Greek Theatre Flashcards

1
Q

What is the Thyleme?

A

altar

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2
Q

What is the Parados?

A

side entrances, pathways for the audience and actors

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3
Q

What is the Paraskenia?

A

side stages

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4
Q

What is the Thyleme

A

altar

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5
Q

What is the Parados

A

side entrances, pathways for the audience and actors

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6
Q

What is the Paraskenia

A

side stages

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7
Q

What is the Theatron

A

seeing place

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8
Q

What is the Skene

A

hut/tent for changing, 12m high 4m wide wooden building

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9
Q

What is the Orchestra

A

20m Circular dancing place containing the Thyleme

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10
Q

Who was the first actor

A

Thespis

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11
Q

What is the greek for actor

A

Hypocrites

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12
Q

What is the first actor called

A

Protagonists (first competitor)

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13
Q

What skills did ancient Greek actors need?

A

Strong voices
Stamina
Variation in tone and gestures

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14
Q

What is the Theatron?

A

seeing place

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15
Q

What is the Skene?

A

hut/tent for changing, 12m high 4m wide wooden building

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16
Q

What is the Orchestra?

A

20m Circular dancing place containing the Thyleme

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17
Q

Who was the first actor?

A

Thespis

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18
Q

What is the greek for actor?

A

Hypocrites

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19
Q

What is the first actor called?

A

Protagonists (first competitor)

20
Q

What were the positives of being an actor?

A
Representing the city
Possibility of winning best actor prize
Display singing ability
Large crowd
Perform in plays written by great playwrights
After show party
Large theatre
The responsibility of performing at the festival Dionysus
21
Q

What are the negatives of being an actor?

A
Lines to remember
Need stamina for singing and dancing
Length of plays
Speed in changing costume
Wear mask over face
Lengths of rehearsal time
Playing a range of roles
Need to use gesture and body language
22
Q

How many people in original Chorus, when did it shrink and how many then?

A

50 men, 5th CBC, 12-15

23
Q

How long were the Chorus on stage?

A

After the prologue to end

24
Q

What is the role of the chorus?

A

Comment on the action, fill in the background of events, interpret for the audience

25
Q

What else did the chorus do? (other than acting as a curtain)

A

sang and danced to a flute player (auletes) who played throughout on the orchestra, wearing long robes but no mask. Or maybe a lyre.

26
Q

What did Greek actors wear?

A

Long ankle length robe, (chiton) (later with long sleeves) with a heavier (himation) on top.

27
Q

What did the chorus wear?

A

Like actors but modified to role, footwear is a controversy, either boots with platform heels, or thin soled leather boots able to be worn on either foot

28
Q

What is the origin of the masks?

A

(prosopa) origin through Thespis (actor) who whitened his face with lead and decorated it with flowers.

29
Q

How did the masks develop after?

A

Developed to cover whole head (wide roles) with luxuriant wig or beard. Later made by specialist craftsman plaster and painted - the expression would suit the character.The exaggerated expression may have helped far away audience projecting sound like a small megaphone?

30
Q

How was scene setting made clear?

A

mainly speech of actors, perhaps skenographia (painting of the skene) no indoor scenes, some props, minimal special effects - rocks for thunder etc.

31
Q

What is the ekkyklema?

A

“wheel out” wooden wheeled platform rolled out from skene, display scenes off stage (usually results of violent scenes)

32
Q

What is the Mechane

A

“machine” crane like device often referred to as deus ex machina, (god from machine) used to lift actors playing gods onto roof of stage building, Euripides used most - dragon chariot in Medea!

33
Q

Who would attend?

A

EVERY SOCIAL CLASS - Athenians, citizens from Greece, the priest of Dionysus, Magistrates, visiting ambassadors, possibly some women for tragedies, boys with their slave tutors,

34
Q

How did the audience work, cost, seats, what to take etc?

A

It would cost two obuls, each Athenian tribe allocated block of seating, tickets used.
Spectators may take cushions, rugs, and refreshments but food +drink were sold.

35
Q

How did audience participate?

A

Hissed, clapped, threw food and shouted at actors -skill of playwright measured by audience’s involvement

36
Q

What were the plays based on?

A

myths, powerful representations of human dilemmas - such as conflicts between men and gods, family members or citizen and state,

37
Q

When was tragedy in some form introduced?

A

543BC

38
Q

When was the first tragedy?

A

472BC

39
Q

When was comedy introduced?

A

486BC

40
Q

Who were the choregoi?

A

Wealthy citizens, finance all aspects of Chorus, training, salary, house whilst rehearsing, costumes, props + scenery, special effects and musicians.

41
Q

Who would win and what would happen.

A

playwright and choregos - display trophy in place of honour and put on a celebratory feast. Failure was social humiliation.

42
Q

When was the City Dionysia?

A

9th - 13th March in Athens

43
Q

Why was it not under control of the ‘king’

A

It was relatively new compared to other festivals - under control of the Archon (chief)

44
Q

What did the Archon do?

A

Supervised the procession and contests, with the help of his two assistants.

45
Q

Who else helped assist the procession

A

10 curators

46
Q

What happened a day before the festival?

A

Feast for Asklepios was held - sacrifice and communal banquet.
“contest preliminary” a run-up to the contests (agônes). Each poet stood with his actors, wearing garlands no masks or costumes, temporary platform announced the subjects of plays.
See each play’s actors

47
Q

Why masks?

A

Essential, change of identity - important part of Dionysian worship (he was the “mask god”), earliest times involved masks + elaborate costumes (chorus) and might be satyrs and other creatures.