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History of Greek Theatre

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History of Greek Theatre HISTORY OF GREEK THEATRE Several hundred years before the birth of Christ, a theatre flourished, which to you and I would seem strange, but, had it not been for this Grecian Theatre, we would not have our tradition-rich, living theatre today. The ancient Greek theatre marks the First Golden Age of Theatre. GREEK AMPHITHEATRE- carved from a hillside, and seating thousands, it faced a circle, called orchestra (acting area) marked out on the ground. In the center of the circle was an altar (thymele), on which a ritualistic goat was sacrificed (tragos- where the word tragedy comes from), signifying the start of the Dionysian festival. - across the circle from the audience was a changing house called a skene. From this comes our present day term, scene. This skene can also be used to represent a temple or home of a ruler. (sometime in the middle of the 5th century BC) DIONYSIAN FESTIVAL- (named after Dionysis, god of wine and fertility) This festival, held in the Spring, was a procession of singers and musicians performing a combination of worship and musical revue inside the circle. **Women were not allowed to act. Men played these parts wearing masks. **There was also no set scenery. A- In time, the tradition was refined as poets and other Greek states composed plays recounting the deeds of the gods or heroes. B- As the form and content of the drama became more elaborate, so did the physical theatre itself. 1- The skene grow in size- actors could change costumes and robes to assume new roles or indicate a change in the same character’s mood. 2- ECCYCLEMA- moving platform where scenery was moved on stage for the audience to witness. Ex. murder off stage—wheeled on for audience to see. 3- Costume/Sound- Roles were distinguished by the size of the costume. The bigger the costume, the bigger the part. Ex. elevated boots, stilts, big robes, and masks. The person most responsible for theatre greatness was and still is the PLAYWRIGHT- writer of the play. THESPIS, in 534 B.C. introduced the first actor. He stepped out of the chorus and uttered the first words of DIALOGUE- verbal words where exciting and important exchange of ideas and emotions can be transcribed. Thespis paved the way for several of the greatest playwrights in theatre history. AESCHYLUS (525-456 B.C.) - Deeply religious- dealt almost exclusively with the gods and attempted to lift their deeds to great heights. - Acted and directed in all of his own plays. - Dramatic writer of TRAGEDY- lead character spends entire life in search of something or someone, never achieves it, and usually dies. - Famous work- “Oresteia”- dramatization dealing with guilt and retribution. SOPHOCLES (497-406 B.C.) - Tragedy writer - To many, the greatest Greek writer and playwright of all time. He had the perfect blend of content and form. That is, he knew what to say, and how to say it. - Dealt largely with the heroes of ancient Greece. - Famous works- “Oedipus the King”- dealing with the rational mans’ search through darkness for light, and “Antigone”. EURIPIDES (485-406 B.C.) - Rebel writer of the time (most modern). - Wrote about real men rather than the gods or heroes. - Famous works “The Trojan Women”- blistering attack on war. “Medea”- lashed out at injustice in many forms. ARISTOPHANES (450-380 B.C.) - Writer of Comedy- some of the wittiest writing in the entire history of drama. - Learned that nothing was as devastating and as effective in gaining social and cultural reform as laughter. - Famous works- “The Clouds” and “The Frogs.” ARISTOTLE (384-322 B.C.) - Philosopher - Rules for tragedy (POETICS) are still observed and used today. o Poetry o Tragic Flaw o Plot of Action, Time and Place o Role Reversal o Purged Spirit - Defended superiority of poetry. The rise of the Roman Empire marks the end of the Greek, or First Golden Age of Theatre. HISTORY OF ROMAN THEATRE A superior Roman military force wipes out the Greek Theatre and the Roman era of theatre starts. I. The following are characteristics of Roman Theatre at its start: 1- Stereo-typical characters 2- Mimes and dancers 3- Wanderers who set up their platforms and gave on-the-spot performances anywhere they thought they might have an audience. II. Rome adapted the Greek Hillside Theatre- - Raised the acting area and called it PULPITUM- it was elaborately carved and decorated and brings us the word PULPIT today. The Orchestra became the Pit and the Pulpitum became the Stage. - Built of wood at first, then stone to look like the famed Coliseum. - Added a front curtain - Reduced the Acting circle to a semi-circle - The Romans liked borrowing and enlarging ideas, but never really improved anything. - The famous playwrights of the day borrowed plots and themes from the Greeks, but never challenged for brilliance. III. Top playwrights of the Roman era. PLAUTUS (254-184 B.C.) - Top roman writer of comedy. - Comedy of Jerry Lewis and Danny Kaye are rooted in Plautus. TERENCE (185-159 B.C.) - Another writer of comedy. SENECA (4 B.C.-69 A.D.) - Writer of tragedy. - His plays were called “closet dramas”, because they were intended to be read at home rather than performed. - He lacked great poetry or important ideas in his dramas, but it was his influence that is demonstrated in the works of the great English playwright William Shakespeare. The theatre in Rome beings to decline quickly, and the fall of Rome is on the way. IV. Instead of watching vulgar, slap-stick comedies or over-written elaborate, gruesome tragedies, the entertainment of the day becomes the following 1- Christians being fed to the lions. 2- Gladiators and slaves fighting full-fledged battles, to the death, for the Roman Hierarchy. 3- Mimes doing vulgar, erotic pantomimes. Rome falls in 476 A.D. The church takes over and promptly closes all of the theatres. Theatre then falls into what we refer to as the Dark or Middle Ages. And so, almost 1000 years after Thespis steps out of the chorus to become the first actor, the classic theatre, as we understand it, draws to a shabby, banished, disreputable close. HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL THEATRE With the fall of Rome, in 476 A.D., theatre slipped into what can be referred to as the Middle or Dark ages. I. CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE DURING THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD - Illiteracy was widespread. - Trade and travel diminished. - Cemorship from the church continued- THERE WAS NO THEATRE. HOWEVER; II. THEATRE LIVES, BARELY - Wandering actors kept Theatre alive on a small scale. - Mimes and acrobats brought crude theatre to villages. - Minstrels sang of legendary heroes. - Jesters (fools) preserved the vanishing art form. - Church’s continual condemnation of the theatre is proof that theatre continued to live. III. THEATRE REBORN Somewhere not recorded, Theatre is reborn, and, ironically by the same church that suppressed it: - Priests, in desperation, turned to dramatizing their Latin sermons so their illiterate parishioners could understand. - Church eventually developed 3 forms of Ecclesiastical Drama: i. Mystery Plays which dealt with Bible stories. ii. Miracle Plays which enacted the lives of martyred saints. iii. Morality Plays which portrayed the eternal conflict between GOOD & EVIL. In time, Ecclesiastical Dramas became rowdier and less concerned with religious affairs. They moved out of the church and into the city squares, where non-religious groups took over their supervision. What was left in the church? They came up with the first of what we still know today as the Passion Play, which is a dramatization of the life and crucifixion of Christ. - These were extremely well written. - No expenses or time was spared. - Sets and costumers were very elaborate. ex. clouds and angels hoisted down from Heaven. Gigantic floods on which the ark floated. Keep in mind, that although drama continued, it was still banned. Structuring got tighter. IV. IMPORTANT PEOPLE OF THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD HROSVITHA (935-1000) - She was a German nun. - Writer of formal drama. HANS SACHS (1494-1576) - Writer of farces and comedies. - Some of his works are said to be still playing well today. Late in the Medieval Period, a rebirth of curiosity and classic learning took place: - Travel started up again. - Ancient plays by Plautus, Terence, and Seneca were reopened, reconstructed, and reperformed. This rebirth of curiosity and classic learning came to be known as the Renaissance. V. IMPORTANT PEOPLE OF THE RENAISSANCE ARIOSTO (1474-1533) Two comic playwrights whose comedy was ARETINO (1492-1556) funny and amusing, but often immoral and lewd. VI. COMMEDIA DELL ‘ARTE (IMPROVISED COMEDY) - Women appear upon the stage for the first time. - There is no script or pre-planned action. - Impromptu comedy. - Charlie Chaplin is an example. - VILLAIN in melodrama comes from here (Capitano). So, although thought of as unproductive, the Middle Ages were actually a launching pad for several developments in Theatre. Theatre began to move away from Rome, Italy, and the rest of Continental Europe. It really took off in Elizabethan England, and that’s where we will go next. ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND The dying out of the Medieval Period of Theatre brought theatre away from Greece, away from Rome, away from Continental Europe, into England and what is referred to as the Elizabethan England era in theatre history. This era is named after Queen Elizabeth I, who succeeded her father King Henry VIII, who died in 1558. - She was a very dynamic person with a vibrant personality. - A very staunch supporter of the theatre, so this is why theatre takes off during this era. - Her reign lasted 84 years until 1642. Prior to Elizabeth’s reign, some of the foundation for theatre greatness was laid.
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