THAR 281 Lecture 2 Outline of Last Lecture Intro into Theatre I What is Theatre II The Performer III The Audience IV The Performance Space V Visual Elements Outline of Current Lecture Intro into Theatre History I Dithyramb II Greek Medieval and Religious Drama III Comedia Dell Arte IV Italian Renaissance 1400 1650 V Neoclassical Ideals VI Innovations in Theatrical Architecture VII English Renaissance Theatre Current Lecture Intro into Theatre History Dithyramb o Unison Hymn o The hymn was sung around the alter of Dionysus by 50 men o This song of worship progressed into Greek theatre Greek Drama o Chorus interacted with the central speaker consisted of 50 people at first but over time the size decreased They were the narrator of the play knowledgeable of everything going on directly addressed the audience spoke in unison provided the backstory for every scene o Masks o No women everyone wore masks so women roles were played by men o Comedy performers wore ugly masks ratty costumes o Tragedy performers wore bold bright ornate costumes Comedy and tragedy never mixed The play was either tragic or funny not both o Satyr mythical half goat half man very rude and offensive Medieval DramaThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute o Theatre from religion o Liturgical Drama Liturgy drama based on bible stories and saints Performed in church o Pageant Wagon expanded performances out of the church Became a commercial industry Wagons moved around and traveled to different crowds performing mainly bible stories o Mystery Plays series of plays about the life of Christ o Morality Plays Not specifically religious based but about having good morals o Long stage a stage built in a line with houses Religious Drama o Sacra rappresentazioni Bible stories Lives of saints o 1548 religious plays banned in Paris o 1588 Reformation ended religious plays in England Comedia dell arte play of professional artists o Traveling troupes o 10 performers usually seven men and three women o Staged comedies highly physical used stereotypes improve o Thrived from 1550 1750 o Improvisation scenarios short scripts without formal written dialogue o Played stock characters stereotypes o Stock costumes and masks everyone wore except the main character o Slapstick comedy comes from Harlequin and his slapstick Capitano soldier always brags but is to scared to do anything Harlequin Servant clown character known for slapstick comedy o Zanni term for servant characters o Innamorato male lover o Innamorata female lover o Lazzi repeated bits of physical comic business often bawdy and crude o Slapstick wooden sword used for comedic fights Italian Renaissance 1400 1650 o Italians are moving forward imitating Greeks criticized drama moving away from medieval times Neo Classical Ideals Important o Decorum Appropriate social behavior Age profession sex and social status o Verisimilitude Drama must be true to life not realistic they got this idea from studying Greeks Time o Action of play can t exceed a 24 hour time period some neoclassicists argued no more than 12 hours o The most extreme said that the time in the play should match the time of the presentation o Truthful Place o The play should take place only in one locale argued meaning of exact meaning of one locale Action o One central story o Featured a small group of characters Genre Tragedy royalty affairs of state elevated language resolution destructive disastrous or fatal didactic teaches a lesson Comedy common people didactic less elevated language happily ever after common life situations Neoclassical Rules No violence No chorus No deus ex machine No soliloquy Innovations in Theatrical Architecture Teatro Olimpico o Oldest surviving theatre from Italian Renaissance o Three entrances similar to Greek theatre o Stadium seating o Teatro Farnese o First built with a permanent proscenium arch o Could be flooded for effect o Lighting o Candles o Ground row row of candles on bottom of stage in front of actors o Chandeliers English Renaissance Theatre o Theatre Troupes Up to 25 member No women Sharing plan Performed in warmer months 5 6 performances a week 30 40 new plays per year 3 week rehearsal period o Members in acting companies had to know 16 plays a season many people double casted and had to know multiple roles at the same time o Two Types Public Outside theatre example global theatre Groundlings commoners who stood at the play Private Indoor theatre More expensive More seating o Acting Styles Believed acting was stylized example over the top Elizabethan acting styles Double triple cast roles No women Typecasting Performances schedules Improvisation Lack of realism The End of Elizabethan Theatre o 1642 o Puritans shut down led by Oliver Cromwell outlawed theatre o Theatre deemed inappropriate