- Difficulties in studying theatre historyo Extant- lack of existenceo Language barrier- outdated termso Broad generalizations versus in deptho Focusing on Western Theatreo Large generalizations about time and geographieso Ephemeral form and limited extant material- Sources of info Greek Theatreo Extant texts, famous vase, commentaries, visual art, archeological remains- Globe Theatreo deWitt drawing of Swan Theatre, Washington Crossing the Delaware, renderings- Origins of Western Theatreo Invented by Greeks, ritual theorieso Gerald Else’s Great Man Actor thespis- enacted role of God Playwright Aeschylus- dithyramb, introduced second actor- Greek Worldo Political structure- democracy, city/stateo Athens- artistic, Sparta- military, Delphi- magico Religion- polytheistic, Gods interacted with humanso Cultural values- competition, wisdom, reason, rhetoric, oratoryo Dionysus- god of wine, fertility, revelryo Occasional and competitive Tragedy means ‘goat song’ Festival dedicated to theatre After- 3 festivals/year, 3 tragedies plus 1 satyr play = tetralogy Audience- whole polis- Theatre as Civic Dutyo Choregos- house, feed, train chorus actorso Theoric Fund- free tickets for poor Athenians- Three types of playso Tragedy, satyr, comedyo Tragedy Oedipus- thinks he can change the prophecy- kill father and save mother, outsmart gods Tragic hero, fatal flaw, gods are heroes, part of trilogy, based on historical/mythical stories, feature kings/queens/gods Teaches audience lesson and allow them to release emotions Aristotle’s Poetics- Pity and fearo Comedy Crazy, happy, idea Lystrata- women decide to not have sex with husbands to make them stop the war Humor comes from sex jokes, satires of famous people, scatological/potty jokeso Satyr Play Feature goat/man, written to accompany tragedies, parodied mythical stories, only one extant satyr play- Cyclopso Thousands of plays written but only 32 tragedies, 12 comedies survive from 4 playwrights- Thespis- playwrightso Aeschyus- introduced 2nd actoro Sophocles- most successful, introduced 3rd actoro Euripides- least popularo Aristophanies- ancient comedies w extant plays- Theatre Practiceo Actors- all men, max of 3, exempt from militaryo Chorus- between 50- 14 men, spoke in unison Characters in play, townspeople in Oedipus, source of discussion w/ protagonist, provide spectacle- Physical Theatreo Theatron- seeing place, where audience sitso Orchestra- dancing placeo Skene- building at back of stage, façade stage, backdrop for stageo Parados- entrywayso Thymde- altar- Special effectso Mechane- crane standing behind scene, fly in godso Ekkyklema- revolving/rolling platform behind skene doors- Music- flute or harp- Costumeso Tragedy- robes and accessories to show charactero Comedy/satyr- padded body suit, males wore phallis- Rome to the Renaissanceo Greek, Roman, Medieval, Renaissance- Roman Theatreo Roman built up from ground level, higher than greek, greek built into hillsideo Scenae frons- closed theatre, ornamented front of building of stage, audience always lookino Vitruvius- roman architect, wrote on Architectureo Comic Playwright- platutus- influential Terrence- 6 plays, used greek material, everyday languageo Tragedian- Seneca- all adapted by greek originals, may not have been publically presented, famous for rhetoric and aphorism, violent and sensationalo Spectacle entertainment- chariot racing, horse racing and o Fall of Rome Military over-extended, mercenaries revolted, administration broke down, raiding barbarians attacked infrastructure, church was left to pick up the pieceso Decline of empire/ rise of Christian Initially illegal to be Christian in Rome Were among persecuted groups Constantine made it legal to be Christian Emperor deposed, pope Gregory to pick up the pieces- Medieval Theatreo Trends in Anti-theatricalismo Plato’s republic- theatre is lying and distracts us from what is trueo Terullian- theatre is a mob enjoying violent spectacleo Renaissance critics- theatre is the body on display for saleo English and American- theatre is a waste of time and moneyo Church theatre? Medieval opposed, not possible Eventually starts to use performance Morality play- virtue and how to love, allegorical, everyman/mankind main character Mystery- stories from Bible or lives of saints, part of festivals, passion plays- Renaissance- rebirtho Begins in Italy and spreads throughout Europeo Greek and Roman ideas are rediscoveredo Printing press and travel spread ideaso Rediscovering theatrical lit and relearning Greeko Plays discovered- archeology, libraries, ottoman and Arab worlds- Neoclassical unitieso People wanted of follow Aristotle’s rules Unity of Action, unity of place, unity of time- Renaissance Academieso From lit to practice- Perspective sceneryo Take vitreous add perspective scienceso Scenic design invented by renaissance artists and trick of the eye designs- tragic, comic, pastoral- Who pays for theatreo Greek and roman- civically fundedo Medieval- church or charity fundedo Renaissance- wealthy men- Professional theatreo Comedia del arte- theatre of the professionalo Arte- skill, craft, technique, professionalo Commedia erudite- theatre of academies- Commedia del Arteo First modern professional theatre and first professional actresso Dominant theatre form in Europe for 200 yearso From London to Moscowo Translation tours and royal court visits- Lady Believed Deado Scaramuccia- physical style, slap stick, masks- Shakespeareo Born 1564 in Stratford, father was glover and alderman, King Edwards IV Schoolo Marries Anne Hathawayo Theatre in London Develops from religious plays and commedia del arte Theatres outside city limitso Queen Elizabeth, then King James becomes ‘The Theatre”o Lord Chamberlain’s Men become the Kings Men Originally housed at the Theatre then built the Globeo Theatre architecture All outdoor theatres Mysterious Ways we know- drawings, diary, archaeology Multi-sided, 3 tiers of seating, tiring house for change of clothes and scenery, area for audience to stand- Shakespeare Playso 600 English Ren. Plays extant, he wrote 38o published in quartos and folioso What he wrote- comedies (chaos to order), tragedies (order to chaos) and histories, problem plays/romanceso Iamb- unstressed syllable followed by stressed- iambic pentameter- Private speeches to Audienceo Aside- to others onstageo Soliloquy- alone
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