THE PASSION PLAY.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8163, 18 April 1895, Page 3

THE PASSION PLAY.

There will b* submitted to tho puMic to night in the Public ll 'ill, by Mr Walter Bentley, one of the nuatourioin and withal interesting exhibitions of this century. There is only one miracle pl»y now in existence in tho world, and it is vory unlikely th.»t wo will be able to witness ir, ■s it takes place only evory 10 yeirt in the village of Ober-Ammergau, in B ivaria. Tho Timaru Herald, in speaking of tho exhibition, after referring to tho crowded state of the house, says : "Mr B^ntiey appeared, and opened the proceedings with an able description of the Passion Play of Ober-Ammergau, a dramatic incident in itself. This ropresentat on of th« Pa a Bion and Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the only survivor of the niincle plays of the inidJle ago«, which in th<>so tunes, when well conducted, must have been a valuable means of religious instruction. His ory relates that they wera extremoly ill-conducted, and deserved their fate of abolition. The solo survivor of tho speciss, judging by the account Mr Bentley gave of ifc, or by tho beautiful limelight pictures representing sconea in it, deserves to survive, and deserves ito fame. The selected Eceues as thrown up tho screen indicated a drama of intensest interest, and the knowledge of the theme which everyone m«y be supposed to possess, made them also intensely lutertS'iug ; while Mr Bonfey'a dramatic power enabled him to render the desciipiive remarks upon the scenes, mid tho translations from the drama and choruses with excellent effect. We are aware that objection was raised in Chris'church to such a subject being lectured upon ; but that waa before the Kcture was given. It is Impjssihlo to imagine anyouo who has heard tho lecture and Been the pictures raising an objection. The pictures were excellent, especially the pori raits of tho chief acton in the play in its last production of 1890, and that of the Ctuciflxion. Ap»rt from ita subject and the conditions of its production, Mr Berkley's lec'ure shows that the Ober-Ammergau Pasbion Play is the greatest spectacular diama ever produced on any stage. A grejt oOect was created when with magnificent declamation Mr Btntley do* scribad the appalling conflict of nature at the de»th of Jesus — the lightning flished round the Cross, and then all was darkness and gloom.