New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-08-12
THE PASSION PLAYERS.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE ACTING AT
OBERAMMERGAU.
ANTON LANG AS THE CHRIsT-ZwINKs WONDER
Full JUDAs-BEAUTY OF THE GEN
ERAI. EFFECT.
Oberammergau. July 16


Oberammergau. July Is.
Some persons have said of late that the Fas-
sion Play is out a subject Of general
interest, and that the world Is tired of il. If
any Of these persons had been here to-day he
would have had to admit that the world in gen
eral was showing its WEAKNESS Of the Passion
Play in a peculiar manner. The performance
which was given to-day was an extra one not
announced at the beginning of the season. Yes
terday the theatre was full, and enough people
were unable to obtain seats to fill II half full
again. Therefore, in accordance with the gen
eral promise made for such cases. the play was
repeated to-day. Some who it yesterday
stayed to see it again. The news that there was
to be a repetition was telegraphed to the towns
near by, and the result was that at o'clock
this morning there were only few vacant seats
of the 500 or so in the theatre. II the world
is weary of the Passion Play. it is bearing its
WEAKNESS with surprising fOrtitude.
favorite proposition among the visitors here
is that every player is simply presenting his own
character on the stage, except Johann Twink,
who plays Judas. The pet colOllary is that
Anton Lang who plays the Christ, is playing
his character 1t is needless to say that
the whole proposition is nonsense. 1t would
involve the suppOsition that the actor OF Gaia
phas was a stern. vigorous, implacable man;
that the actor of Plate had in him the elements
of a cautious and hard-headed executive officer;
that the actor of Thomas a born doubter
and that the actor of Herod was frivolous and
empty headed person. Probably not one of these
statements would be true. As for Herr Lang,
he is doubtless a good man. He may be
commonly good man. Oberammergau is full OF
such. But to insist that he is Christlike is to
insist on more than is proved. He n ay be, and
also he may not be.
o. putting
error is that Johann Twink is the only actor in
the cast. This is also untrue. That he is by all
odds the best actor in the present cast is unde-
niable, but he is not the only one. and he is not
the only good one.
LANG AS THE CHRIST
A second hearing improves the impression
made by Anton Lang's performance of the
Christ. He has one quality greatly in his favor
his looks-and two greatly against him-his
youth and his voice. One of these faults will be
mended in the next ten years, and it is likely
that the other Will also. Nothing, with the pos
sible exception of a little more maturity, could
be suggested TO make him look the part better
than he does His face is clear and noble in out
line, strong, gentle and refined. His youth is
against him because he has not yet gained the
force of personality and the authority which OF
all qualities in the world are most demanded by
the part. 1t is to be hoped that these will come.
His voice is not strong enough for the great
theatre where the play is acted, and in the effort
to make itself heard it loses fieXibility and
meditation. This is most noticeable in the early
scenes Of the play, when the Saviour is still
among his Disciples and friends and is still lead
ing and commanding them. 1t is then that the
sense of authority is needed and is lacking.
In the later scenes, where the dominant factor
Is no longer authority, but suffering, Lang is at
his best. and the feeling that Improvement is to
be desired is but small If the voice is weak
here it Is less a fault or, rather il is easier 70
turn it into half virtue. The words spoken
from the cross are finely and effectively given
ana Lang conveys the air OF resignation better
than he did that of authority. Many say that
he acts with fine effect in the scene OF the Last
Supper. So he does; but il is due less TO him
self than to the true, right and noble manner in
which the scene was conceived and arranged by
the makers Of the play. AS the scene stands Il
would be almost impossible for any one to act it
badly or TO fail to make II deeply impressive
Anna Flunger, who has the part of Mary, the
Mother Of Jesus. suffers in somewhat the same
manner as Herr Lang. She is too youthful. and
lacks voice The result also is the same. She
IS best In the scenes OF the crucifxion and the
descent from the cross. That she should be
young is not an objection. People here fire.
quently call attention to the fact that Mary
must have been a woman of middle age at the
time of the crucif1xion and express surprise that
the part is not given to woman of some such
age. In this the directors Of the play are right
for they following the legend of Christ that
the Virgins youthful appearance was mfracu-
lousy preserved. But Fraulein Flunger's ap-
pearance is too youthful. 1t is almost chndlike
II is true, however. that she plays the part at
times in a beautifully simple and touching
oIle Will not nave the same OppOrtu-
nifty Herr Lang for improvement in the flu
ture, for, though she is a little too young for the
part now, in another ten years she will be too
old.
JOHN A SECOND TINE.
What a decade can do in ripening the powers
OF these actors is shown by Peter Rendl who
again plays the part of John. While he stnl has
the ideal face for the part which he had in 1890
his power of expression has grown and deem
ened, and his performance is now one OF the
best in the play,
1t has been said that Johann Twink is the
best actor in the play. His Judas is a study an
which volume could be written IL Is said nv
those who have talked with him that he Is un-
able 10 talk much about his part and that ne
seems to have no deep thoughts or convictions
about IL. Ii is suspected, however that he may
1t. III he does not know what ne is doing his
performance Is remarkable example OF an
actors playing finely without knowing how he
does IT, 1t would never convey to an unpreiu-
diced SPECTATOR such thing were possible
the impression OF such an abject traitor as Judas
mas always heen counted. 1t rather shows an
lmpulsive man, seized with momentary half
purpose, and then whirled along by circum-
stances, which wonderfully fit in with it, to an
END which he has never contemplated
With the exception of these four characters
the play is to be viewed rather as a whole than
as collection OF separate representations The
performances of Plate, Caiaphas, Annas Peter
Joseph or Arimatheea. Nicodemus and Mary
MagdaIene are all excellent. and the manage
ment of the great crowds of people and the
effectiveness OF the presentation are almost he
yond expression. AS long as the play il dome
IN the noble and devotional spirit and with the
sIahoeor or erect which mark IL now II will re-