Fundamentals of Theatre Arts

1
Fundamentals of Theatre Arts

• History of the Theatre
• Neoclassicism

2
Neoclassicism

• 1600s-1700s
• French Influence
• King Louis XIV
• Verisimilitude
• Moliere

3
French Influence

• Cardinal Richelieu, first Prime Minister, church
  influences of 1625 stabilized economy, influenced
  public.
• Richelieu built a theatre in his palace which
  King Louis XIV took over in 1642.
• This theatre had the proscenium arch.

• Italian theatre impacted the French theatre via
  sets and presentation.
• French drama pursued issues of verisimilitude,
  purity of drama, five-act plays, and 3 unities.
• Moliere perfected the French comedy in his
  lifetime.

4
French Influence

• Cardinal Richelieus Theatre, at the
  Palais-Royal, or Palais-Cardinal, built in 1622.
  King Louis XIV took over in 1642.

5
King Louis XIV

• Reigned from 1642 until 1715. Enjoyed theatre.
• His influences on the theatre are still present
  today.
• -Deep box stage.
• -Audience sits in front.

6
King Louis XIV

• -A curtain was used.
• -Wing space utilized.
• -Elaborate scenery.
• -Mechanical devices were used.
• -Females performed.

7
King Louis XIV

• -Artificial Lights were used above the stage and
  on the apron of the stage.

8
Verisimilitude

• The appearance of truth, reality,morality and
  abstraction
• Its the demand for faithfulness demonstrated by
  showing wickedness.
• Wickedness was punished.
• Family, love, and marriage were examined by
  playwrights.

9
Moliere

• Born (1622) Jean Baptiste Poquelin, son of a
  successful upholsterer. (Died in 1673.)
• Joined a commedia dellarte troupe and traveled
  France.
• Palais-Royal, 1660.
• He wrote Tartuffe (1664), The School for Wives
  (1662), The Misanthrope (1666) and more.

10
Moliere

• Tartuffe, or The Imposter.
• Themes of Religious hypocrisy, family values,
  society itself.
• Three reversals in Tartuffe unmasking of
  Tartuffe, Orgon at the mercy of Tartuffe the
  arrest of Tartuffe.

11
Moliere

• Five Acts demonstrates French dedication to pure
  drama.
• The contrived ending has been under criticism.
• Farce hilarious treatment of a sometimes
  serious or trivial theme.