Ancient Greek Greek Theatre 5 th Century Greece

Ancient Greek

Greek Theatre: 5 th Century Greece, where Western Theatre was born. Most important city-state was Athens. Origins of Theatre: • Religious ceremonies • Funeral services • Festivals celebrating the seasons

City Dionysus Greek God of wine, fertility and revelry City Dionysus was the festival to honor him. Believed that we call modern theatre originated at this ceremony, specifically the dithyrambic choruses.

Vocabulary Dithyramb – a lengthy hymn sung and danced by a group of fifty men. o Leader of the chorus recited or sang an improvised story while the other members sang a popular refrain. o By 600 BC, the dithyramb became a literary form, detailing heroic stories.

Thespis The first actor In the 6 th Century BC he stepped out of the dithyramb chorus and becoming an actor. Delivered a prologue and presented dialogue that required him to impersonate a character: thus a purely narrative or storyline from becoming a dramatic form in which characters exchanged lines. Ancient Greek word for “actor” was hypokrite – literally “answerer” – underscoring the fact that drama required the verbal give and take of dialogue.

Theatre and Greek Religion In the city’s annual festivals were held in honor of the gods, who they did not regard as all powerful, but who they did feel would guide and protect them. Theatre became a central feature of certain religious festivals, and theatrical presentations were both religious events and entertainment. Partly because of these religious connections people of all social classes attended theatrical performances.

City Dionysia

In 534 BC, tragedy was incorporated into festival. By 486 BC two other forms of drama – comedy and the satyr play – had been added.

Greek Tragedy

Greek Tragedy Crisis Drama: • the action begins near the climax, or high point, of the story, with the characters already in the midst of their struggles.

Greek Tragedy Crisis Drama: • the action begins near the climax, or high point, of the story, with the characters already in the midst of their struggles. Very few characters, only three actors. One played main character, other two played all others. No more than 3 characters on stage at any one time

Greek Tragedy Crisis Drama: • the action begins near the climax, or high point, of the story, with the characters already in the midst of their struggles. Very few characters, only three actors. One played main character, other two played all others. No more than 3 characters on stage at any one time Play occurs within a short span of time, frequently 24 hours or less and usually takes place in one location. the audience is provided with a great deal of background information, usually by the chorus, known as exposition.

Vocabulary Dithyramb – a lengthy hymn sung and danced by a group of fifty men. • Exposition – Background information that the audience needs to know to understand the action of the play

Greek Tragedy Crisis Drama: • the action begins near the climax, or high point, of the story, with the characters already in the midst of their struggles. Very few characters, only three actors. One played main character, other two played all others. No more than 3 characters on stage at any one time Play occurs within a short span of time, frequently 24 hours or less and usually takes place in one location. the audience is provided with a great deal of background information, usually by the chorus, known as exposition. • Story focused on someone high in society (king, wealthy person, ect) who falls from grace

Greek Comedy

Satyr play was a comical. Plays play involving a chorus of satyrs, mythological creatures who were half-goat and half-man. Was structured like a Greek Tragedy but parodied the mythological and heroic tales that were treated seriously in tragedies. The only complete saytr pay still in existence is the Cyclops by Euripides.

Old Comedy Makes fun of society, politics, or culture and frequently its characters are recognizable contemporary personalities.

New Comedy

New Comedy was a subtle comedy of manners and well-wrought intrigue which focused on domestic –family- situations and life in the cities.

New Comedy was a subtle comedy of manners and well-wrought intrigue which focused on domestic –family- situations and life in the cities. New Comedy was more realistic.

New Comedy was a subtle comedy of manners and well-wrought intrigue which focused on domestic –family- situations and life in the cities. New Comedy was more realistic. A romantic plot can be summarized as boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl. A domineering parent usually comes between the young lovers and the romantic complications are resolved by sudden dramatic coincidences and discoveries

New Comedy was a subtle comedy of manners and well-wrought intrigue which focused on domestic –family- situations and life in the cities. New Comedy was more realistic. A romantic plot can be summarized as boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl. A domineering parent usually comes between the young lovers and the romantic complications are resolved by sudden dramatic coincidences and discoveries. Characters are stock types such as domineering parent, romantic young lovers, comic servants.

Elements of Greek Performance

The Chorus The chorus provide expositor information, commented on the action, interacted with other characters, and described offstage action.

The Chorus The chorus provide expositor information, commented on the action, interacted with other characters, and described offstage action. In tragedy, the chorus often represented the common people of the citystate rules by the tragic hero or heroine (someone the audience members could relate to). In Old Comedy the chorus was frequently fantastical; for example in the Birds and the Frogs they appeared as birds and frogs.

Masks

Masks • Actors wore masks so that the audience may see the facial expression clearly, allow them to tell the characters apart and make theme of the story (comedy or tragedy) clearly obvious to the spectators. • Greek masks had large mouth holes so that the actors could effectively project their voice through the mask. • It was considered unprofessional to reveal yourself to the spectators when changing your mask.

Masks

Greek Playwrights

Aeschylus

Aeschylus Considered the father of Greek drama (and therefore of all western drama).

Aeschylus Considered the father of Greek drama (and therefore of all western drama). First to develop drama into a form separate from singing, dancing, or storytelling.

Aeschylus Considered the father of Greek drama (and therefore of all western drama). First to develop drama into a form separate from singing, dancing, or storytelling. • Added a second actor (allowed for true dialogue between actors), and reduced the size of the chorus.

Aeschylus Considered the father of Greek drama (and therefore of all western drama). First to develop drama into a form separate from singing, dancing, or storytelling. • Added a second actor (allowed for true dialogue between actors), and reduced the size of the chorus. Fonder of theatrical spectacle and is sometimes credited with having developed new forms of stage scenery, painted scenery, and elaborate costumes.

Aeschylus Considered the father of Greek drama (and therefore of all western drama). First to develop drama into a form separate from singing, dancing, or storytelling. • Added a second actor (allowed for true dialogue between actors), and reduced the size of the chorus. Founder of theatrical spectacle and is sometimes credited with having developed new forms of stage scenery, painted scenery, and elaborate costumes. • Believed to have written ninety plays, the titles of seventy-nine are known, indicating a diversity of subject matter. However only seven of his plays still exist.

Agamemnon by Aeschylus

Sophocles

Sophocles Developed Aeschylus dramatic techniques even further. Noted for his superb plot construction.

Sophocles Developed Aeschylus dramatic techniques even further. Noted for his superb plot construction. Philosopher Aristotle used Sophocles’ King Oedipus as the model for his own analysis of tragedy.

Sophocles Developed Aeschylus dramatic techniques even further. Noted for his superb plot construction. Philosopher Aristotle used Sophocles’ King Oedipus as the model for his own analysis of tragedy. • Exploration of character and focus on the individual

Sophocles Developed Aeschylus dramatic techniques even further. Noted for his superb plot construction. Philosopher Aristotle used Sophocles’ King Oedipus as the model for his own analysis of tragedy. • Exploration of character and focus on the individual Increased the tragic chorus from twelve to fifteen members and is credited with introducing a third actor.

Sophocles Developed Aeschylus dramatic techniques even further. Noted for his superb plot construction. Philosopher Aristotle used Sophocles’ King Oedipus as the model for his own analysis of tragedy. • Exploration of character and focus on the individual Increased the tragic chorus from twelve to fifteen members and is credited with introducing a third actor. Told stories as single dramas instead of extending them into the traditional trilogy of three connected plays; this changed added more action into the plot.

Sophocles Developed Aeschylus dramatic techniques even further. Noted for his superb plot construction. Philosopher Aristotle used Sophocles’ King Oedipus as the model for his own analysis of tragedy. • Exploration of character and focus on the individual Increased the tragic chorus from twelve to fifteen members and is credited with introducing a third actor. Told stories as single dramas instead of extending them into the traditional trilogy of three connected plays; this changed added more action into the plot. • Wrote over 120 plays, only seven complete tragedies have survived

The Oedipus Cycle by Sophocles

Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King by Sophocles

Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles

Antigone by Sophocles

Euripides

Euripides Considered the most “modern” of the three great tragic playwrights.

Euripides Considered the most “modern” of the three great tragic playwrights. Known for his sympathetic portrayal of women, his mixture of tragedy with melodrama and comedy, and his skeptical treatment of the Gods.

Euripides Considered the most “modern” of the three great tragic playwrights. Known for his sympathetic portrayal of women, his mixture of tragedy with melodrama and comedy, and his skeptical treatment of the Gods. His characters behaved as people do in everyday life, and such realism was not considered appropriate for tragedy.

Euripides Considered the most “modern” of the three great tragic playwrights. Known for his sympathetic portrayal of women, his mixture of tragedy with melodrama and comedy, and his skeptical treatment of the Gods. His characters behaved as people do in everyday life, and such realism was not considered appropriate for tragedy. Controversial because of his plots, his diminished use of the chorus and their sensational subject matter. Most of all for his portrayal of the gods as human and fallible.

Euripides Considered the most “modern” of the three great tragic playwrights. Known for his sympathetic portrayal of women, his mixture of tragedy with melodrama and comedy, and his skeptical treatment of the Gods. His characters behaved as people do in everyday life, and such realism was not considered appropriate for tragedy. Controversial because of his plots, his diminished use of the chorus and their sensational subject matter. Most of all for his portrayal of the gods as human and fallible. • Eighteen of his plays still exist, most notably Medea and the Trojan Woman

Medea by Euripides

Aristophanes

Aristophanes • Best known comic playwright of the Greek golden age.

Aristophanes • Best known comic playwright of the Greek golden age. Plays reflect the social and political climate in Athens as it declined in power toward the end of the fifth century.

Aristophanes • Best known comic playwright of the Greek golden age. Plays reflect the social and political climate in Athens as it declined in power toward the end of the fifth century. • Plays are full of bawdy wit

Aristophanes • Best known comic playwright of the Greek golden age. Plays reflect the social and political climate in Athens as it declined in power toward the end of the fifth century. • Plays are full of bawdy wit Most famous works are Lysistrata and the Frogs

Lysistrata by Aristophanes

Theatre Structure

Theatre Structure • Theatres where outdoor amphitheaters, used natural lighting.

Theatre Structure • Probably accommodated 15, 000 to 17, 000 spectators

Three Parts of a Greek Theatre

Three Parts of a Greek Theatre 1. Theatron: Literally “viewing place” which was the seating area for the audience

Three Parts of a Greek Theatre Orchestra: playing area for the actors. -First permanent structural element in the Greek theatre. A circle about 66 feet in diameter, paved in stone. 2.

Three Parts of a Greek Theatre 3. Skene: or scene building. • Believed that the skene was used as the basic setting for all plays after 458 BC.

Three Parts of a Greek Theatre 3. Skene: or scene building. • Believed that the skene was used as the basic setting for all plays after 458 BC. • Sense the most popular setting was a palace the skene was molded as one. There were doorways, probably three, for entrances and exits.

Stage Devices of Greek Theatre

Stage Devices of Greek Theatre Periaktoi

Stage Devices of Greek Theatre Periaktoi Three painted flats hinged together, each showing different scene, rotating these flats would reveal one new scene to the audience while hiding the other two.

Stage Devices of Greek Theatre Ekkyklema

Stage Devices of Greek Theatre Ekkyklema • Wagon that would be wheeled from behind the skene. A character who died offstage would be laid out on the ekkyklema, which would be rolled out from behind the scenes into full view of the audience.

Stage Devices of Greek Theatre Mechane

Stage Devices of Greek Theatre Mechane • Crane hidden behind the upper level of the skene, was used to effect the entrance of the actor paying the god or goddess in such a way to suggest a descent from the heavens

Stage Devices of Greek Theatre Mechane • Crane hidden behind the upper level of the skene, was used to effect the entrance of the actor playing the god or goddess in such a way to suggest a descent from the heavens • Hence the term deus ex machine or “God from the Machine”

Aristotle and the Six Elements of Drama

Aristotle and the Tragic Form The philosopher Aristotle was the first critic who tried to pinpoint the characteristics of the Greek Tragedies. Wrote the Poetics, his thesis on the status of Greek drama, wherein he detailed and ranked the six element of drama.

Aristotle and the Six Elements of Drama 1. Plot - the arrangement of dramatic incidents

Aristotle and the Six Elements of Drama 1. Plot - the arrangement of dramatic incidents. 2. Characters the people – represented in the play.

Aristotle and the Six Elements of Drama 1. Plot - the arrangement of dramatic incidents. 2. Characters – the people represented in the play. 3. Theme - – the ideas explored

Aristotle and the Six Elements of 1. Plot - the arrangement of dramatic incidents. Drama 2. Characters – the people represented in the play. 3. Thought or theme – the ideas explored Language - the dialogue and poetry 4.

Aristotle and the Six Elements of Drama 1. Plot - the arrangement of dramatic incidents. 2. Characters – the people represented in the play. 3. Thought or theme – the ideas explored 4. Language – the dialogue and poetry 5. Music

Aristotle and the Six Elements of 1. Plot - the arrangement of dramatic incidents. Drama 2. Characters – the people represented in the play. 3. Thought or theme – the ideas explored 4. Language – the dialogue and poetry 5. Music Spectacle - scenery and other visual elements 6.

Aristotle and the Tragic Form Aristotle says that tragedy produces the emotions of pity and fear but that there is a catharsis of these emotions.

Vocabulary Dithyramb – a lengthy hymn sung and danced by a group of fifty men. • Exposition – Background information that the audience needs to know to understand the action of the play • Catharsis - a purging of the emotions