The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-08-07

hedrin which decides that Jesus must
be put to death, whereupon the splen-
did courage of Nicodemus and Joseph
of Arimathea cause them to protest and
then to leave the body. Jesus goes to
the garden of Gethsemane to pray and
| is there betrayed and then in succeed
ing scenes is dragged by the blood
| thirsty Sanhedrln to Anuas and Cal
aphas, then to PLATE, then to Herod
and back to PLATE, at last getting Of
fetal sanction to the death decree.
Surely never was man bounded todeath
on more himsy charges and an almost
audible sigh of hopeless regret went
up from the audience when PLATE wav-
cred before the trumped up cries of
the people and gave him up to their
will In the meantime Judas having
learned of the decision to kill him
whom he had betrayed tried to turn the
council but was ordered out. AS he
went he flung the money on the floor
and wandered forth in az agony of re-
morse until he came to the potter's
field the churchmen buy with mis- sill
yer and the curtains close as he rushes
madly to tree to hang himself
The last scenes are all terribly real
istic. from the blows that one hears
fall on the body of Christ, his fainting
under the cross. to all the horrible de-
tails of the crucihxion When the
curtains part on this scene the crosses
with the thieves are already upright.
During the singing the sound of ham
mers has been heard and now the CEN
trail cross on which Christ is out
stretched is hoisted iuto position by
the brutal eXecutioners. Then follow
all the well-known details of that fatal
/ day and the play ends with his resur-
rectlon and ascension in which Christ
in robe of white gradually rises above
the heads of the disciples and Mary
who kneels in alteration.
The part of Christ this year is taken
by Anton Lang, young man only 25
years of age. He has flowing brown
hair that sweeps his shoulders. a
splendid face and a beard parted in the
middle as most pictures represent the
Christ. BY trade he is potter in the
village. After him perhaps the great
est interest centers in the Judas, who
is portrayed by the man who took the
part ten years ago, and who is one of
the best actors of them all. Mary n
life, is the postman's daughter, and
were you to go to one of the hotels YOU
would be served by Mary Magdalene.
The great majority of the men are
wood carvers. though among them are
carpenters. masons. painters, bakers
and road maker. There are 6S5 per-
sons in the performance, of whom 80
are women, and 200 children, but only
l25 have speaking parts. Whatever
may be the individual opinion regard
ing the propriety of such performance.
no one who sees it can do otherwise
than acknowledge the wonderful! talent
displayed in its production.
But there is one phase hard to recon-
cile with the religion and devout char
acter OF the play. and that is the UNI
seemly trafficking in souvenirs. photo
graphs. etc to which the day is de-
voted by these who take no part in the
play. Indeed the shop-keeper actors
who did not go on till late, found time
before their appearance to turn mark
or two. More likely too, because the
'unsophisticated" villagers as they
have been called, are not in business
for their health or pleasure. They
may be excused, perhaps, because they
only have their chance once in ten
years and then it comes on Sunday.
AT any rate they are doing their best
to avail themselves of it.
/ -SS