The world of theatre Compact Performer Culture Literature

The world of theatre Compact Performer - Culture & Literature Marina Spiazzi, Marina Tavella, Margaret Layton © 2015

The world of theatre 1. London’s permanent theatres Towards the end of the 16 th century, several theatres were built. • Theatre (by James Burbage, 1576) • The Curtain (by James Burbage, 1577) • The Globe (by Cuthbert Burbage, 1599) Compact Performer - Culture & Literature

The world of theatre 2. The Architecture of Theatres The playhouses: • were round or octagonal in shape; • were 12 metres high; • had a diameter of 25 metres; • had a rectangular stage. Compact Performer - Culture & Literature

The world of theatre 3. Internal layout The same basic structure consisted of: a stage covered by a roof supported by two pillars and projected into a central area. The stage had no curtain. Compact Performer - Culture & Literature

The world of theatre 3. Internal layout • There were three tiers of galleries around the stage where rich people sat. There was a roof to protect them • The poor people stood in the pit that had no roof. They paid a penny • The actor’s tiring house room was behind the stage. • There was no scenery and there were few props. Compact Performer - Culture & Literature

The world of theatre 4. The audience • The spectators ate and drank during the performance. • They freely expressed their emotions with laughter or tears. • They liked and long speeches. Compact Performer - Culture & Literature

The world of theatre 4. The audience • They liked strong emotions. • They loved metaphors and extremes. • They enjoyed horror and violence. • They loved chronicles and history plays with heroic deeds (strong national feeling). Compact Performer - Culture & Literature

The world of theatre 5. The actors • They had to vary their repertoire. • They had little time to prepare a new play. • They should have excellent memory. Compact Performer - Culture & Literature

The world of theatre 6. Female roles • Women couldn’t act because it was considered immoral. • Companies included some boys to play female roles until their voices broke. • Contemporary audiences found them very convincing. Compact Performer - Culture & Literature