Omaha daily bee., 1922-06-11
Passion Play Scenes
Described by Omahan

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projecting roof OF the euekoo-eloek
style At the front often ornamented.
The front Of the house with its win
dow below the roof and its little
balcony looked jus, like the replieas
we have long known.
Settings Are Beautiful.
Oberammergau is especially At
trae,ive this year OF the Passion
Play" There are many large houses
here in order 10 aeeomodate the
visitors. These houses are all OF
quaint. unusual architecture. neatly
eemenisd on the outside. freshly
painted, and many are elaborate with
irescoes around windows and doors.
and sometimes with landscapes
painted on side or front. These be-
long in just this sort OF village, as
do the Alpine costumes OF the men,
the pretty aprons OF the women.
and the little twisty, winding streets
where one can lose his way easily.
but not Tor long. We had barely
alighted when we caught sight OF
men and boys with shoulder length
hair. some with locks beautiful and
curly. Others were seen with both
long hair and boards, and they
looked as il they had really stepped
out OF biblical pictures.
Many other things unconsciously
combined to give atmosphere and
charm TO the setting: The steep
snowcapped mountains that enclose
the village. the little glacier stream
that flows through it, the singing
wild birds that are everywhere.
Many shrines and crosses are seen.
BY the time the day begins one is
all ready to feel the spirit OF it, and
to listen and look with interest and
sympathetic appreciation.
From the simplicity and quaintness
of the village, however, one is hard.
ly prepared for the magnificent act
ing. the elaborate but suitable stage
spcctacles and tableaux, and the pro-
fessional skill which marks the pres
cntation OF these religious episodes.
The Play Itself.
The play is in three parts with
"a tableaux. The text is revised
from the old text written by J.. A
Daisenbergcr Q799-lss3), and the
music composed by Rochus Dcdler
at about the same period.
The action lasts from 8 a. nj. to 6
p. IN. with midday pause Of two
hours. One part of the performance
leads directly into another and there
was no noise of scene shifting, no
awkward pauses, nor intermissions
between acts to break the illusion.
Yet it all seemed wonderfully real.
The stage is large open air affair
as wide as the large covered audi
torium behind it. But the stage it.
self is uncovered. The house OF An
Mas is at the extreme right from the
audience, that of Pontius Plate at
extreme left. a street is seen on the
inner side of each, and large stage
with curtains and various sets Of
scenery is in the center.
This was used for the tableaux
and much of the action took
place in and out of it. For instance
at the opening Christ rode into
Jerusalem acclaimed by the multi.
>tude from the street. He entered
the stage which was at this time the
temple, and drove out the merchants.
He later passed on down the other
street. Can you picture it?
But this was not the beginning Of
the play. There was a prologue and
chorus before the action began and
a first and second tableau. The pro-
logue or the chorus introduced every
tableau, and explained it. The tab
leaux are for the most part scenes
from the Old Testament, symbolic
of the action which follows. A great
number of the citizens of Oberam-
mergau take part in these, and it is
remarkable how stiff old men, wo-