---------------non-cumulative3/11/13Theatre HistoryTheatre of Ancient GreeceChallenges in Theatre HistoryWhat are the difficulties in studying theatre history?No datesFocus on Western TheatreMaking large generalizations about time and geographiesTheatre is ephemeralThere is limited extant (actual evidence; existing) materialThe Swan Theatre looks like the Shakespeare Globe Theatre.De Witt was a traveller who made a sketch of the Swan theatre and wrote the description about it.Sources of information:Extant texts – texts that are in existence. There were thousands of plays written but only 32 tragedies and 12 comedies are in existence from 4 playwrightsArcheological remainsVisual art – in Greece Primarily statues and vase painting.Commentaries – such as Aristotle.Origins of Western TheatreRitual theoriesOrigin of tragedy – dithyramb – Choral odes to honor DionysusDionysusGod of Wine, Fertility, Revelry, TheatreOrigin of Comedy – Phallic processionsGerald Else’s Great Man TheoryActor Thespis – stepped out of dithyramb chorus to enact role of God (Thespians)AndPlaywright Aeschylus – introduced second actor.Ancient GreecePolitical StructureDemocraticCity states (polis) – ie, Athens – artistic center, Sparta – militant, Dephi – MagicReligionPolytheistic – multiple gods that explain different phenomenon’s and the gods interact closely with humans.Cultural ValuesCompetitionWisdom and ReasonRhetoric and oratoryTheatre practice in Ancient GreeceOccasional and CompetitiveTragedy means “goat song”Festivals534BC first festival specifically devoted to theatreAfter – each three major festivalsLargest festival was in City DionysiaFive daysDay 1 – processionalDay 2-4 – 3 playwrights presented a “package” –3 tragedies plus 1 satyr playDay 5 - ComedyAudienceWhole polis (not sure about women and slaves)Theatre as a Civic DutyChoregos – funds the playwright, moved with military precisionHouses, feeds, trains chorus actorsTheoric FundFree tickets for poor AtheniansThree types of playComediesTragediesSatyrBased on Oedipus, What are the qualities of a tragedy?Part of a trilogyBased on historical or mythic storiesFeature kings, queens and godsHero has a flaw (hamartia) that leads to his/her downfallTeaches the audience a lesson and allows them to release their emotions (catharsis)ComedyEveryday peopleThe main character faces a difficult situation and has a “happy idea” – plan to fix the situation.Humor comes from sex jokes, scatological (potty) jokes, and satires of famous people.Lysistrata in Translation – different words but same general ideaSatyr playFeatures of satyr (part man, part goat)Parodied mythical storiesOnly one extant satyr play – Cyclops.Thespis – the first actorStepped out of the dithyramb to play the role of GodAeschylus – earliest, introduced the second actor, shrank the chorusSophocles – introduced 3rd actor, focus on “hubris”Euripides – plays were more sensational, more violent plots3/13/13Comic PlaywrightAristophanesOnly examples of ancient comedyWrote 44 plays (11 extant)The Frogs, The Birds, LysistrataGreek theatre Practice actorsAll menMaximum of 3Exempt from militaryThe Chorus: Tell the audience what to think about what they are seeing.Between 50-14 menCharactersSource of discussion with protagonistIdeal spectatorSpectacleDancing – Strophe and AntistropheCharacteristics of the physical theatre (Greece)Theatron – “seeing place”Up to 15000 seatsOrchestra – “ dancing place”Parados – Wings (entrance/exit)Skene – building at the backFaçade stage – changing place, to change costumes and come out as a different character.Special Effects –The Ekkyklema – revolving or rolling platform hidden behind skene doorsThe MechaneCrane standing behind the skeneUsed for appearance of gods“Deus ex machine” (god from the machine)Music - fluteCostumesTragedyRobes and accessories to show character.Comedy/SatyrPadded body suitsPhallusChorusAll costumes alikeMay be human or mythical animalMasks and shoesMasksActors could play multiple charactersHad emblems to communicate gender, race, jobLater developed built in megaphone.ShoesPlatform shoes? (high heel shoes)Theatre in RomeAdapted from Greek dramaActors all male and masked (similar with Greece)Comedy more popular than tragedy (stories in tragedies are similar to Greece, adapted from the same text) (for greece theatre was civic discussion, Rome it was entertainment)Different style of comedy than in Greece – More like a sit-comMore and more festivals (Ludi) to distract the population as situation got worseTheatre setup was similar to Greece (theatron - seating area etc)3/25/13200BC – 11 days of performance27BC – 43 days of festivalBy the end of the Roman empire there were 100 days of LudiMimes – Men and Women (unmasked)Usually in private/small eventsGladiatorial combats – “War had been converted into a game, a drama repeatedly replayed, of cruelty, violence, blood and death..”Bestiarii – beast fights.Naumachia – Naval battles. Flooded the coliseum and recreated battles.Anti-Theatrical Prejudices in Rome – religious opposition in theatreThe Medieval PeriodRoman emperor Constantine moved the Roman capital to Constantinople –330ADFall of Rome – 476ADApprox. 500 years without theatreMiddle Ages or Medieval PeriodPower of ChurchAfter 10C AD church uses theatre for church teachings.Most work attributed to Anonymous since it was about glory of God rather than individual.Quem Quaeritis – reemergence of theatre.The Renaissance or RebirthReturn from Middle AgesReturn to Classics of Greece and RomeHumanism – free willMartin Luther and the Protestant Reformation and Henry VIII and Anglican Church.Trade and Age of ExplorationGutenberg and Printing PressBibles printed in vernacular (everyday language; previously it was in Latin which most people couldn’t read)Stage Craft in the Italian RenaissanceElizabethan England1588 English defeated the Spanish ArmadaReligious stability – secured Anglican power.Patron of the Arts.Elizabethan Theatre Staging PracticePublic theatrePrivate theatreBlackfriars Theatre – private, Shakespeare’s, plays year round.Locations of theatres – outside the city, number of different theatre.Characteristics of the TheatrePolygonPartial RoofMany level auditorium (held approx. 2500)Yard (groundlings; where the commoners stood)3/27Characteristics of the StageRaised Thrust StageTrapsBacked by Tiring House (façade
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