Nazareth passion play avoids controversy of Gibson film

Roman soldiers bearing torches and spears emerged from an olive grove, shoving and kicking a stumbling Jesus in a Passion play in his boyhood town, starring a local construction worker.

Wary of allegations that Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of the Christ, unfairly portrays Jews as the driving force behind Jesus’ crucifixion, organisers say their Easter Week re-enactment in the Israeli town of Nazareth is not about blame.