The Arvada enterprise., 1910-10-21

Dy FRAU Lang to take supper in
her home. .
During the meal Anton Lang
came into the dining room
and very cordially greeted his
guests. What a beautiful Christ
like face; one can at once see why
Anton Lang is chosen to play the
role Of Christus.
To accommodate the thousands
who come every week, the vii
layers open their homes. OF
course many must be content to
take what they get and pay dear
ly for it for nothing in Oberam-
mergau is cheap.
The village must be quiet and
simple when the play season is
not on, but the commercial eye
rests on the village during the
season. This is q sign that
greeted my eye, Real American
Ice Cream Served Here" an
other read, "AmericanW Whiskey,"
Every ten years during May,
June, July, August and Septem-
ber this village is crowded and
there were some fifty perfor-
mances given this summer and
about 200, 600 visitors.
[ The homes are very pretty,
homelike and odd;. the roofs are
wide-eaved and covered with red,
green and grey painted tiles; the
walls are covered with stucco Of
ten gaily painted with decorative
designs and figures. The home
of Anton Lang is one of the
most attractive in the village.
1t is said that the Passion Play
had been given in Oberammergau
as far back as the 18th century
but in the 17th century a terrible
plague ravaged the towns and
villages around and found its
way to Oberammergau.
1t seemed that all must fall and
the villagers believed they were
being punished by God, so they
repented and in token of their
penitence and as a sign of graft
tude for their deliverance, vowed
that every ten years they would
present in the most sacred way
the passion of Christ. AS the
chronicle says, ''The ravaging of
the plague was Immediately
stayed and a performance given
in 1633.p
I can see how the members of
the cast, the people of the village
and all the spectators are greatly
influenced in thought and action.
The performers try to make
themselves most worthy of their
roles and the solemnity of the oc-
casion, the charm of the music,
the beauty of the scenes, the
simplicity and earnestness of the
players aifge to,inake spectacle
intense in feeling and lasting in
effect. It brings before US in
the 10th century a vivid picture
of life as it was in the first.
The theatre which was re-
built for the 1900 performance
accomadated a, 300 seated specta-
tors. The stage is open to wind
and weather while the auditori-
um is enclosed in a semi circular
roof consisting of six great arches
of iron, each havinga a span of lao
feet and reaching a height if 65
feet. All the seats are on one
floor and they slope so steeply
that a good view can be attained
from any part. The cheapest
seats are in front because from
these places it is difficult to get a
full view of the stage and when
it rains the occupants are
drenched.
Although the stage is open to
the weather, the performance
goes on, ceasing only while it
rains so hard that nothing can
be seen. For some time during
the performance | noticed there
was slow drizzling rain, it is
well for all to be warmly clothed.
People sat wrapped in furs and
warm coats and steamer rugs.
The women and most of the men
kept their hats on during the en-
tire performance; it was partieu-
larly annoying when one wanted
to see the whole stage.
My seat was splendidly located
about two-thirds back. A lady
in front wore a hat that quite OBJ
structed my view, at the morn
ing performance / politely asked
her to remove her hat, she com.
piled with a decidedly reluctant
shrug. In the afternoon she sat
again quite oblivious of her hat
and US poor souls behind her. l
trotted out my little speech, = no
response from the lady. Again
! spoke vainly to the woman and