Acting & Theatre History Terms Flashcards
Memorize
1
Q
Deus ex Machina
A
- origin: Ancient Greek Theatre
- means “God from the machine”
- special effects machinery/device
- crane was used to lower a god character onto the stage to resolve the plot
- overused by Euripides
2
Q
Chorus
A
- origin: Ancient Greek Theatre
- size: debated but can be from 3 - 24 in Ancient Greece
- functions: character in a play. it can give advice, share opinion, ask questions, take active part in action.
- establishes the ethical or social framework/standard for the events
- serves as ideal spectator, reacting to events and characters as the dramatists hope the audience would.
- help set overall mood of the play and scenes, heighten dramatic effects
- adds movement, spectacle, song and dance
- choral passages serve as rhythmical function: create intervals, “intermission” for audience to reflect on what happened or will happen
- found in tragedies and comedies
3
Q
Parodos (singular)
Parodoi (plural)
A
- origin: Ancient Greek Theatre
- entrance of the chorus
- 20 - 200 lines
- can come after prologue or begin a play
- function: introduce chorus, give exposition, establish mood.
4
Q
Exodos (singular)
Exodoi (plural)
A
- origin: Ancient Greek Theatre
- concluding scene
- departure of all characters and chorus
5
Q
Ekkyklema
A
- origin: Ancient Greek Theatre
- device for revealing a tableau (usually bodies of characters killed off stage)
- platform that could be rolled through the central doorway of the skene
6
Q
Six components of tragedy
A
- origin: Aristotle’s poetics
- plot most important “arrangement of incidents”
- character hero and heroine are most impt
- thought thought from speech and dialogues
- diction medium of languageembellished*
- song is an embellishment
- spectacle from decoration, scenes of torture, lamentations, dances, fools, colorful garments
7
Q
Six components of plot
A
- origin: Aristotle
- exposition intro, sets the scene
- complication begins major conflict
- rising action builds story
- climax moment of greatest challenge
- falling action happens b/c of climax
- resolution character resolves main problem
- denoument answers any remaining questions/mysteries
8
Q
Complex plot
A
- origin: Aristotle
- accompanied by:
= reversal (peripeteia) dramatic change in plot, come full circle
= recognition (anagnorisis) awareness of truths or realities on part of characters within story
9
Q
simple plot
A
- origin: Aristotle
- beginning, middle, end
- made up of a series of actions that logically affect each other
- unity of time and action
- no effect of pity or fear
10
Q
Horace
A
- Horatius Flaccus of Ancient Rome
- Wrote essay “The Art of Poetry”
- Rules:
1) tragedy and comedy should never mix
2) a play should have 5 acts
3) only 3 speaking characters should be on stage at the same time
4) the gods should not be brought into the story unless doing so is the only way the plot can be resolved
5) chorus used to move action along and be high inn morals
6) drama should both entertain and instruct an audience
7) avoid extreme emotions and attempt to be truthful
8) keep to decorum (don’t stray from status quo)
11
Q
Unities
A
- Ludovico Castelvetro’s interpretation of Aristotle’s principles
- Unity of place, time, and action
12
Q
Quem Quaeritis
A
- “literary musical elaboration”
- 4 lines from Easter liturgy
- one question, one answer, one command
- “whom do you seek?”
- women’s encounter w/ angels at Jesus’ tomb
13
Q
Mystery play
A
- one of the 3 kinds of vernacular drama in Europe during the Mediaval period (13th century)
- represent biblical subjects but not in churches
- example: creation, Adam and Eve, murder of Abel
14
Q
Morality play
A
- allegorical drama popular in Europe during 15th and 16th C
- character personifies moral qualities (charity or vice) or abstractions (death or youth).
- moral lesson to be learnt.
15
Q
French scene
A
- a scene where the beginning and end are marked by a change in characters on stage instead of lights or set change.
