Transcript Ancient Greek Theater

ANCIENT GREEK THEATER
 This
is where it all began: the theatre of
Dionysus in Athens.
SCOPE OF INFLUENCE
The comedy and tragedy that developed in
Athens and flourished in the fifth and fourth
centuries BCE have influenced nearly all
subsequent Western drama, starting with that
of the Romans.
 When the Romans conquered Greece they
brought Greek literature back to Italy and set
about making it their own.
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The Romans, with their love of spectacle, soon took over
the existing theatres in Greece and began renovating
and rebuilding them for their own spectacles, which
included everything from pantomime (closer to ballet
than to the children's 'panto') to mock naval battles.
Most of the remains of the theatre of Dionysus which we
can see in Athens today date to Roman times and not
the fifth century BCE.
THEATRE OF DIONYSUS
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The tragedies and comedies of the fifth and
fourth centuries BCE that remain to us today
were almost all written for performance in the
Theatre of Dionysus at Athens.
THEATRE OF DIONYSUS
Theater is a ritualistic art form which celebrates
the Olympian gods who often appeared as
characters.
 Dionysus, god of wine and revelry, was honored
at the dramatic festivals.
 Legendary kings and heroes were often
portrayed as well.
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DIONYSUS
THEATER AND THE COMMON MAN
Business and activities were suspended during
the week-long festivals held three times per
year.
 It was considered a civic duty for people to
participate in the productions in some way.
 Even prisoners were temporarily released to go
see the plays.
 The plays were to give a lesson to the people didactic purpose
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THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF THE
GREEK THEATER
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The theatron held benches on which the audience sat.
The semi-circular theatron was specifically built in to a
hillside to provide good views of the action.
The orchestra was the circular dancing place for the
chorus.
The parados were two broad aisles which allowed the
chorus to enter the theater. Parados is also the term
for the entrance song of the chorus.
The skene was a rectangular building with three doors
which provided a generic backdrop for entrances and
exits of the characters.
The proskenion was a small platform in front of the
skene to give actors more visibility to the audience.
Approx. 15,000 people fit in the Theater of
Dionysus in Athens.
 Limited sets, props, etc.
 Actors’ lines marked the passage of time and
the setting.
 Design of theatron was important for acoustics
– no microphones.
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Oracle Area ~ 19,000 ppl
THE PLAYERS
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Because Greek tragedy and comedy
originated with the chorus, the most
important part of the performance
space was the orchestra, which means
'a place for dancing' (orchesis).
A tragic chorus consisted of 12 or 15
dancers (choreuts), who may have been
young men.
Athenians were taught to sing and dance
from a very early age. The effort of
dancing and singing through three
tragedies and a satire play was likened
to that of competing in the Olympic
Games.
GREEK CHORUS
Served as a curtain between acts
 Commented on the drama
 Spoke their lines in unison
 Leader of the chorus was known as the
Coryphaeus
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PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
Plays were initially held with just the chorus
singing/chanting the lines.
 In 534 BCE Thespis was credited with creating
the first actor (thespians). The character spoke
lines as a god.
 This begins the concept of DIALOGUE – the
character interacts with chorus.
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THE ROLE OF THE ACTOR
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Aeschylus – earliest Greek tragedy writer brought idea
of second actor.
Sophocles – brought third actor – no more than three
actors on stage ever in a Greek tragedy.
Euripedes – also used three actors after Sophocles.
Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripedes each wrote a
version of the Oedipus tragedy, but Sophocles’ version
is the most famous.
Actors needed to be LARGER THAN LIFE and
thus easy to see.
 Size was symbolic of their social status.
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Chiton – a long, flowing
robe, padded at the
shoulders for width,
selected in symbolic
colors
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Cothurni – platform
shoes for added height
THE GREEK ACTOR
Participation is a civic duty; many volunteered
for the chorus.
 Experienced speakers became actors (often
govt. officials or businessmen)
 Actors were revered and exempt from military
duty.
 Women were excluded from acting and had to
sit in the higher seats in the theatron.
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MASKS
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All gestures had to be large and definite so as to 'read'
from the back rows. Facial expression would have been
invisible to all but the closest members of the audience.
The masks worn by the
actors looked more 'natural'
than bare faces in the
Theatre of Dionysus. The
masks of tragedy were of an
ordinary, face-fitting size,
with wigs attached, and
open mouths to allow clear
speech.
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Theatrical masks were made of wood (like the
masks of Japanese Noh drama), leather, or cloth
and flour paste (like many masks made for modern
productions today).
DECLAMATORY ACTING STYLE
Actors could not move easily, so lines were
delivered in a “speech” style.
 Broad sweeping gestures.
 General movements to express emotions:
Bowed head – grief; beating chest – mourning;
stretching arms – prayer.
 Minor props – scepter – king, spear – warrior,
elderly – cane.
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PARADOX OF THE MASK
The most distinctive feature of the mask was
its ability to limit and broaden at the same
time.
 It identified a specific character, but it also had
generalized features which gave an “Everyman”
quality. This allowed the audience to “get” the
personal message intended for each member
of the audience.
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