Oberammergau Passion Play 2010

The 2010 Oberammergau Passion Play opened this week and it was both an immense privilege and an exercise in endurance to sit through the magnificent efforts of the villagers.

Since 1633, every ten years, the community in this superb village have produced a vivid portrayal of Jesus’ last days – though modern efforts are predictably more commercial, organized and glossy than in previous generations.

The weather for the opening in the “open air” stadium on Saturday was foul – freezing cold driving winds for almost 7 hours in pretty upright seats with hardly any leg room could be regarded as a penance. But by Sunday the clouds had cleared and the cold was nothing a thick blanket couldn’t deal with.

Over 1000 local residents take part in the drama. They play on stage, sing, have a place in the orchestra or work behind the scenes.

Many of the local men look distinctly middle eastern because they have grown their hair and beards.

What works at Oberammergau is the sense of space – the context of the passion – the doves and camels and horses and sheep – all adding to the sense of harsh reality.

And the actual scene of crucifixion is also very moving – with atmospheric lighting.

My main reservations about the overall experience concerns first, the pace of the production and then the theological interpretation applied to the blending of the four Gospel accounts. The portrayal of Judas and Pilate needs a lot of discussion. Someone should start a blog on this.

The production is very slow: it has no movement. Instead the principal characters and chorus saunter on and off as if there is no concern other than to get to the next scene. Only rarely does an actor show some sense of light and shade in movement and the choreography of the chorus which introduces each tableaux and act needs urgent revision. It is soporific.

I think it is because that it is delivered in German throughout the almost 7 hours that an English ear starts to raise pertinent questions about some of the important dialogue.

“What is Mary going on about?,” I found myself asking in the 6th hour as the Mother of our Lord had huge chunks of dialogue to deliver at the point of crucifixion: “It’s him. It is my son. It is my Jesus. Ah, I see you this way, led to death like a criminal between criminals. Lord, why have you hidden yourself in the clouds; no prayer pierce them. You have turned him into scum and garbage among the nations.”

This kind of made up dialogue with no biblical precedent eventually starts getting to even the most liberal of theologians as the seat becomes more uncomfortable and the wind howls around your legs.

But let’s be positive. A passion play almost fully booked between May and October attracting 4000 people every performance from all over the world is a great thing – a massive boost to our post Christian culture.

Each and every one of those taking part do their utmost to depict the eternal truth of the life of Jesus.

It just could be a bit tighter and move with a bit more vivacity. But I’ve been to Oberammergau and I will always remember the experience for many different reasons.