The History of Theatre

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The History of Theatre

• Part one
• The Greeks

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Before the Greeks there were the

• Cavemen! As previously mentioned, our earliest
  ancestors likely re-enacted great hunts,
  harvests, feats of heroism and bravery and
  perhaps even some love stories for their families
  around the fire.

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• Eventually, music may have been added, such as
  the beat of a drum.
• Dancing would have almost certainly accompanied
  that.
• However there are no written records of these
  performances, just speculation.

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The Egyptians (surprise)

• The first record of a theatrical performance
  comes from ancient Egypt.
• Dating back to about 2000 BC, it describes a
  lengthy three day performance arranged by and
  starring I-Kher-Wofret of Abydos.
• The performance used realistic battles and high
  ceremony to reenact the murder, dismemberment,
  and resurrection of the god Osiris.

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(Osiris)
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But get me to the Greek(s)

• Despite the Egyptians, the Greeks are given
  credit for giving theatre its start.
• About 1400 years after Osiris met his bloody
  demise, the Greeks were paying tribute to their
  gods as well.
• In honor of Dionysis, the god of wine and
  fertility, the Greek chorus danced around an
  alter, upon which a sacrificed goat was placed.

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The Chorus

• The chorus played an important role, keeping the
  audience informed as to what was happening
  on-stage.
• However, in 534 BC, a man named Thespis broke
  away from the chorus and held dialogue with them
  on-stage.
• It is from this lone wolf that we derive the word
  thespian.

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Thespis the original actor
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• While on stage, the Greek chorus sang a song
  called goat song or tragos.
• It is from this word that we derive the word
  tragedy.
• The Greeks also contributed monumentally to the
  development of the stage.

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• By the time women attended theatre around 400 BC,
  Greek theatres could seat up to 15000 people.
• Large masks worn by the actors helped those at
  the back hear better.

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Imagine the acoustics!
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Hellloooo! Can you hear me?
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• Because the plays had so few actors up to 3
  only the masks allowed one actor to play
  several roles.
• Also, because women did not act, these devices
  allowed men to play womens roles.

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• The roof of the ever-expanding theatre structures
  was used as an acting area for the gods.
• If the gods needed to fly, a crane-like device
  called a machina would hoist them into the air.

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Deus ex machina (ma ke nah)

• The term deux ex machina refers to the plot
  device originating in Greek theatre in which a
  problem was resolved quite unexpectedly when a
  god would appear from nowhere and save the day.

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Early Greek Playwrights

• Original copies of Greek plays are disintegrating
  with the ages, but they are still remembered and
  performed because of their timeless themes.
• Some of the famous Greek playwrights competed
  against each other in playwriting competitions
  for prizes and public favour.

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Aeschylus (b.525 BC)

• Known as the Father of Tragedy
• Wrote about the choices men make, and the
  consequences that follow.
• Famous plays include Agamemnon, the Libation
  Bearers, and the Euminides.

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Aeschylus
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Sophocles (b.497 BC)

• Oedipus, the King, Oedipus of Colonus, Electra,
  and Antigone.
• He is often compared to Shakespeare as the
  greatest playwright of all time.

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Euripides (b. 484 BC)

• The last great writer of Greek tragedy
• The Trojan Women, the Medea, and the Hippolytus.
• Originated the use of the prologue as a way to
  summarize the play for the audience before the
  action.

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Starting to notice a pattern here?
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Aristophanes (b.448 BC)

• The only writer of ancient Greek comedy whose
  works still exist in whole today.
• Modern audiences have less appreciation for
  Aristophanes, as his style of wit gets lost in
  translation.
• His plays mocked the leaders of Athens, the gods,
  and even his playwright counterparts.

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Aristophanes
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A little video to sum it up

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vvNAM3PzGcow