Jesus, Judas and even the donkey are rehearsing for Ballylinan’s passion play

Jesus reads his lines on his daily commute from Laois to Dublin. Mary Magdalene's day job is organising the National Ploughing Championships. And every second male in Ballylinan is sporting a bushy beard. It's all part of the preparations for the mammoth passion play which is staged by a small community in Co Laois every few years.

The three-hour retelling of the Easter story, starting with Jesus arriving in Jerusalem and ending with his resurrection, has been sold out whenever it has been staged. The latest run will open on Friday, March 27th, and the crown of thorns is primed for action.

Anna Marie McHugh, who plays Mary Magdalene, says this is the sixth time the people of Ballylinan and surrounding areas have staged the production. Its last run was in 2010 to sell-out audiences, and even more locals are involved this time. "We've nearly 200 people involved, between cast and crew, ranging in age from four to over 80," she says.

“Over half the cast is under 40, which is amazing. They’ve been coming to rehearsals two nights a week since before Christmas and now it’s stepped up to three nights a week. Even Molly the donkey attends the rehearsals and is now adroit at entering and leaving the stage, thanks to some tasty bribes.”

Stage mechanics

It even rains during the crucifixion scene but how that happens is akin to the third secret of Fatima, and McHugh won’t divulge the mechanics.

Farmer Pascal Lacey played Jesus on the last occasion but, in an act of betrayal, he will don the sandals of Judas this time.

McHugh says the part of Jesus is "mentally and physically draining" because he is scourged, has to carry the cross and is hung on it. So for those big parts we have two people in the role and they do it every second night." Teacher and farmer John Mulhare is the commuting Jesus referred to earlier while the second Jesus is played by Robert Moran, a travel agent from Athy.

The late Irish Times journalist Seán MacConnell saw the play in 2010 and wrote that many people were openly weeping at the end. McHugh says it's not just the audience. "When Christ is taken from the cross and we embalm him, we would actually cry. You get drawn into it. It may be three hours but the time goes so quickly."

All faiths and none

She says people from all faiths and none are involved. “They call it the greatest story ever told and it is really a phenomenal story, whether you are an atheist or whatever you are.”

It is based on the passion play staged every 10 years in Oberammergau in Germany. That has been running since 1634, after the villagers promised they would produce a play depicting Jesus if God spared them war and bubonic plague.

The play opens on Friday 27th March at St Ann’s Hall, Ballylinan, and runs until Good Friday. Facebook.com/ PassionPlayBallylinan