London Promoters Withdraw from Showing ‘passion Play’ in Britain

The Board of Deputies of British Jews yesterday unanimously adopted a resolution “condemning any member of the Jewish community who in any way and for any consideration, is associated with the promotion of the Oberammergau Passion Play,” an adaption of which is scheduled to be presented in several British cities early next year. The play libels the Jewish people as decides.

The resolution included the phrase that the board “respects the rights of all religious communities to present their lore and tradition in dramatic form.” It was made clear by the board that it will have no further communication with promoters in Britain who are producing the Passion Play.

Following the adoption of the Board of Deputies resolution, two of the three Jewish impresarios associated with the production in England — Brian Epstein, manager of the Beatles, and Vic Lewis — announced last night that they would withdraw completely from all plans to promote the Passion Play here. Also associated with the production is Philip Solomons, director of Dunedin Theatrical Promotions, Ltd. In announcing his withdrawal, Mr. Epstein said that under no circumstances would he wish to give offense to Jewish communities here or elsewhere in the world. Mr. Solomons said that substitute agents for the Passion Play had been arranged in place of NEMS Enterprises, with which he, Mr. Epstein and Mr. Lewis are connected.

(Despite the protests of Jewish organizations against the Passion Play in Oberammergau. an overwhelming majority of the citizens of the German town rejected any change in the play’s text, it was reported today. The rejection came after a “so-called” poll was conducted in Oberammergau.)

The original play which depicts the life, trial and crucifixion of Jesus, is produced every 10 years by the Bavarian village of Oberammergau, in a version which has regularly drawn charges of anti-Semitism. Eleven leading American cultural personalities joined last Thursday with the American Jewish Congress in calling for a world boycott of the next presentation in Oberammergau in 1970. The villagers, who sponsor and produce the Passion Play, have never permitted staging of their version elsewhere. However, an adaptation has been written by a German actor and director, Jochen Blume.