Theatre History: ● Extant: still in existence ● Sources about Greek theatre○ Extant plays○ Archeological remains○ Visual art – primarily vase painting○ Firsthand accounts● Greece: ○ Competition, religious, ritual ○ Sparta = war fighting○ Athens = philosophy, art , literature ○ Delphi = magic, oracles, religious○ Shared characteristics■ Language (Greek)■ Competition■ Polytheistic■ Humanism ■ Valued control of a trained mind and fit body ■ Snobs○ Men:■ Citizen- adult, free, native- born, male, land owner■ Hold political office■ Best love is brotherly love between soldiers■ Away at war○ Women:■ Promiscuous and passionate■ Produce children and run the household■ Supposed to stay home■ Poor women worked the market, wealthy women shopped■ Participated in some religious festivals■ Courtesans attended man parties ■ Could not be a citizen but could pass on citizenship to her son(s)○ City of Dionysia:■ Religious festival■ Every March in Athens■ Celebrates God Dionysia (wine, parties, ferity, theatre)■ Featured dithyramb contests (troop of 50, music- chanting- dancing)■ All extant plays were meant for the City of Dionysia contest■ Archon:● Government official● Selects plays, sponsors and judges● Hands out awards■ Choregous: ● Wealthy citzen● Trains chorus● Civic duty ■ Theatreones● Managed the physical theatre● In charge of tickets, enforcing seating rules■ Physical Shape:● More rectangular● Wooden benches● Hillside● Skene:○ Structure, backstage ■ Special Affects:● Ekkylema- hidden platform● Mechane – crane standing behind the skene – gave us theconcept ‘deus ex machina”■ Costumes:● Masks: actors playing multiple characters, gender, races● Incorporates body language ● Shoes: soft boots for dancing and platform sandals (nobility, tragedy) ○ Dithyrambs:■ Coral hymns with dancing and chanting■ Performed by troops of 50 men or boys■ Early Dionysia contests○ Thespis:■ A dithyramb singer, steps out of chorus■ First actor○ Plays:TskeneGo back and forth [time to change]ParadosParadosOrchestra Theatron■ ragedy● Historical, mythic or heroic stories● Kings, queens, warriors● Hero- tragic flaw leads to downfall● Katharsis- teach audience a lesson● “tragodos” – goat song● 1-3 actors● 12-50 chorus● 5 parts○ Prologus – prologue○ Parados – parade (chorus)○ Epeisodic – episode (talk to each other)○ Stasima – choral performance ○ Exodes – exit ● 4Clothing: robes■ Comedy● Everyday people● Happy idea● Humor from sex jokes, scatological (potty) jokes● Komodia – revel song● Arstospannes – only example of Comedy● Clothing: padded body suits- males wore phallus (birds)■ Satyr play● Part man, part goat● Attendant to Pionysus (loves wine)● Written to accompany tragedies (same playwright)● Parodied mythical stories● One extant satyr play (Cyclops)● Clothing: padded body suits- males wore phallus (birds)○ Playwrights■ Upper class men■ Well educated■ Not making money■ Tragic authors submitted three tragedies plus one comedy ■ 3 playwrights● Aeschylus- 1st tragedy – 2nd actor● Sophocles- hired someone else to act – less formal language – hubris (pride)- 3rd actor ● Euripides – become disillusioned- violent plots – believed man is in control of his own destiny ○ Actors:■ Always men■ Played multiple characters■ Chorus:● Always amateurs● Clothing: All costumed alike- may be human or mythical animal ● Rome○ Philosophy, rhetoric○ Entertainment ○ Para Theatricals:● Mimes, gladiatorial combats, Bestiarii, Naumachia○ Christians fed to the lions■ Had unmasked and women actors – in public sphere women played prostitutes■ Anti- theatrical prejudice in Rome● Writings encouraging people not go● Tertullians’ De Spactaculis – read bible if want blood 196-212 AD○ Medieval Period■ Approx. 500 years without (record of) theater – CC said no, dominant rule■ Middle ages or medieval ● Power of church● Spiritual world was dominant● After 10th century AD church uses theatre to teach illiterate pop● Hell mouth● Anonymous most common playwright – about the glory of God○ English Renaissance■ Queen Elizabeth was patron of arts● Playwrights Christopher Marlowe and Shakespeare would reference each other■ James: former king of Scotland● Playwrights: Shakespeare, Beaumont and Fletcher■ Who Made Theatre in ER?● Theatre companies● Shareholders (gave money), hired men, boys (played women)○ Lord Chamberlain’s Men■ Richard Burbage: leading actor■ William Shakespeare (wrote and acted)■ Later, King’s men (when James becomes King)● Played in London or went touring○ Plague meant no theatre■ Where was theatre?● Public playhouses○ Outside the city ○ Outdoor theatres○ South bank● Private playhouses○ Within the city○ Indoor theatres● At court○ Indoor○ Royalty and upper crust■ What was theatre like?● Stages○ Three levels of seating○ Thrust stage○ Overhang ○ Balcony (lord’s room, so they could be seen)○ Columns○ Tiring house (where they put costumes on)○ Two entrances shown, but most likely three (discovery space: dramatic reveal cause it has a curtain)● In the elements, in the afternoon● Not a lot of scenery, wasn’t needed● Script tells us what we need to know about where we are● Speak quickly, not too much hands, mirror up to nature (act like real people)● Costumes○ Wore clothing of their own time no matter where play was set (would throw sheet on for Julius Caesar over clothes)● Audience○ Very poor couldn’t afford, very rich didn’t attend (would go to court)○ Other popular entertainments (bear baiting, bull baiting, dog and cock fights)○ Had an active, interactive relationship with actors■ Daylight meant audience was fully visible , not quiet- can’t ignore■ Eating, drinking, prostitution, pick pockets ■ The audience and the soliloquy, asides■ Would suffer with characters in tragedy: dance at end to lighten mood (every play)○ Theatres■ The Theatre● One of first public playhouses■ The Globe● South bank● Shakespeare’s theatre ● Built in 1599, burnt in 1613, second one built in 1614● Close by puritans and the English civil war in 1642● Rebuilt in London in 1977■ Blackfriars● Indoor, private theatre● Resembled the Globe
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