which has never been lntsfrupteo e4-
cept By war, as whs the case 10 the lasI VAT pc
tween Germany and France, IL was only attend
ed BY tho simple and p.Ous Inhabitants OF the
little valley in which it was performed. twas
then uncorrupted by modern and outside innu-
encea.
coULDE'T AEALYzE HEB REELNds'
Whom tho play commenced she was utterly
Incapable Of analyZing her feelings. sne Mss
overwhelmed BY the solemnity OF it ana ihe
active devotion Of the players. she was under
a spell as II we're, and others seemed as mncn
20 a. horselL Tho native people were deNout
and Without the least Sign OF dissipation. lhey
attended the play az an act OF worship lhey
do not understaDd how others are not posecsseo
Of the same reverontlal feeling. The acting
was as artistic as any she had ever Witnessed
although tho players were peasants, Whe sue.
the performance could DO seen walking hpou.
the streets With their working clothes on ana
smoking pipes.
TIE ACTORS DEscRIBRD.
The aciors wore long. flowing bair, were
modest Gnd Without tho least degree Of a1ecIe-
ton. rho theatre building was $50 foet BY l1O
feet and builf OF wood. There we're twenty-tonr
singers. and zoe actors dressed In oil mo eoors'
Tho proceedings Wora characterized BY me NJ
moet dignity and grace: tne music was simple
and adapted % IN purpose, There we're twenty