Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-07
MATRE IN REVIEW
OF PASSION PLAY
Intimate Story of Drama OF 0beram-
mergau is Heard by Large Audi.
ence OF Rock Island People.
is ENACTED EVERY TEN YEARS
Lecturer Denies That Moving Pictures
of the Presentation Ever Have
Been Obtained.

societies, Chicago, entertained an audi
ence that filled Rock Island Knights
of Columbus hall, Third avenue and
Nineteenth street, last evening. He
gave an illustrated sacred lecture.
THE Passion Play of Oberammergau.
Few but are familiar in a general
way with accounts of the mightiest
drama of all time as given by the
peasant folk Of the little Bavarian vii
lage every 10 years, but Mr.. Matre
has correlated this knowledge with ex-
cellent views and most inspiring de-
scription that is unmatchable. 1t is
the fruit Of the lecturers own visit to
the place and his witnessing of the
marvellous conception-the mecca of
tourists from over the world Possess
dent, not a movement of the spectacle
escaped him, and with faultless die
ton, simple and beautiful for its
chaste expression, he described the
unforgetable scenes of the passion and
brought very near to his audience the
spirit and awe of the events in the
daily walk of the man, Christ.
An erroneous impression is abroad,
the speaker said, that moving pictures
have been taken and exhibited Of the
passion play The American Syndi-
cate offered the people Of Oberammer-
gau $4,000 for few scenes, but so
sacredly is their work held that no
inducement would permit them to COM
mercialiZe the play The views which
Mr. Matre exhibits are taken from
photographs, sold by the peasants as
souvenirs, which he has gone to much
pains to gather and from which he
winds collected view of almost the
entire portrayal. The discourse which
accompanies the pictures is based on
his actual vision of the presentation,
and the two form a comprehensive ed
ucatiOnal effort of great worth.
The Trip to the Village.
Boarding little train at Munich,
Mr.. Matre starts for the little village
in the Bayarian Alps and soon is wend-
ing way through the tiny streets and
catching inspiration from its grandly
beautiful landscape. He is one of
cosmopolitan crowd gathered from the
universe. All have come to witness
the most grandly true annals Of the
life and death of Christ A peculiar
something has entered the souls or
the peasants so that every COuntenance
is marked with the serenity Of peace
and the poise of conscious honesty.
Apparently the Oberammergauans live
but to give the play and they regard
it as their heritage Mr. Matre was
permitted to be the guest of one of the
famous Langs. Anton Lang, who late
ly passed away, portrayed the Christ
in the last play. No extra provision
is made by the village to accommodate
the throngs that are attracted to the
presentation. and one is lucky to find
himself bed in hay loft, if he be
tardy arrival
The play is prefaced by scenes from
the old testament and these are given
paradoxically. illumined with choruses
and solo voices. Eight hundred take
part, many of whom are children. One
is struck with their beauty, Rembrandt
in contour The picture Of the Mag
dalene is so striking in its loneliness
! that it seems not human. The men
bear themselves in majestic garments,
and in the mighty scenes, and of the
crucifXion, with a fidelity that sur
passes anything one feels capable of
imagining After seeing Mr. Mattress
views one cannot have any doubt of
the tenseness of emotion the play pro-
duces and that the audience does not
find the time long. the play commenc-
ing at s and lasting until $50, with
an hours intermission. Although these
actors practically are in training 10
years, their compensation does away
with any thought there is pecuniary
profit. The performances last from
May till October and the highest paid
receives only $500 for the season, the
children getting as little as $40. 1t Is
Oberammergau's way Of paying hon.
age for special d1spensatlon from
plague in the early centuries and one
third of everything received is devoted
TO charity.
Mechanical Effects Secret.
The mechanical effects by which
realism is brought to bear in the scene
of the last agony the peasants preserve
secret Though Mr.. Matre, using
field glass, sought to learn how the
simulated nails were driven through
the palms of the character, Christ, he
was unable to learn the means. For
fully 20 minutes He hangs from the
cross, blood flowing from His wounds,
to all appearances, and their method
to attain this illusion the. Oberammer-
gauans will not reveal.
Allouez council is to be congratulate