The Passion Play.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 257, 3 May 1895, Page 2

The Passion Play.

♦ The Post saya of the above : — The Opera House was crowded in every part, and large numbers had to be turned away for want of even standing room. The attraction was a lecture upon the Passion Play of Oberammergau, illustrated by a fine series of limelisfht views of the performance of 1890. Mr Walter Bentley delivered an impressive discourse, which was listened to with absorbed interest by the great audience. He told lucidly the story of the wonderful Oberammergau performances, their origin, history, and development, giving personal details regarding the performers, and descriptions of the open-air village theatre and what goes on there every ten years, when the quiet Bavarian Alpine village becomes the scene of a great devotional function, upon which the eyes of the world turn. As the description proceeded, pictures of the performance and performers of the last play were given. They were very fine, and the scene of the Crucifixion was particularly impressive, quite a thrill going through the audience as the lightning play«d around the three figures upon Calvary when the lecturer described in solemn tones the convulsion of nature which occurred when Christ gave up the ghost.