passion play

passion play (plural passion plays)

1. A play depicting the Passion of Christ.
2. Any analogous religious story of the suffering, death, and resurrection of other gods or goddesses, or of the martyrdom of holy people, such as the Muslim tazia.
   • 1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 46:

     The mysteries of Osiris were celebrated as a passion play, the subject being the sufferings, passion, death and resurrection of Osiris.

3. An overly dramatic depiction or enaction of something, especially when not usually dramatic.

• mystery play
• nativity play