The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-03-17
MRS. CLARENCE CAMPS BEAuTI-
Full DESCRIPTION or THE
passion PLAY


city at the Woman's Club rooms, Mrs.
Clarence Camp gave an intensely in
teresting description of the Passion
Play" which she witnessed at the lit
tie village of Oberammergau last Sep
TENDER. This play has been describ-
ed by many famous writer's and the
ologians, but those who heard Mrs.
Camps splendid paper say that for
vividness and naturalness 1t stands
alone; that the pictures she draws are
so real and life-like that one feels that
he is present in the little village and
is an onlooker as the play proceeds.
The beautiful description is printed
in these columns upon the very gen.
eral request of those who heard the
paper read.-Ed. Banner.)
Does the Oberapamergau Passion
Play aim at becoming q secular thea
ter and Gas ii is SO generally assum-
ed look to money making. No, this
is certainly not the case. 1t Is faith
which once brought the crowds hither,
which still attracts and draws them
on and which will also continue to do
so.
AS regards the inhabitants OF Obera-
mmergau themselves, their sole inten-
tion is to edify and TO fulfill the vow
of their ancestors. AS early as the
thirteenth century some drama Of the
life Of Christ was here performed. but
it became an established institution of
the place two hundred and fifty years
ago. At that time plague was rag
ing in Bavaria. In Oberammergau
II h.en ho1
persisted. Accordingly the terrified
survivors made a VOW that II their
town were spared All further ravages
of the disease they would thereafter,
every ten years, portray in dramatic
form, for the instruction of mankind.
the story OF Christ's life and suffer
ings. Apparently their vow was
heard, for the plague at once abated,
and ever since the villagers Of Ober-
ammergau have felt it to be both a
duty and a privilege to carry. out the
promise of their ancestors, bequeath-
ing 1t from generation to generation
as a sacred obligation. / will now en-
deavor to give a description of the
impressions on that great day.
We are awakened by the report of
the signal gun. We follow the stream
of devout people to the church, where
early mass is celebrated. We see the
church filled with crowds of worship
pers and most of the passion actors
are there to fortify themselves for the
great work with prayer. But renew
ed reports warn us that the play is
about to commence. and we must make
haste IL we are to get there in time
The play commences exactly at eight
o'clock and at twelve we retire for
our lunch and rest until two; then we
are back on time in our places, ready
and anxious to see and hear the re-
rnainder of the play. which is finished
at six Eight hours thousands of peo-
pie are held spell bound-never a
noise from any one except an occas-
ional Sob
A curious sensation comes over us
as we approach the huge hall with it's
large vaulted roof deYout stiffness
surrounds us; infinite awe seizes us at
the sight of the venerable stage,
which. with but few minor alterations,
has remained practically the same
through these centuries A place of
such sacred art is holy ground. The
very ground upon which this stage
stands seems hallowed The sight of
il awakens in us sensations that we
cannot explain. 1t Is as If the times
of days long gone by had once more
returned. And away over the gable
OF the theater we see the peaks of the
mountains. and the sunshine of glor-
ious summer morning floods the by
ways of Jerusalem.
The music begins. muffied and har-
monious from the half hidden orches-
ira. From the columned halls on
either side of the stage the chorus
slowly and solemnly comes forth. In
antique white robes with colored man
ties, II strides in two professions
across the proscenium. taking up its
position in one long row. The chor-
agus then commences his recitation
Just as we burst into tears when
sympathizingly and unexpectedly
spoken TO of an old and long hidden
sorrow, so upon the address uttered by
the choragus, the whole misery Of the
curse upon mankind seems to come
over us and we shed uncontrollablt
tears of remorse. The first tableau is
shown: the expulsion OF Adam and
Eve from Paradise Adam and Eve
dressed in skins. are driven out OF
- ANA0C. <ANdAAt MUGS his race VIII
his hands. but Eve on the other hand
casts a longing look back to the LOST
Paradise, and. with her sorrowing
mankind looks back once more upon
the lost Paradise Of religious peace
and ehild-like innocence The chorus
accompanies this tabieau with moss
touching and appropriate music. And
now the prologue begins He reeites
the fine Introductory verses in the
same antique metre in which Daisen-
berger has written the introduction
for the chorus. and che text with its
iambics then begins
In sublime beauty. harmony 10 tbs
ear as message of consolation after
the divine punishment. the words OF
Anton Leschner resound Behind the
scene are now heard the loud cries
Of Hosanna, and mingling with the
song of the chorus are heard the
voices Of the jubilant crowd. bringing
Hosannas to their Lord and Savior
The spectator is strongly impressed
he hardly expected to find these mass
es Of people possessing such good
taste in the color and arrangement Of
the costumes, together with their flow