Some 110 actors with speaking parts attended the rehearsal for the play directed by Christian Stückl.

The actors stood far apart and tested first for Covid-19, amid fears about the rapid spread of the new and more transmissible Omicron strain of the virus that have forced many theatres to cap audience numbers.

The first rehearsal had “a lot of question marks,” according to Stückl, who noted it was hard to plan, given the uncertainty about what might happen between now and the premiere that is planned for May 14.

The theatre will decide on the next steps closer to the time, in March. “We just have to get going now and see what comes out,” the director said.

Stückl postponed the play for two years when the pandemic broke out in 2020.

At Thursday’s rehearsal, some chairs stood empty as not all the actors were able to attend, with some just recovering from Covid-19.

Two actors are cast for each role, in case of illness.

The actors were optimistic on Thursday. “It’s important that we get going now,” said Frederik Mayet, who plays Jesus. The second actor cast as Jesus, Rochus Rückel was also hopeful about the premiere, as was Andrea Hecht, cast as one of the actresses to play Mary.

All the actors took antigen tests before the rehearsal, and would do so each time they rehearse, Stückl said. All of the participants must be either vaccinated, recovered or take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

The Passion Play dates back to a vow made by the Bavarian village in 1633 as the plague raged through the region. The people of Oberammergau promised to perform the play every 10 years if no one else died of the plague, a wish that is said to have been fulfilled.