The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-01-31

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dense with oak, ash and hickory, tn
nelds abound in richest grasses, wbil
the Ammer, its banks studded will
wild sycamore, ilCws ever through
green pastures.
The Passion Play at Oberam1 erag,
was meant for its citizens and tn,
peasants OF adjoining districts. No
until thirty years ago had it obtainet
worldwide fame. The method of en-
teltalnlnS the visitors Is marvelou
when every hotel in Munich, n city o.
$50 900 people, is crowded beyond ca
pacity from May until September, auC
70 trains daily run to Obcrammergar
and return. Although the latter place
contains little over 1000 inhabitants
$40 people take part in the play. This
is the only honor known to q villagel
"A part in the cast Of the great Pas.
sion Play. The only surety to this
honor is by living pure and upright
light. Ones whole life must be pass
ed in Christian humility and gentle
ness.
The actors legard themselves as tax.
ing part in an act of devotion, their
sobs and their tears show the depth of
their sincerity. Many OF them kneel
down to pray on entering the theatre,
as they do when they go 10 worship in
church. Modern methods of fncial
makeup, stage lighting and stage man.
agement are lacking; b it criticism is
delied. The effect Of sincerity in act
ing is more powerful on the audience
than any finished actor could give. 1t
does not seem to be the tragedy of the
cruciliXion in mimicry, hut the histori-
cal incident in actually.
Formerly the play was gwen in the
open air within the grave yard. Thirty
years ago il rude theatre was con-
structcd, having seating capacity of
5000 people, and this will doubtless
be used for mnny years. In arrange
ment, the theatre is not unlike an
a Aerican playhouse, except there arc
no galleries or boxes. The most cxpcn.
slve seats, strangely, are in the rear.
LII America, at such a time, the oppor-
tunities for hotel and ticket speculation
would be enormous, but by simple
system, vigorously carried out, the peo-
pie OF the village have nlade such prac-
tees impossible.
All tickets for every performance
during the entire season are divided
among the villagers, in proportion to
the number of beds they have been
able to set up in tlIeir houses, shops,
barns and hen coops, for the entertain
ment Of their guests. There is no box
offices and each ticket of admission
goes with the bed. Therefore, there is
no money transaction With the theatre.
~ Village law fixes the D ices of beds
and seats. Tickets vary from so cents
TO $3.50, while the beds are about S3.
Guests at hotel could not obtain a
ticket if they stayed year.
The economic phase of the Passion
Play is almost as interesting as the
play itself. The first performance last
year was given on May "a. They con.
tinued every Sunday, Monday and
Wednesday until September 30. The
total receipts, daily, averaged about
81 900. This money is turned over to
the village treasury, while the villagers
keep what is paid them by their guests.
Out OF the theatre receipts are taken,
first Of all, tho expenses of the play.
The actors salaryis extremely small.
Anton Lang, the Christus, Anna
Flunger, The Maria, Peter Rendl, the
Apostle John, receive $3.50 each for
their years salary, while the salaries
or the others run down to about 1890
per annum. "Thc remainder of the
money goes to the treasury, to meet
the expenses of the little city. Obel
armergau knows no taxes. The Pas.
sion Play supports It's hospital, its gas
works, pavcs its streets and lays it's
sewers, cares for its poor and supports
its Jail and contributes to all the other
institutions for the public good. The
school children are taught with the
money which comes through the glori-
lication of God in their play, and the
burial expenses of the pauper is met
by the same fund.-" Each viIlager has
only his personal expenditures to meet
during the intervening 10 years.
The actors, even those taking the
most prominent parts, wait on their
boarders at all times, doing the mean
est labor. A hired servant is unknown.
1t is wonderful how generations of
Christian culture in people of rustic
simplicity have produced, III face and
manner, looks and qualities that 80
closely resemble the popular idea of
Christ and his associates.
" / chanccd to see Anton Lang"
says II. ID. Rawnsley, "at early mass
on the morning of the performance.
He seemed rapt in the service, and
when he left the church he walked as
in dream others chattcd, but he
walked straight on without word,
and it seemed that men moved aside
and left way tor him as if they felt
that he were almost more than a man
at least he was moving in another
world and they knew it and felt it,"
The Virgin Mary of the play is i'm.
personated by Anna Flunger. She Is
I'D years old, and great beauty. II
is said that there is no actress on tn,
American or English stage today who
could clothe the character of the Vir
gin with the sweetness, spirituality
womanly dignity and devotion whlcl
this unlcttered peasant girl imparts tt
it. Yet she has never seen a theatre