History Of Theatre
1/20/10
The Poetics by Aristotle
Aristotle- the first to propose what theatre is
Homer- The Illiad; The Odyssey; epic poetry
Mimetic -Imitation of Real life
Catharsis- Greek word - to cleanse and purge
Tragic- Bad things happening to good people
2/1/10
· Greek Theatre
· Hellenistic: Alexander the great
· Extant: Existing today
· Dionysus: God of Wine; Baccheus Roman name
· When people cut off their genitals, it was believed that it would take away their power
· Acropolis Athens theatre
2/10/10
Tragedy
· Superior to comedy
· Characters= gods, mythical figures, nobility
· Heightened language
· Well known tales and myths
· Value- how perfect tale is told
· Main character has tragic flaw –hubris
· Catharsis- pity and fear
Comedy
· Inferior form
· Everyday characters subjects and themes
· Use of vernacular
· Usually a “happy idea” that unifies play
· Ending usually happy
· GOAL: not to make people laugh but to teach by ridiculing bad behavior
· Lysistrata
2/15/10
· 27 BCE Beginning of Roman Empire
· Rome was a walled city
· Horace- Ars Poetica 24 BC
· Chamber play/ Closet Drama- plays not meant to be performed
· Stage completely enclosed to allow for acoustics
· Theatres had vaumitoriums-where the actors entered
· Theatres had a spot at the top of the theatre- was thought to have a place where the gods watched the performances
· Teatro Marcello
· Romans got rid of the chorus
· Ludus Festival
2/17/10
Greek
· Tragedy
· Comedy: old (Aristophanes), middle, new (Menander)
· No more chorus
Roman
· Fabulae, fable (story): Crepidata (decrepit, old); Praetexta (tragedy w/a roman twist); Palliate (based on greek comedy); Togata (based on roman comedy)
· Mime-Roman; similar to skits; parody
· Reason why early Christian church hated theatre
· Pantomime- one person entertainment; heavily based in movement
· Histrione (ic)- roman word for actor “melodramatic”
2/22/10
· Commedia dell’arte
· 1660 – Harlequin Changed costumes from patterns
· Punch and Judy
· Lazzi- lazzo heart of commedia
· Physical comedy bits similar
· Particular to character
· Cuckoldry
3/1/10
Medieval Theatre
· Cycle plays
· Second Shepherds play- a series of religious plays
· Mysteries
· Miracles
· Moralities
Dark Ages= Middle Ages
· 900- 1400
· Gothic period to renaissance
· Scops-shares the tales of the heroes and monsters, of epic battles, of kings and great warriors
· mummers
Dev. Of Medieval Theatre
· clerical- lay
· Latin – vernacular
· in church- outside church
· biblical stories-hybrid- secular
· Trope- earliest religious play
· “Quem Quearitis”- Whom do you seek?
· “Instead of just reading we will act it out”
· Hrosvitha- nun- head of a convent
3/3/10
· Tudor- Henry the 8th
· Lancaster vs. Yorks
· Early 1500’s to 1650
· The Reckoning- about Adam and eve; the fall of man
· 2 ways of staging: 1. Carton wheels 2. Fixed cart, continental
· Moralities: teach us with morals, Everyman
· Oberammergau Passion Play (german)
3/10/10
Non-Western Theatre
· Based on colors and kinetics
No Theatre
· Japanese
· Okina
· Principal form of Japanese theatre
· Based on tales form traditional literature
· Dance based performance
Bunraku
· Some narrative and puppetry
· Developed around 1600
· Dev. 3 puppeteer format in 1800
Kabuki
· Originated at beginning of 17th century
· Edo period
· Originally both men and women performed; now only men
· Historical events; mortal conflict; affairs of the heart
Wayang
· Shadow puppetry
· Moral stories
Beijing Opera
· China
· All male performers
· A lot of dance
Kathakali
· India
· Dance theatre
· Very stylized
· Facial expression is key
Kuttiyattam
· Sanskrit
· Major headdresses
Ramilla
· India
· Song
· Recount ancient episodes
· Audience invited to join show
3/22/10
Elizabethan and Jacobean Theatre
· Shakespeare spans 2 monarchs: Queen Elizabeth and King James
· English Renaissance: 1600’s
· Birth day of professional theatre
· 2 times of the year when theatre isn’t produced: Lent, times of disease
· Elizabeth I- “no plays about religion, politics, or my family”
· Beginning of censorship
· 1574 Master of Revels- approved plays before they were performed; law didn’t end until 1968
· Canterbury Catherdral
· Shrine of St. Thomas of Becket
3/29/10
· Inns of Court: place where they(playwrights and lawyers) went to study
· Christopher Marlowe: original, legally trained, murdered, drunk and homosexual
· Shakespeare: perfected
· Refectory- where friars would eat
· Black Friars Theatre- indoor performance, indoor lighting
· Richard Burbage: actor; played nurse in Romeo and Juliet
3/31/10
· Folio- fold in 2
· Quarto- fold in 4
· Both stitched into books
· Prompter- only 1; sat with a prompt book; has the main copy of play
4/7/10
· Hamlet
4/14/10
· Dorset Gardens
· Shakespeare’s Tempest
· More of a spectacle
· Forestage-where the actors acted; not in the proscenium
· Proscenium- where scenery was
· Overtime forestage decreases until it is no more than an apron
· 1760- audience banned form being on stage with actors
· Standing pit gone
· The Country Wife -Wycherley
4/21/10
· Louis XIII at Theatre a Palais Royal 1770’s
· Moliere, Jean Baptiste Poquelin
· Pierre Corneille 1606-1684
· Le Cid- caused controversy
· Jean Racine; Tragedy; Neo-classical
Neo-Classical
· Has rules
· All rhymed couplets
· Good art= following the rules
· Based on interpretation of the classical/ancient definitions of art
Rules
· Verisimilitude
· Show life as it should be
· Decorum
Unties
· Time-take place in 1 day
· Place- only one location
· Action- only one plot
5/5/10
· Krumlov Castle
· Italy
· Carlo Gozzi and Carlo Goldoni; Re-invented commedia
· The Libertine
Monday, May 10, 2010
Annotated Resource Guide
Carlencia Woods
Project 5 History
1. Women’s lives surrounding late 18th century theatre
Pictures and descriptions of actresses in 1700’s
http://engl3621mgc.tripod.com/
This was the beginning of the Restoration period and it was the first time real women were seen on stage. This resource explains the lifestyle of female actors in the 1700’s. As a female actor, one needs to know about the way females were portrayed on stage and what it took to become one.
2. Acting- Rise of Acting Techniques
Acting styles
http://ezinearticles.com/?Acting---Rise-of-Acting-Techniques&id=216906
This article gives a brief overview of theatre in the 18th century. It touches on all aspects of the stage but it gives a good description of the new way to act. The beginning of a rehearsed actor. This way the actor showed some emotional depth while portraying a character.
3. History and Science of Acting
Theory
http://www.jinxdavis.com/history_and_science.htm
This site gives a good background of theatre and tells about the presentational acting style of this time period. Its is an analysis of The History and science of Acting and it uses the book as a resource for all of its information for acting styles. It has mostly a modern take on theatre but it also explains, by era, the way actors performed.
4. Life in the 18th Century
Time period
http://www.localhistories.org/18thcent.html
This site gives a brief history of the times in the 18th century. It mainly shows the society of Britain and the life of the average citizen in great Britain. This is good so that the actors get a feel for what was happening in the world around this time.
5. French Theatre
Time period
http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Theatre/DF_theatre.shtml
This site give a little background on the life of French theatre. It gives many links to other sites about the history of French art. This resource taps on Moliere and his comedic style of writing. It also touches on French politics in that time period.
6. Moliere, Jean Baptiste Poquelin
History
http://www.theatredatabase.com/17th_century/moliere_001.html
This site gives a background of Moliere. It shows some history and maybe where he got some of his inspiration to write. It shows that he used a lot of different backgrounds to develop his style of comedic writing. This site is essential because an actor can see where inspiration for some of the characters come from for a better portrayal of that character.
7. Courses in Drama Moliere’s Comedy
French drama history
http://www.coursesindrama.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=81
This site introduces The Age of Reason. It says that it was the major time for comedic and satiric writing. It says that Moliere was influenced by the Italian style of commedia dell’arte. This site also say that Moliere took his characters for Le Misanthrope from society.
8. English Restoration Theatre Movements
Acting Style
http://westerntheatrehistory.com/EnglishMovements.aspx
This resource gives very basic period style acting tips. It mostly shows the movement of actors and also reiterates the presentational style of acting. This site give a overall view of all aspects of theatre. It starts with the stage and design all the way until it reaches acting style.
9. The Drama in the 18th century
Drama
http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/clsc20w1.html
This site gives more history and talks about the development of Moliere’s Comedy of Manners. The site further explains how many writers after Moliere continued in his style and gives praise to his works as being very influential.
10. Costumes and Sets in Shakespearean Theatre
Performance
http://www.onlineshakespeare.com/performances.htm
This site gives insight on theatre in Shakespearean times. It will help the actor get a good grasp of what time times were like in England as well as France. It will help the actors get a feel of the kind of spaces that the actors performed in.
Project 5 History
1. Women’s lives surrounding late 18th century theatre
Pictures and descriptions of actresses in 1700’s
http://engl3621mgc.tripod.com/
This was the beginning of the Restoration period and it was the first time real women were seen on stage. This resource explains the lifestyle of female actors in the 1700’s. As a female actor, one needs to know about the way females were portrayed on stage and what it took to become one.
2. Acting- Rise of Acting Techniques
Acting styles
http://ezinearticles.com/?Acting---Rise-of-Acting-Techniques&id=216906
This article gives a brief overview of theatre in the 18th century. It touches on all aspects of the stage but it gives a good description of the new way to act. The beginning of a rehearsed actor. This way the actor showed some emotional depth while portraying a character.
3. History and Science of Acting
Theory
http://www.jinxdavis.com/history_and_science.htm
This site gives a good background of theatre and tells about the presentational acting style of this time period. Its is an analysis of The History and science of Acting and it uses the book as a resource for all of its information for acting styles. It has mostly a modern take on theatre but it also explains, by era, the way actors performed.
4. Life in the 18th Century
Time period
http://www.localhistories.org/18thcent.html
This site gives a brief history of the times in the 18th century. It mainly shows the society of Britain and the life of the average citizen in great Britain. This is good so that the actors get a feel for what was happening in the world around this time.
5. French Theatre
Time period
http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Theatre/DF_theatre.shtml
This site give a little background on the life of French theatre. It gives many links to other sites about the history of French art. This resource taps on Moliere and his comedic style of writing. It also touches on French politics in that time period.
6. Moliere, Jean Baptiste Poquelin
History
http://www.theatredatabase.com/17th_century/moliere_001.html
This site gives a background of Moliere. It shows some history and maybe where he got some of his inspiration to write. It shows that he used a lot of different backgrounds to develop his style of comedic writing. This site is essential because an actor can see where inspiration for some of the characters come from for a better portrayal of that character.
7. Courses in Drama Moliere’s Comedy
French drama history
http://www.coursesindrama.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=81
This site introduces The Age of Reason. It says that it was the major time for comedic and satiric writing. It says that Moliere was influenced by the Italian style of commedia dell’arte. This site also say that Moliere took his characters for Le Misanthrope from society.
8. English Restoration Theatre Movements
Acting Style
http://westerntheatrehistory.com/EnglishMovements.aspx
This resource gives very basic period style acting tips. It mostly shows the movement of actors and also reiterates the presentational style of acting. This site give a overall view of all aspects of theatre. It starts with the stage and design all the way until it reaches acting style.
9. The Drama in the 18th century
Drama
http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/clsc20w1.html
This site gives more history and talks about the development of Moliere’s Comedy of Manners. The site further explains how many writers after Moliere continued in his style and gives praise to his works as being very influential.
10. Costumes and Sets in Shakespearean Theatre
Performance
http://www.onlineshakespeare.com/performances.htm
This site gives insight on theatre in Shakespearean times. It will help the actor get a good grasp of what time times were like in England as well as France. It will help the actors get a feel of the kind of spaces that the actors performed in.
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