Shaving off limits in Oberammergau ahead of Passion Play

Ash Wednesday brought in a new rule for many of the residents of a small town in Germany’s south — haircuts and shaving are now forbidden.

It’s been a long time in the making, but preparations for Oberammergau’s famous Passion Play got underway in earnest on Wednesday, more than a year out from their next performance, Germany’s dpa news agency reported Wednesday. Some 2,400 of the town’s 5,000 residents will perform the famous recreation of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus in May next year. 

Those looking to keep their hair on the short side have enlisted to play Roman soldiers — requiring a clean shave — or stagehands and members of the orchestra. There’s been “quite a run on the Roman roles,” according to play director Christian Stückl. He’s had 400 applications for the 60 Roman characters.

A scene from the 2010 production of the Passion Play

The only other exception is the apostle John, who was too young to have a beard.

Cengiz Görür, who is playing Judas, has just had a fresh shave, but the 19-year-old said he’s confident he won’t be betrayed by slow-to-grow-facial hair. “It’ll come,” he said, adding that the first performance is not until May 2020.

But with each main role having two actors to share the 3-month season, Martin Schuster, the second actor playing Judas has a problem. For members of the

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/shaving-off-limits-in-oberammergau-ahead-of-passion-play/a-47799537