Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-19
ORIGIN OF THE
PASSION PLAY

Oberammergau is an anachronism
and never more so than in the year of
the decennial performance of the Pas
sion play, for then the modern world
pours in upon the little mediaeval viii
lage, says an article in the Theatre
Magazine. 1t is all hustle, where Ober-
ammergau usually spells peace; it is
all curiosity and advertising, where the
spirit of Oberammergau is distinctly
religious But these simple folk are not
to blame; they are not eXpoiters; they
are only instruments in the perpetual
tion of a pledge which they have. with
few Interruptions, faithfully maintained
since 1884. one sees Oberanmergau at
its best before this onrush begins. The
quiet Bayarian hamlet still retains its
ancient Tone in its habits, in its arch
itcctuTe. in its purpose, it is naught but
a bundle of tradition. Evidences Of
Roman Inheritance are seen in the
highway, and Roman blood courses
through the veins Of these so-called
peasants If you ask them about their
history. they will tell you of monastic
influence, under the shadow of which
the Passion play developed; IL you
speak to them of strife. they will re-
count for you the numberless inroads
upon OberammerEau-str gglers of in
vasion intent on larger prey; they Will
even speak of their soldier-Christ,
Joseph Mayr. who stopped rehearsals
in 1870 to enlist during the Franco
Prussian war. Their very Passion play
was an incident Of invasion, for the man
who brought the plague to Oberammer-
gau was a laborer, working among the
ruins created by Gustavus Adolphus,
hero of the Thirty Years war Casper
SChuchler was the name of this poor
artisan who, feeling the vapor of dis
ease settle upon him, returned, unthink-
ing of the consequences, to rest among
his home folks. His death, and The
havoc that followed, brought the Ober-
ammergau peasants upon their knees
| in supplfcation for relief. Medieval
| faith was simple, and out Of this faith
came the promise to enact the Passion
of Christ every ten years, If only the
plague were lifted from Oberammer-
gau.
Divine grace fell upon the village,
and quickly the first performance was
made ready The interest of the VII
/ lage has grown more rapidly than the
place itself; the little houses, with
/ their Bible pictures on the outside
walls. are not hotels. but homes for
very simple people. The tourist comes
| in holiday spirit. not with any thought
/ Of conservation, not as crusader on a
pilgrimage. II a traveller finds lodgings
! with Christus. who is Anton Lang the
potter, or with Judas who is Johann
/ Twink the painter, he merely wishes
his curiosity satisfied Multiply this
humor and you have the predominating
/ tone In Oberammergau during the sea-
| son of its play
/ The Passion play as performed every
ten years sets forth the life, death and
/ resurrection of Christ. There are sew
| enteen acts. The performance begins
IL. Ny,-r nd 1rtsf -
until o'clock in the afternoon, with
intermission Of two hours for luncheon.
Each act is preceded by an interpre-
tative tableau prophetic In character
and illustrative Of Old Testament IN
cident. The seventeen acts are divided
into three parts, or divisions, the first
embracing from the entrance of
Christus into Jerusalem until the mo-
ment Of his being taken prisoner on
the Mount of olives" the second,
from the arrest on the Mount of Oh
ives to the condemnation by PLATE"
and the third from the condemnation
bv plate until the glorious Resurrec-
ton of the Lord" the whole ending
with n pictorial tableau Of Christs
ascension The play is conceived on
an enormous scale, full Of color in cos
/ tune and fun Of motion in ensemble
! grouping. Those who have come away
/ with an unfavorable impression have
/ Judged purely by modern standards
Of theatrical taste, feeling. perhaps
/ that the influence Of Munich ira ie
much more than of Munich art, has
cheapened and commercialized the Pas
sion play as much as it ever would
have been had the production been
taken to England or America. When
the spear pierces the body of the Cru
Gifted, and the blood sac at the point
mechanically bursts, the spectacle is
| unnecessarily revolving; when the
hammer strokes of the executioners
are heard off-stage. just before the
crucihxion, the realism Is not agree
able. But it must be remembered that
these OberammCrgaU peasants do not
merely witness or mentally review the
life and death Of Christ; they actually
participate i'm that life.
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