Transcript The Origins of Theatre

The Origins of Theatre
Rituals and Storytelling
Primitive cultures had little understanding of natural causes.
Rituals
• Included theatrical
elements.
• Ex: Weddings, funerals,
sacrifices, harvest
celebrations, etc.
Storytelling:
• Included theatrical
elements.
• Epic poems and myths
were performed by bards
(travelling poets).
Egyptian (3000 BCE)
• First to perform drama? Proof =
hieroglyphics
• Five types of plays:
o Pyramid: Soul's journey to
next world
o Coronation Dance: good
fortune for new rule
o Heb sed: 30 year reign
celebration
o Medicinal Play: brings magical
healing
o Abydos Passion Play: mock
battle and funeral
Other Early Forms
However, no solid script or proof of dramatizations.
• Indian Theatre (2000BCE)
o Religious ritualism: hunting role-play and Hindu
sacred text Vedas recited as hymns (choral reading)
• Chinese Theatre (1500BCE)
o Shang Dynasty: entertainment with music, clowning
and acrobatics
o Han Dynasty: Shadow puppetry
• Hebrew Theatre (300BCE)
o Song of Solomon: poetic language
o Book of Job: 5 act play
Greek Theatre (500BCE)
• Bards turned to traveling
actors.
• Priest and chorus became
part of theatre
• Dithyramb Festival
o honours the god
Dionysus
o competition style in
an arena theatre
o tragedies versus
comedies
• Thespies: famous actor
o limit chorus to 15
o added masks
Roman (Italian) Theatre (500BCE)
• Romans borrowed; like
entertainment value
• Added many new elements
• Christianity block
• Renaissance revival
English (UK) Theatre (400ACE)
• Medieval times:
troupes and minstrels
• Myster plays: plot
push
• Morality plays:
religious influence
• Licensing and
business
• Pop writers:
o Christopher
Marlowe
o Shakespeare
o Thomas Kyd
o Ben Johnson
• Theatre spaces