The Apostles

Jesus enters Jerusalem with his faithful disciples

For some reason, the twelve apostles are sometimes the hardest roles to fill. We have a few key roles for Judas and Saints Peter, John and James, but the other eight apostles are also named.
Their role is to be with Jesus in his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, witness the healing of the blind beggar and attending the Last Supper. Their main lines are denying they will abandon Jesus in his hour of need.
After the Last supper they are utilised as support for the smaller groups of Veronica, Mary, Mary Magdalene and St John, and other marshalling. It is an important role and we often need to volunteer people on the day.

The disciples watch the first Consecration

This year we were three apostles short so I quickly welcomed one man that had been brought by one of the actors. "But I'm not Catholic," he said.
"Then this will be a great experience," I replied, leading him to the costume room. He did a great job playing the part and told me he enjoyed the experience. "You will certainly have something different to tell everyone when you get back!"
The remaining two apostles I "volunteered" the same way.
"Hello," I said to one as I was introduced, "You know, you would make a great apostle. Why not see the play from the inside? Come with me."

Not I Lord, I will not betray you.

Every part is an important piece in the story that makes up the Passion of Our Lord. When we hear or read about the Last Supper of Palm Sunday we can now see a collection of men following and with Jesus. We are all brave before the time of the trial and confident of our strength in standing for what's right.
The apostles show us that even though we may fail at the time of trial, we can rise again and be greater, learning from the failure.

We will stand by you

Listening to the words of Jesus

Caiaphas and the Chief Priests

Ciaiphas and the chief priests watch Jesus get brought before them

Caiaphas and the Chief Priests are the first actors that open the Re-enactment of Our Lord's Passion, as they plot the arrest of Jesus and meet with Judas. The actor has played the role of Caiaphas for the last five years and has brought the role to life with a passionate performance, especially his very animated and physical "encouragement" of the Romans to do their job. There are many lines to remember as they are in the betrayal scene where Judas agrees to hand over Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, then the trial at the House of Caiaphas and the various appearances before Pilate, forcing Pilate to bend to their will.

You have one job to do, Roman!

Watching the Jewish guards do their job

When played skillfully, as our actor has done, you can see the interplay between Pilate, who believes that he is in charge as the Romans conquered Jerusalem militarily, and Caipahas who knows that the Romans are only a temporary phenomenon and he is really in charge.
The two chief priests this year were late to the role but performed admirably. Their lines were supporting and interacting with Caiaphas as well as the mocking of Jesus on the cross.

Urging on the Romans as they follow Jesus to the Cross

One key part of the performance is the ad libbing/improvisation that takes place during the Way of the Cross and the Criucifixion scene. While Jesus is being nailed to the cross and raised up, the Jews and Romans banter/trade insults. One example was between the chief priest and the Roman Guard.
Chief Priest (mockingly): "How many Romans does it take to crucify one man?"
Roman Guard, stepping forward, pointing at him: "We have room for one more. Are you ready?"
Chief Priest, stepping back behind the Jewish Guards: "Sorry, I have an appointment tomorrow."

The Chief Priests contemplate on the Way of the Cross

Jesus meets Mary

Early on in the Way of the Cross, Jesus is able to meet his mother, Mary. In our re-enactment we have Mary Magdalene supporting Mary throughout the play with St John the apostle joining them at the trial before the Sanhedrin at the House of Caiaphas.

Jesus meeting Mary

Who hit you this time, Prophet?

Who hit you that time, prophet?

Don't talk to the priests like that!

"Who hit you this time, prophet?" Great improvisations by the Jewish Guards. I think the head guard may be typecast as he is seen for the last few years. I keep seeing him beating up Jesus.

We sometimes hear people in the crowd gasp at the tormenting but it's all part of the play.

Anointed with Blood and Water

The lance in the side of Jesus is very effective

This year's play was the first one that the photographer of this moment attended. She was ready for the moment when the Roman soldier pierced the side of Jesus to check if he was dead. In Scripture blood and water poured from the side of Jesus once the lance priced his side. So we had a special contraption which sprayed a mixture upon hitting the side.
So she placed herself in just the right spot, not realising the full force that was about to be unleashed.
Boom! She got the shot. And the full effect of the blood and water hit her full on.
"Yes!" she cried, wiping her face and equipment, "I got the shot. It was worth the drenching."
The sign of a true professional.

The Centurion and Optio

Watching the locals make a bad job of a simple arrest

This is such a great photo of the Centurion Longinus and Optio Marcus witnessing the arrest in the garden. They did some great improvised ridicule of the challenges the Jewish Guards had in catching an unarmed man. "These peasants!" laughed Marcus as he rested his head on Longinus' shoulder.
"He told you he was Jesus!"
"Just grab him, it's one guy!"
"These guys are pathetic!"
Great stuff.

Truly this man was the Son of God

Just a little longer

The Centurion Longinus has a concerned look at Jesus as they proceed along the Way of the Cross, while the Roman Soldier Agila happily continues to whip the prisoner. This was part of the story arc where the Centurion moves from being a disinterested party to the man who proclaims, "Truly this was the Son of God".

Waiting for Pilate

Waiting for the final sentencing

This photo is "going on the wall". A marvellous moment before Jesus is led out to Pilate by the Centurion with the stained glass scene showing a preview of what is to happen.

Just outside awaits Pontius Pilate looking down on a hostile crowd pondering how he is to avoid trouble.

Crucifixion is a complicated business

Up close with Jesus before being raised on the Cross

Imagine that you are not comfortable with heights, get covered in fake blood and strip down to a loin cloth then voluntarily go onto a Cross that looks down, way down, on thousands of people. It looks very scary, but Jesus has a harness which attaches to the centre of the cross, there are very strong handles which his hands can clasp and the rope also secures his arms. However, it still takes a good level of bravery to take that deep breath and step up.
The new handles we put on the cross and rope supports for his arms helped Jesus really be more secure upon that cross so high above the crowd.

Held up by a very strong, itty bitty handle and a bit of rope.

Jesus is raised up for all to see.

You! Carry His Cross!

You! Carry His Cross!

"You! Carry his cross!" Simon of Cyrene holding on his children's hands as the Centurion Longinus tells him to help Jesus carry his Cross. From that point Simon of Cyrene can be seeing carrying the cross all the way to the crucifixion.

Now that is what I call a Re-enactment!

Bartimaeus the blind beggar

May the Peace of the Risen Christ be with you! Easter is here.

We had a most successful Re-enactment of Our Lord's Passion. After so many months of preparation, sewing machines running hot updating costumes, actors learning lines, sound systems being upgraded and more, there we stood at 11am on Good Friday with microphone in hand: "Welcome to the 2018 Re-enactment of Our Lord's Passion!" And so it began.

How do we measure "success" in regards to our re-enactment?
On one measure you can use crowd numbers, donations, "Likes" and Shares and that would be appropriate if this was just a normal play. Even on that basis our event would certainly be considered a success with somewhere around 5,000 people participating and lots of great feedback and support.
But how do you measure success for a play that tries to be an authentic re-enactment of the Passion of Jesus Christ based on scripture and tradition of the Church? In this case we were told by the Pauline Fathers that many people came back and they were hearing confessions the whole day.
We saw many people following the play and praying along with us.

Crowning with Thorns

Many came up to us after the play thanking us for such an invigorating presentation of our Lord's Passion. Here are some of the early tales we have been told of the day.

One of the biggest challenges with a moving play is the safety of actors, crew and pilgrims as the play moves from scene to scene. We try many methods such as fixed tape and ropes as well as rope held by our marshalls. Enforcement for keeping the crowd back tends to fall towards the soldiers who, like in a theatre restaurant, instruct the crowd to move back for their own safety. Our photographer, eager to get "the photo", allowed a little old lady to sneak past the barriers so she could touch the cloak of Jesus. As the Centurion swung his arm giving orders to his soldiers, this lady who stood upright under his swing moved forward. "What the?" cried the Centurion and firmly moved her back with instructions. I thought she would be concerned at the firm treatment but she was grinning ear to ear and holding her bag telling her family, "I touched his cloak!"

I touched Jesus' Robes!

Some of our Marshalls volunteered to help on the day. Often these had not experienced the fluid intensity of a moving play like this and even though they were holding on to the rope barrier, found themselves sucked into the crowd. When the Centurion or one of the soldiers noticed their lost marshall and we heard the cry, "Get him out of there!" as they reached in and brought him back into line.

Our marshalls and soldiers request people to stay back for their own safety. When the Roman soldiers and Jewish guards broke out into another scuffle we heard the cry, "They're fighting again!" and the crowd suddenly made space. "Please stand back for your own safety," we once more cried as the procession moved on.

I am a King

Is that how you talk to the High Priest?

When Jesus was being scourged, the process started with one Roman making a few lashes. Then he gets moved back with the cry, "Let someone do it properly!" The primary flogging Roman soldier let fly with the whip dipped in the fake blood. Drops of blood flew in an arc and the soft straps struck Jesus with a satisfying slap and Jesus cried out. The crowd stopped chattering with an audible gasp.

One of our new actors had not actually attended the play in past years so this was all an amazing experience. When Jesus was being scourged and mocked, tears came to her eyes, but the Woman of Jerusalem in charge held her and said, "Don't cry yet. We have to call for his crucifixion in the next scene." So she held back her tears and like a trooper joined the crowd calling for Jesus' crucifixion. As she said afterwards, it won't be the same contemplating the story of Jesus' Passion in future.

At the start of the play we made sure the actors and crew knew that this was a "Live" play. That meant no retakes, no pause to re-do the scene, no stepping in to try again. "The play must go on!" we instructed. "After all, the pilgrims haven't read the script and the story won't be affected if your lines are not exact. So long as we get the important bits in the right order, no-one will know." That was good advice.

The Scourging

When Pontius Pilate was  standing majestically on the balcony addressing the crowd, the sign of Roman Superiority detached from the balcony railing and fell to the ground with a crash. Pontius Pliate's eyes opened wide for a brief moment and then he turned his gaze back to the Crowd and Caiaphas and the Jews and continued as if nothing was wrong. The crew quickly removed the sign and all moved on as if this was part of play. We were told afterwards how clever this was, the falling of the sign representing the fall of Roman Justice. The play must go on.

Whose side are you on?

You have one job to do!

Although we have a script which covers all the main dialogue and actions, the flavour comes from the interactions and improvised dialogue of the actors. Insults between the Jews and Romans provided occasional humour too. At the crucifixion, one of the Jewish Chief Priests called out "How many Romans does it take to Crucify someone?" Being sick of their taunts a Roman Guard approached them and said, "I have room for one more. Are you ready?" The Chief Priest stepped back behind the Jewish Guards and replied, "I have an appointment tomorrow and can't today."

We will report further tales as they come to light, but I want to end this post-play post with some heartfelt thanks. When organising an event like this where there are months of preparation involving over 100 cast, crew and support organisations,  the whole thing only works when people do their part. This year worked so well because everyone did their part, no matter how small that part may have appeared. The actors didn't just remember their lines, but they also worked with their fellow actors and added their own ideas for their character. For example, the actor playing the blind beggar Bartimeus had the idea of having a blindfold and sat in his spot near the start of the play, begging for alms for about 20 minutes before the play reached him. Then he improvised with many calls for alms and requests about what the commotion was. It was a great job which really brought out the character of the blind beggar. It may have only been a bit part, but it formed part of the greater whole.
The same applied for each of the roles, from the primary speaking parts through to the behind the scenes actors of the Women of Jerusalem and Apostles before and after the abandonment of Jesus.

I have won the Seamless Garment!

So many people have done their parts and done them well I am very proud to have been able to assist in co-ordinating and directing the play. An event like this generates a great  camaraderie and fellowship and fosters a deeper understanding of not just this critical point in salvation history, but also the very human element that is the point of the whole Passion. Every actor and member of the crew and supporters must know that all the work and effort has been worthwhile to so many people.

Thank you.

The joy of a Dress Rehearsal

Even Gestas, the bad thief, is enjoying the rehearsal

We had the Dress Rehearsal last Saturday and it went very well. It is such an important part of the preparation for the Passion Play and we had over 50 people join in.
The Pauline Fathers held Mass at 8am so anyone that arrived early could start the day off right. Then we gathered at the house to allocate and fit costumes.
There are so many costumes and almost all of them have been repaired, upgraded or re-created this year through the hard work of our team of seamstresses. You can see one of the new thieves gowns on our bad thief, Gestas. Jesus is showing off his new "seamless" gown which he will wear and be gambled off by the soldiers while he is being crucified.

Jesus Wants You

The Women of Jerusalem have a multitude of reasonably coloured outfits, Claudia Procula, the wife of Pontius Pilate, looked stunning in her regal outfit and the support teams looked good in their costumes too.
Once we had all the costumes we travelled to the start of the play at the entrance and began at Scene 1 - Judas makes a deal with Caiaphas and the priests.
As we went through each scene, we reviewed where everyone would stand, how they would interact with each other and spectators, where the sound truck would be, who would have the microphones, discussed the manner of speaking and reacting. All up, it is very important to try out each scene with the other actors so that on the day it all flows much easier.
As scenes grew in intensity such as the arrest off Jesus and corresponding scuffle between the apostles and Jewish Guards, the trial at the House of Caiaphas and the beating up of Jesus by the guards and so on, it became very important to run through the choreography so that everyone knows how to act and react.

Rain can't stop us

In one scene a Jewish Guard lightly pushed someone and that person fell to the ground as if pushed much harder. The two of them had been practicing this but no-one else realised so when the person fell to the ground we all cried out and accused the Jewish Guard of being excessively rough. He looked at us bewildered and said, "What?" and the person who has pushed got up laughing saying, "We wanted it to be more dramatic." I answered, "Well it was. Thanks for the warning."

This illustrated the interactive nature of the dress rehearsal. Throughout the scenes each of the actors often had excellent ideas as to how they wanted to play their parts.
In the majority of cases these ideas are incorporated onto the play.

Claudia Procula walking in the gardens

 That is why the play is different - but the same - every year.
For the first time we were able to practice with the microphones and the sound truck. This meant actors and crew were able to see what the sound would be like and how loud they had to speak and how to hold the microphones. It is such an important thing to make sure the sound works as well as it can. With typically over 5,000 people in attendance, not everyone can be at the front at every scene so the sound quality is an important part of the play experience.

The son of Simon of Cyrene enjoying himself

Some clouds did come across and in a couple of parts we had to bear some rain but it was only in short bursts. As you can see from these sample photos the rain did not dampen the enthusiasm of the actors and crew.
Our audio visual team were also on the job preparing for the day, working to get the best positions between them so they could capture the best images on the day.

Overall we are very happy with how the rehearsal went. We are much more ready for the big day on Good Friday.

If you want to take part, we still have some room for a few apostles, Marshalls, microphone runners and Alms collectors. All of these positions are important as everyone completes their part, whether it is perceived as big or small, and the play goes so much smoother and is an overall better experience.

A gentlemanly Jewish Guard providing rain cover

Women of Jerusalem watching on

Jesus preparing for His Passion

What's in a Walk-Through?

Walking the play

Yesterday we held the important Walk-Through of the Passion Play.
What is the Walk-Through all about?
It is a very useful day whereby we achieve three goals:
1. Make sure we have the appropriate costumes for the actors,
2. Read through the script and have a chance to understand the flow of the scenes and characters and interaction with each set and review actions and motivations of each of the characters in the play,
3. A physical walk through of the play from start to finish so everyone understands where each actor stands, how the crowd interacts and where the sound truck should be. Timing is also reviewed to make sure that each actor knows the cues and where they need to move or speak.

Thank you to all who made the trip. We had a very tasty lunch provided the the Un-Named Cafe at Wingello, fortifying us for the walk on a beautiful summer's day.
The read through was very worthwhile as we were able to gain an understanding of how the play flowed through each of the scenes. A few timing and sequencing issues were uncovered and corrected and we were very happy with the final result.

Testing the thieve's cross

It is really worthwhile reading the WHOLE script and not just your part. The story of the Passion of Jesus is a tale of building up tension, action and stress ending at the conclusion of the crucifixion. Everyone has a role that contributes an important part of the whole story.
Have you considered the role of the Centurion? He ends up announcing, "Truly, this man was the Son of God." How did he get there? You will see the change in the play.
What about Pontius Pilate? Did you realise he tries 3 times to avoid condemning Jesus to death? Passing to Herod, offering Barrabas and Scourging rather than crucifixion. But even with the warning from his wife, Claudia, he still succumbed to the pressure from Caiaphas and the chief priests.
What about Caiaphas? What was in it for him? It's in the script.
Reading through it as a group and discussing the implications was very rewarding for all of us.

Then we went for our walk along each scene. Ariel co-ordinated with the Sound Truck driver to confirm places the truck should be to provide the best sound while avoiding feed-back.
Then it was working with cast and crew where we should place ropes and barriers to ensure maximum audience view and room for the actors to do their thing. At the same time we went through the motions of each scene, from the arrest/fight movements in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus was downstairs or upstairs with Pontius Pilate, where Jesus would fall or just stagger, when the Romans and Jews would scuffle allowing for Mary, Veronica and Simon of Cyrene to meet Jesus. Basically lots of moving parts.
Is that all?

No, there is more, but probably one of the most important parts is the coming together of all the cast and crew, building a rapport and knowing we are all working towards a common goal.

Now more work to do. There's only 3 weeks to go!

Testing the cross