The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-11-16
Continuation, Edwyl Redding Letters
Continued from Page One

|
Continued from Page One
walk thru the center of the city-into
some of the stores where we found
things that we were allowed to buy
quite high (did not buy), then went to
a wonderful art gallery. There were
about twenty-five Rubens, many Rem
brandts, some Holbein, da Vinci,- Ra-
fael, Durer, etc. etc. Then we hurried
back to take the 1:15 train for
Oberammergau. There was such a
crowd that there were three sections.
We were on the first-had to sit on
our suit cases in the corridor, but
were very comfortable. Many had to
stand. The trip took a little over
three hours, getting nearer the noun
tains all the time, and finally in them.
Up narrow valley clear to Oberam-
mergau. The coloring was marvellous
and SO much of it as the trees are
thick all over these mountains. 1t
couldn't have been nicer time of
the year to see it.
When we arrived we were lucky in
getting a small boy beautiful child
about IL years old, with long light
hair to his shoulders) to take us to
Mayr's home-the other end of the
town. 1t is lovely little place-all
wind streets, SO that we get lost
every time we start out. We have
never come home twice the same way
from town (Which is only few hum
dred feet away. 1t is very clean look
ing evidently all houses are painted
the year of. the play. They are either
white or tan-two or three stories
|high-often with balconies around the
second story. There are quite a good
many stores, but most of the business
is in post cards and pictures and Gu
rios. This house of Guido Mayr's is
at one corner of the town. We have
a lovely corner room-one window
looks out on mountain, the other
two on the little church where the
whole village worships. There is a
beautiful little grave yard all around
this-but we can't see that from here,
as there are other houses between
There is an apple tree at one of our
windows and the fruit makes the
room so fragrant. There is also a
pear tree near, and chickens and geese
below. There are four sections to the
house, three stories high. One-fourth
is Guido Mayr's, one-fourth be-
longs to the man who plays Peter"
one-fourth to another family, and the
fourth quarter is barn.
We talked some to Mayr and his
wife, but they speak no English, and
my German is not very fluent, but 1
manage to make myself understood
usually, tho I must say it takes a
long time sometimes. They are very
simple people. Mayr is wood carver,
and they haven't as much as many
others in the town, I imagine They
have five sweet children-all girls,
who are in one or two of the tableaux
of the play, and one mob scene The
youngest is four and the Oldest fif-
for meals those two days-over half
Americans. The family all eat some
where else-the kitchen, l suppose.
We were awakened at $50 a. M,
Sunday morning by the church bell
then at 500 they added few more
chimes and played louder, and at 6:15
with full force. We got up about $50,
had breakfast and went to the play
little before eight. A cannon booms
as the signal for starting, morning
and afternoon.
1t is impossible to describe the
play. The chorus singing was not 50
good (there were AZ in that, but the
orchestra was. The tableaux ga in
alD were beautiful. Every effect in
color, and arrangement, all thru the
play was wonderfully we'll studied
out.
The costumes are gorgeous and yet
it all seems very simple and natural
almost real. One looks out over
the back of the stage at the trees and
mountains, and as there is no cover
ing over the stage the birds came in
often and flew around singing. The
only part that is covered is the mid
die, where the tableaux are, and
where some of the acting is carried
ION. (Where the crucifixion is in one
of the cards)
Lang was marvellous all the way
thru, and Mary is wonderful act tor.
He has so many soliloquies. Caiap-
has, Magdalene and John were also
very good-in fact they all were. We
are staying over to see it again to-