What makes The Oberammergau Passion Play such an unmissable event?
22 October 2021
We’ve heard of famous plays and popular musicals running for decades, but The Oberammergau Passion Play smashes them all out of the park with a legacy that spans almost 400 years. (Step aside The Mousetrap and Les Misérables!)
What is it then, that makes The Oberammergau Passion Play such an unmissable event? Read on to find out!
When was The Oberammergau Passion Play first performed?
Let’s rewind a few hundred years...to as far back as 1633. We’re in Oberammergau (a tiny Bavarian village set in the luscious Ammer valley, around an hour from Munich) and the Bubonic Plague has swept the entire region. The inhabitants of the village come up with a plan… they will perform a play dedicated to the life and death of Jesus Christ every ten years from now until the end of time. In exchange, they ask that God spares them from the plague.
Shortly after they made this pledge, the death rate started to decrease and the villagers fulfilled their promise. The first performance in 1634 took place at the cemetery next to the parish church. It was performed on the graves of the plague victims on a simple wooden construction. Since then, the residents have kept up the tradition every ten years*, moving to more elaborate open-air theatres as the years went on.
*With the exception of the 1770 cancellation (when the Roman Catholic Church banned all passion plays) and the 1920 postponement (rescheduled to 1922 while they were recovering economically from the First World War). The play was also cancelled in 1940 due to World War II, and postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic...meaning the next performance will be next year, in 2022!
What is The Oberammergau Passion Play about?
The Passion Play depicts Christ’s journey into Jerusalem, as well as His death and resurrection, and includes everything from spoken dramatic text, complete with musical and choral accompaniment. There are even tableaux vivants (living images), which are scenes from the Old Testament portrayed by motionless actors paired with a verbal description that allows for pausing and reflecting.
As there is so much to cover, the performance lasts for 5 hours (divided into two 2.5 hour parts with a 3-hour meal break in between. Dinner is included).
Who is in The Oberammergau Passion Play?
The production includes over 2,000 performers, musicians, and stage technicians - all of whom are residents of Oberammergau (more than quarter of the village's population). It is a great honour to perform in the show and many residents live and breathe theatre as they grow up, meaning that Oberammergau certainly doesn't suffer from a lack of new talent!
How can I watch The Oberammergau Passion Play?
The play is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and we’ve got tickets to the next one! If you fancy attending this incredible cultural event then our Vienna, the Tyrol & the Oberammergau Passion Play 2022 getaway is the perfect bucket-list break for you!
Departing next September, our ten-day trip includes plenty of fascinating excursions including a train journey on the Achensee Steam Railway, an Achensee Boat Cruise, a guided city tour of Vienna, visits to Innsbruck & Salzburg and - the highlight of our break - a ticket to the Oberammergau Passion Play. Don’t miss out on this incredible coach holiday!