Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-05-21
THE PASSION PLAY GIVEN.

uc uESt poEiOEmbuCc VI tuo hSolOu
Play this year was given yesterday
al. .Oberammergau. Hundreds CT per-
sons arrived to witness the production.
Among the Enelish-speaking visitors
Americans predominated. 1t was very
wet, d the visitors who arrived day
or two before found it hard to fill In
the time. They trudged along the
muddy streets or took refuge 10 the
shops, where they bought illustrated
post o4rds, carvings, and photographs.
The hills which practically surround
the village were veiled In mist, which
occasionally lifted enough to show the
snow capped SUBMITS.
Contrary to expectation the weather
yesterday was bright and sunny. By 8
o'clock the new theatre, which holds
4 900 persons, was almost filed, the
few empty seats being the most expen-
sive ones. The rest Of the house was
crowded with peasants from the suI|
rounding villages, VINO were easily dis
tiDguishable by their short hair, the res
idents Of Oberam mergau letting their
hair grow long, with the view OF taking
part in the play.
Too much bas been said of the lovely
natural scenery forming the back
ground OF the Stage. AS matter OF
fact, only hilltop on the right hand is
visible. The stige is uncovered. bui in
the centre is covered place, where the
tableaux and much of the action Is car
ried on.
The chief interest for previous visit.
ors was Anton LaDg's performance OF
Christus, he replacing Mayr. To the
others the whole performance was deep
~ Interesting and so enthralling that
many were surprised when noon ar
rived, when there was an interval 10
the performance until 1:30.
The new Cbristus was remarkably
successful, acting with subdued force,
which was most impressive. The idea
that a representation OF Christ on the
stage Is repellant would only occur to
one who had never been to Obersm-
morgan. II anyone came. there with
that preconceived idea 1t died out I'm
perceptibly since the play began.
The most dramatic part, that OF Ju-
das, was played by Twink, who played
it 10 1890. This year he has toned
down the extrsvagancies which then
almost caused laughter. His delivery
OF several long soliliquies would cause
him to rank high in any country as an
actor.
The management Of the stage crowds
was marvellous. OF the 1,400 popula.
ton of the village, 685 were employed
in the production, 30 being women and
200 children, some apparently only or
3 years old, yet the strongest glass
showed no moveme ent on their part in
many tableaux. The play is real play,
with the plot worked out in consecutive
acts, the tablesux being only illustra-
tions that are introduced occasionally
and explained by chorus of thirty-five
persons, who line the stage 10 front.
withdrawing when Mayr, the speaker
of the prologue, had recited and when
they had sung.
Mayr's powerful and distinct elocu-
ton made it easy to understand bis sue
cessful past performances as Christus.
The scene OF the crucifxion is the Gil
max of the play, but while 1t was IN no
way repulsive it was painful, and failed
to stir the feelings like scene q little
earlier, when Mary meets the process
sion on the way to Calvary and recoR-
| nizes her son as the cross-besrer and
cries: SIS ist mein sohD."
Whst ther the performance is develop
ing into q money-makipg scheme for
the benefit Of the villagers rather than
religion. would be difficult to decide.
Many things about the village point to
the former, but if 80 1t has been forced
upon the villagers from the outside and
does not affect the performance. The
place is easy of sccess, and complete
,, ignorance OF German does not prevent
enjoyment of one OF the few things in
the world that is still unique.