The Irish standard., 1900-09-01

SSAAs IL Will Ue pledSduCer TO 0OClce
two points where the play has gained
Johann Zwink's Judas is better than
it was ten years ago. He has soft
ened the hard lines of the part. He
has made it deeper, truer in form,
more symmetrical. He is less violent
than before. He exaggerates it less.
He shows the working of the mind
more; makes the action more logical
and the end NOR tragic and less gro
tesque. 1t is traditional for the peas
ant part of the audience to laugh at
Judas, but it does so now much less
than it used to do. And Peter Rendl
plays John better than he did. He has
gained in understanding too. He plays
the part instead of merely speaking the
lines. His face, too, has lost it's youth
full softness, while it keeps the purity
which so well fitted him for the part
of the beloved disciple.
And when individuals are FORGOTTEN.
as they should be in the passion
Play for much of the time, and the
play is looked at as whole, there is
no room for anything but praise. The
tableaus and the other stage pictures
seem even larger, fuller, more replete
with life and meaning than. they were.
The costuming is brighter, while it is
still all soft and unobtrusive and all
harmonious. The wonder is greater
than before that these village people
can set before audiences which are
used to the greater stage productions
of all the great capitals Of the world
a work which astonishes them not
merely by the pure and noble sincerity
with which it is performed, but also
as a massing Of figures and blending
of light and color into a stage spectacle
such as is unknown elsewhere.
Steam and electricity have come to
o Oberammergau. There are hotels here
with portieres. Bicycles lean against
the walls Of the church within whose
precincts the passion Play" was first
acted 260 years ago There are penny
in-the-slot machines about the streets.
Because Of these things it is supposed
that Oberammergau must have degen-
Grated, that it's inhabitants must have
lost their character and that their play.
which was for two centuries and a
half work of reverence and devotion.
must have become piece of impiety
through the driving out of the rever-
ence and devotion by steam and cleo
tricity. How can piety remain in a
congregation when there are bicycles
in the churchyard? What honesty of
purpose or simplicity of character
could stand against the gilded portiere?
How can community retain it's self
respect when a machine stands ready
to sell it a postal card with a picture
of natural scenery on it for 10 pfen-
nigs? Surely there cannot be much
left Of Oberammergau!
To the question, Has Oberammergau
become hopelessly modern and have
the people become hopelessly degene-
rate? the reply cannot be too emphatic.
In spite of all the incentives that they
have had to become hard and covetous,
the people here today are as simple,
as sincere, as gentle, as kindly, as un-
affected as any community in the
world. The "Passion Play" has kept
Oberammergau what it is, and will
keep it so. 1t would not be easy, and
it might not be possible, to find an
other town in Europe or America
which cares so little for the world
outside as this one does. The people
of Oberammergau live to give the
passion Play" and to give it the best
they can. If nobody from outside the
village came to see it it would be given
still. That is the peoples devotion to
the VOW that their fathers made. Since
many other people come, they try to
provide for their wants. That is their
kindliness and their hospitality. Since
these other people are willing to pay
much money for the play they are able
to give it with much more pomp and
magnifcence than they otherwise
could.