Pledge and Play

What's the story with the little village of Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps? For nearly 400 years, the people who live here have performed the Passion of Christ every ten years. All together. Grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren all join each other on stage. They are fulfilling a vow once made by their ancestors to stave off the plague. This book sets out to discover why the villagers' enthusiasm for theatre has endured to this day. It takes a look behind the scenes and accompanies the creation of the 2022 Passion Play with its 2,400 participants. In a series of conversations, the author explores their motivations, special rituals such as the Hair and Beard Decree and theatre life in times of the coronavirus pandemic. And why giving up is not an option.

Anne Fritsch lives and works as an author and cultural journalist in Munich.

Autorentext
Anne Fritsch lives and works as an author and cultural journalist in Munich.

Inhalt
Prologue
von Anne Fritsch / Seite 9

Oberammergau
von Anne Fritsch / Seite 14

Collective theatre
von Anne Fritsch / Seite 29

Guilt and atonement
von Anne Fritsch / Seite 40

Performing = belonging
von Anne Fritsch / Seite 58

Bubbling under
von Anne Fritsch / Seite 71

The end as beginning
von Anne Fritsch / Seite 85

Making-of
von Anne Fritsch / Seite 103

Jesus Christ superstar
von Anne Fritsch / Seite 135

Backstage
von Anne Fritsch / Seite 146

The new plague
von Anne Fritsch / Seite 160

Time for utopias
von Anne Fritsch / Seite 172