A Passion play is a dramatic presentation depicting the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.
Many different retellings of this story have been produced over the centuries. The most famous is that first performed in 1634 and now performed every ten years at Oberammergau in Germany. The villagers vowed that if God spared them from the effects of the bubonic plague then ravaging the region they would perform the story of Christ's Passion every ten years. The play is performed at the start of each decade, i.e. in years ending with a zero. More than 2000 performers take part, and all are residents of the village.
See Oberammergau Passion Play and Anti-Semitism
Passion Play is also the title of a stage play by Peter Nichols, which explores themes of desire and adultery.