PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1900, 3 July 1890, Page 39

PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

miracle, Mystery, anil Passion Plays, During the past few weeks a dozen or more telegrams have appeared referring to Sarah Bernbardt, the French actresss, and to tbe production of miracle and passion playa in Oberammergau, a oountry village of Bavaria. About 200 years ago tbe inhabitants of this village made a vow that a Scriptural play should be given every 10 years. That vow has been fulfilled from then to now. I do not know how they arrange affairs in Oberammergau, but one given in the Tyrol 20 years ago began at 9 in the morning and lasted till 4 in the afternoon, an hour's interval being allowed for refreshments. Three hundred performers took part, and the play was produced in 16 acts. It Beams that Sarah Bernbardt wanted to produce one of these plays in Paris ; Bhe was to appear as the Virgin Mary, while one of tbe principal aotors was to take tbe part of Christ, The Government, however, refused to allow the play to be acted, so tbe aotors simply appeared in costume and read their parts. The representation waa a failure, for in a short time the audience became noisy and inattentive, and the " Divina Sarah " fled from the stage in tears. THE ORIGIN OF THESE PLAYS. It is my intention this week to give a brief outline of the origin of these plays. Though we know that Scriptural plays were produced about 1400 years ago, we nned not go further back than the time of Stephen. As tho people were uneduoated, the priests found it necesßary to teaoh Bible history by representing the charaoterß they referred to in the service. Instead of reading a chapter before the sermon as we do now, the priest would announoe tbe chapter and tbe Bible characters would appear, and aot also when possible. When the representation took the part of the reading lesson, it was called a Mystery play, because it generally had reference to some portion of the New Testament ooncerned with a mysterious subject, such as the Incarnation, the Atonement, or the Resurrection. These playa soon bsoame very popular — so muoh bo that the churohyard became necessary to hold the congregation ; but as the church yards received considerable damage from the orowds it beoame the custom to act them in the fields or streets. The stage generally consisted of three platforms, one above another. On the top sat God and the angels ; on the second the glorified saints ; and on the last and lowest tbe people still living were represented. On one side of the lowest platform waa hell's mouth, generally a monstrous head of a wbale painted on linen, resembling a dark pitchy cavern. Sometime.*, however, the jaws opened and Bbut, showing when open the Bmoke and flames enveloping the devil and all who had fallen into his clutches. The aotors were generally dressed in oharaoter, wore gloves, and were paid according to the length of their parts. God was dressed in a coat of white leather, the Virgin in puro white linen, and the devil wore wings and a closely-fitting leather dress trimmed with hair and feathers, and ending in claws over tbe hands and feet. Those who were saved wore white leather; those who were lost had blackened iaoes, and wore a linen dress dashed with tongues of red, black, and yellow paint, to suggest flames and smoke. To make tbeir tormeats appear more real the tormented souls rattled their chains and treated the audience to hideous yellinga and noises to indicate how they were tortured by the relentless) demons. Among tho old acoount books kept in the olden days we find some relating to these playa containing such items as : Paid to Crowe for making three worlds, 3s ; item, paid for paintinf? hell moi-.th, 2d ; item, p.^id for keeping tho fire at hell mouth, 4d ; pftid for setting the world on fire, sd ; paid to Herod, 3s 4d ; paid to God, 2s ; item, paid to two angels, 81 ; paid to the demon, 161; item, paid to (ho devil and Judas, 18d ; oheverel (that is a poruke or wig) for God; and another item rofe-B to a payment for & link to Bot the world abloz6. I Bupp.oße you know a link was the torch that waß oarried by bnys to puido ppoplo nfter dark before tbe afreets were lighted with ; 'gas,

After a time the laity assisted the olergy in the getting up of the plays, and finally got the displays all in their own hands. When this was brought about each trade or guild would get up a particular portion of Scripture, and by oomb'ning the whole of the Bible could ba presented to an audience. The spectator would take his plaoe as early aa 6 in the morning, at windows, or upon a scaffolding, wherever they could see best, and at the timo appointed a great decorated stage on six wheels to represent creation would be drawn up before them. Then for as long as eight days a succession of guilds or trades would represent the sceneß and oharaoters of Soripture. Here is a list of a few of the 42 Coventry plays that were represented in this way :— "The Fall of Luoifer," "The Creation and Fall, and the Death of Abel," " Noah's Flood," "The Histories of Lot and Abraham," " Balaam and his Asa," "The Salutation and the Nativity," "The Play of the Shepherds," "Lazarus," " Christ's Entry into Jerusalem," " The Lord's Supper and Christ's Betrayal," " The Passion of Christ," "The Cruoifixion," "The Harrowing of Hell " — this ie taken from the Gospel of Nicodemu.i, not included in our Bible, and represented Christ descending into Hell, to raleasa Adam and the other saints— "The Resurrection of Christ," "Christ's Ascension," "Oa the Appearance of Anti'Ohrist," " On the Last Judgment."

Though moat of us would not care to see what is so sacred to us represented on. the stage, yet in those days it waa perhaps the best way of teaching the people Bible storieß. lam afraid, however, that the buffoonery and loose conversation indulged in spoilt to a groat extent the good effect of tho representations. THE PASSION PJ&AT AND SHEPHERDS 1 PLAY

are the playa now occasionally represented in Catholic countries. On Good Friday, in past times, the acenps of the "Passion" were represented ; on Easter Day, " The Resurreotion " ; on Christmas Morn " The Nativity " was represented ; and on Christmas Eve the " Shepherds' PJays," "In the first shepherds' play simple shepherds were represented talking together sometimes of the hardships of the poor, and sometimes of the wrongs to be righted ; then came one who was a oamio shepherd, and jesting began, with wrestling, and some other rough sport. After that eaoh would bring out his supper. They were shepherds of the same country with the spectators of the play. Jests hating been made over the rude feaßt, there floated through the air from conoealed ohoristers the songs of the angels. At first the shepherds were still in thf>ir jesting mood, and mimicked the siDgiog, then they became filled with religiouß awe, went with their rustic gifta to the stable in which the infant lay, and, after they had made their offerings, rose up exalted into saints." Such is the description of a shepherds' play taken from Morley'a "English Literature."

MB MORALIT* PLAY. As people became more refined they objected to bo muoh tomfoolery being mixed up with religious matters, and the Biblical narrative was omitted, its place being taken by qualities being acted. One would ropreaent virtue, another Truth, and bo on. But to entice many who would not come to see a soberly-acted play the Devil was introduced, and he was being continually teased by Vioe. His sable majesty uaod, however, to have revenge on Vioe at times by carrying him off— not willingly, you ma.y bo sure -to the lower regions. COMEDY AND TBAGBDY. From the Morality play developed Comedy and Tragedy, the former from tno boisterous fan and humour of the Devil and the Vice, the latter from the sober and seriouß qualities. You will now have a very fair idea of the development of the drama from the time of Stephen up to the time of Elizabeth. With this I'll stop, hoping you have got a few good essays ready to forward to me, on the subject I referred to a couple of weeka ago.