Smyrna times., 1922-09-27
DELAWARE BOYS RARE SIGHT
OF THE GREAT PASSION PLAY
FBAYARD CARTER, SON GEORGE
CARTER, VISIT OBERAMMERGAU
During His Summer Vacation From
Oxford University He Has Been
Travelling Mostly Thru Germany

In letter written home to the fam
lily, F. Bayard Carter, son of George
Carter, editor of the Evening Journal
of Wilmington, and well known in ,
Smyrna where his father was born, :
raised and spent his boyhood days, he !;
writes of rare opportunity he had |
of seeing the passion Play" at Ober-
ammergau. He says: "YOu do not
know what a lucky lad l have come
to be. This luck l speak of is COM
mon, ordinary luck. l tarried in Mu-
Mich after fine stay in that glorious
little place, Ulm. In Munich l went
and reported to the police, who ex-
tracted 1900 marks from me in a
painless manner for my petition to
stay within the walls of the Bavarian
Thibet. You see, wanted to witness
the passion Play" at OberaSlmergau
three hours ride from Munich. All
the persons whom l questioned in Mu-
Mich told me that Oberammergau was
sold out-that is, that had no chance
to get accommodations there.
"You know me! l wanted to see
that play, and l was going to see it,
even if l had to sleep in barn or a
field. l checked my baggage, took
my small handbag and pushed off
from Munich station. There on the
train ran smack-bang into a friend
whom l had visited previously in
Hazelmere, England, during the Xmas
vacation. With him were eight other
persons whom l had met in Hazel
mere. One of the party had been
seized with an illness in Munich, and
the party had an extra ticket, includ-
ing entrance to see the passion Play
bed for two nights and meals during
the stay in Oberammergau, all at a
cost of about SO American money.
could have shouted from joy. The
passion Play" is given once every ten
years, and here l was going to see il
under most pleasing conditions.
"In due season we arrived in the
quaint little village nestled among
glorious mountains. The native:
struck your eye at once because o.
their unusual appearance. Practical!
everybody in the village takes part il
the play and its presentation is entire
ly a village affair from actors to seen
cry and music. Even the railroa'
porters had long hair-in fact, all tn
villagers had long hair, it seemed t
me. In addition, all of them wear tn
typical mountain costume - shOr
: knickers, which are decorated; tn
fancy shirt, the little jacket, the cd
cap with feather, the wooden stock
: ings and the heavy shoes-bare-knee
all. They make up a picturesqu
, crowd.
81 was in the home of Anton LecE
: ner, the man who does the prologue
The whole Lechner family was spler
> friend. Despite the great influx {
: foreigners, the villages in the neigf
borhood remain unchanged-unspoile
They will not be commercialized.
''The theatre is covered by a larg
dome. The stage is uncovered. II
story unfOlds itself rapidly. The pla
e lasts from 8 to II a. m., and from
to pm, and takes you from Christ
, entry into Jerusalem to his ascensio
3 The acting of Anton Lang,as "Christ
v of Guido Mayo, as Judas" and (
o. Hugo Rutz as "Kaiphas, the high pr
o est" is wonderful. The scenes a
# glorious and the stage settings al
p the management are supreme. II
% portrayal of "The Last Supper" Il
: Garden of Gethsemane" scene al
II "Christ Before Plate" were marve
9 Gus. The peasants LIVE the pla
70 they do not ACT it. The play rul
" something like this:
sr "For each act there is a prologl
n, which gives you the setting for Il
" act. A fine choir, spread across Il
Ig whole stage, sings, and a tablea
re which typifes the scene, is given. F
e. instance, in the scene where Jud
o. sells Christ for thirty pieces of silvt
the chorus sings of Betrayal" al
the tableau is the scene of Joseph b
ID ing sold by his brothers. For at
rv Last Supper" scene the tableau W
* the giving of mamma from Heaven
a the children of Israel in the wilde
&C ness. Thus, from to IL and from
N. to 6 you sit and watch thhe great dr
of matte story unfold. 1t is wonderful
a well done. The acting is superb; t
ed scenery is fine. At the end you knC
" why folk come from all parts of
a world to see the thing. The little v
n lage is charming.
he 81 now am in Nuremberg, which
la, the quaintest town l have visitt
vn Everywhere one sees old hous
en- timbered, etc. | am on my way
or Berlin, and now Pm going to the /
it lice to sign up"