FROM OBERAMMERGAU

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1930, Page 17 (Supplement)

FROM OBERAMMERGAU

A PASSION PLAY PATRON.

(By

“Faifekou.”)

These striking impressions are from

the. pen of a girl ’ who was one of the many English visitor's, to Oberammergau during .the presentation ; by the natives of the passion play for which the village •is renowned. They were received by a New Plymouth resident, an old friend of the,'writer. / " J'" “I have 'just ■ returned from Oberanif mefgau. It is really too. wonderful 0 des-cri.be,’ but I will do . iny best, ) “We went from Innsbruck -in. a motor bus, about 45 miles, the first part of the way winding up the'mountains; then a good way bn the top, surrounded by fields- with every -imaginable ' flbwet—a ‘ perfect - blaze; 1 longed ’to stop ’ arid have a good look at them) We arrived at Oberammergau about 5.15 and got into a ' priceless waggonette with , various other people and drove up the village to’find’ our lodging houses. ■’ “Three of us were at quite a large hotel for Oberammergau and two at a smaller one. I was bitterly disappointed as I had hoped to be in an ordinary house with one of the actors. The' 1 best our place could produce was.one of the crowd, and a surly one at- that. “There were crowds of people walking about the streets so we joined the throng, looked at everythjng .and admired the men’s long hair. Most of them had fine, thick, wavy hair—the envy of all the ladies. After supper wo wandered out again arid bought a few things from Peter Rend, who is taking the part of Peter. In ’9O and 1900 he was John and in TO Joseph of Arimethea. He was a fine man with a delightful face -and a very nice daughter who couldn’t act as she was married. Then we went in search of the English church, a most elusive place, and though we got very near we didn’t find it thatnight.lnstead we 'came on the most splendid, yodelling concert and we were all enthralled. One of the men had the fun-

niest face I have ever seen; it made one laugh to look.at him. ■ .- • : “The big church bell rang at 4.30 a.m. and .after that there was noise.all the time. We went to a celebration at 5.30 and there were a tremendous number of people. * One service in a small room with a good many outside, including ourselves, and another , service gbifig on at the same time outside and round the corner. It was alt very unconventional . . . , one’heard cow bells ringing in .the distance and then the big church bell again for Mass at 6 o’clock. We looked in at' the Mass on' bur way back as we’d been told it was verylovely, and so it was; they sang beautifully. ’ \ • ‘‘Wo had breakfast and went down to the theatre about 7;50. The performance ■began punctually with the orchestra pldying. It was below the stage, so one was not distracted by seeing it. The theatre itself is a wonderful place, absolutely simple and plain and completely sufficient. The'chorus was amazing and sang wonderfully well. They all had white albs and blue-grey cloaks, which exactly toned with the curtain at the •back. Gold filets were roundytheir heads and, of course, they all had long hair. The women had their’s down. They stood absolutely still and sang gloriously. When the tableaux were shown they just divided and afterwards drew back. For two scenes, at the time of the crucifixion and burial, . they all changed into black cloaks, which was most impressive. . ' “The tableaux were superb. I felt as if I had to keep on saying to 'myself that they really were people and not wax, as they looked. They never moved a fraction and were marvellously grouped. I don’t feel that I can say anything about the play itself; it was too wonderful. From the entry into Jerusalem up to the Ascension there was not one thing that jarred, though at times it was so well done that , one felt it was more than one could bear. One thing it did bring out very much; what an awful position poor Peter was in when he denied the Lord! The Bible does not give a very graphic description but here Where one saw all the soldiers, rather mocking, it was most frightfully real and understandable. Pilate was verygood and it seemed such a pity that he gave in. I don’t believe anyone could see it and go away untouched. That is all I have to say about Oberammergau except that we had a very pretty walk in* the evening, and I wished wo had been staying longer.

“The other thing I must say something about is a procession we saw at Cologne. .It was Corpus . Christi. We had rooms in a hotel looking out on the cathedral, so it was the best view possible. Masses of police? arrived before 8 a.m. and made praying very difficult. Many. people were bustling about and now and then three .priests in cope, tunicle and dalmatic with attendant ■boys and men would disappear into the cathedral. About 9 o’clock the small processions got more or less together and went off down a street which was strewn with green leaves. And then, came the moat magnificent procession I am ever likely to see. “Two boys in red and white carrying lanterns and another a processional cross preceded three priests clad as above. Following were about a dozen men in evening dress, carrying black wands about the length of walking sticks with glass cups .on top, -and a candle inside. This was repeated again and again—and oh, the -copes I As they progressed down the street the sun shone full on them and they glittered and sparkled like gold. “Then the choir came out, walking In a sort of square, with the boys ail in Bailor suits and the men in black, and the choir-master walking in front waving his. baton. Then came about 44) little boys in red cassocka and cottars, 40 in blue cassocks and another 40 or so in red—and, <?f ooursr, the blue and gold canopy held over th® priest and his attendantfl who earned the Host. They were followed by what wo imagine were students of th® tjn- ( versify; anyhow three young mew In very smart uniform, tho centre carrying ft huge flag, and all doing Jhc goose-step, with ft collection of others behind them in ordinary dress and all , . , carrying a certain coloured chu-’* >, ( : .j. -q