19th century Flashcards
What was a significant social change during the Industrial Revolution that impacted theatre?
Rapid urbanization led to overcrowding and poor living conditions.
What percentage of British men could vote by 1884?
75%
Name a key invention from 1837 that transformed communication.
Telegraph
What invention in 1879 improved lighting in theatres?
Lightbulb
How did the audience demographics change in theatres during the Industrial Revolution?
Audiences expanded to include more working-class people.
What did Karl Marx critique in his writings?
Industrialization for turning people into just workers with no individual identity.
What was Charles Darwin’s influential publication in 1859?
On the Origin of Species
What concept did Sigmund Freud introduce that influenced theatre?
Theories of the unconscious mind.
What type of theatre emerged as a response to melodrama?
Realism
What was a key feature of realistic theatre?
Characters spoke and acted like real people.
What did Henrik Ibsen believe theatre should expose?
Social issues
What is one of the key themes in Ibsen’s work?
Gender roles & misogyny
What was the first play to use historically accurate costumes?
King John (1823)
What type of endings did realistic plays typically feature?
No neat, happy endings
Fill in the blank: The dominant 19th-century genre was _______.
Melodrama
True or False: Realism often addressed taboo topics like disease and hypocrisy.
True
What did Richard Wagner pioneer in the theatre?
The concept of a director as a separate artistic role.
What was the impact of gas lighting transitioning to electric lighting in theatres?
Brighter, safer, and more dynamic stage effects.
What is a common element in contemporary realism as seen in August Wilson’s ‘Fences’?
Conversational dialogue with subtext.
What did Ibsen’s plays often challenge?
Accepted social norms.
What does the acronym ‘TIMELIGHT’ represent in the context of theatre changes?
Technology, Industrial Rev, Marx, Evolution (Darwin), Lighting changes, Immersive sets, Gas → Electric, historically accurate costumes, Theatre realism.
What is the significance of the ‘Well-Made Play’ structure in Ibsen’s writing?
It established clear backstory and plot devices but maintained realism.
What did critics call Ibsen’s play ‘Ghosts’ when it premiered?
‘A loathsome sore unbandaged’.
