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Theatre History II > Mid-Term Exam > Flashcards

Mid-Term Exam Flashcards

1
Q

What were naturalist plays termed?

A

” A slice of life” plays

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2
Q

What did the realists and naturalists believe?

A

The focus of art should be the betterment of human kind

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3
Q

What did naturalist plays focus on?

A

The poor

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4
Q

Contrast Andre Antoine and Georg II, Duke of Sax- Meiningen

A

1) Antoine was interested in new plays and produced Ibsen, Tolstoy, Hauptauin, and Strindberg. Sax-Meiningen was interested in reviving Shakespeare with realist endings
2) Antoine sidestepped censorship by creating a subscription theatre. Sax-Meiningen controlled his own duchy and therefore did not need to worry about censorship
3) Antoine made a theatre from scratch- Theatre Libre. Sax-Meiningen had his court theatre

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5
Q

What was the Theatre Libre able to accomplish?

A

Because it was a subscription theatre, it was able to introduce Parisians to French and foreign plays that would have been too scandalous for major production

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6
Q

What were Andre Antoine’s contributions to theatre?

A

1) Created a subscription theatre and introduced French and foreign plays which would have been deemed too scandalous to Parisians
2) Changed the style of acting by instructing actors to be the characters by speaking and moving naturally
3) Used real objects- props
4) Established the scenic fourth wall
5) Established a model for a censor-free theatre

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7
Q

What occurred as a result of the independent theatre movement?

A

It instilled realism as a mainstream within commercial theatre

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8
Q

What is an ensemble- late 19th century?

A

A group of actors without stars

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9
Q

Name two playwrights of psychological realism.

A

Ibsen and Chekhov

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10
Q

What did Ibsen’s plays focus on?

A

The plays centered around issues within society such as the role of women, ethics of euthanasia, the morality of business and war, and economics of religion. These were deemed shocking.

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11
Q

What was the focus on Chekhov’s plays?

A

The waning of the Russian aristocracy. The lines were melodic and evoked a feeling of music. There were measured pauses, which seemed life-like.

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12
Q

What was the “ Door Slam Heard Around the World”

A

Nora slamming walking out and slamming the door at the end of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House

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13
Q

What was the Delsarte Method?

A

An early method to apply scientific observation to acting

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14
Q

What is gesmantkunstwerk

A

Master artwork

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15
Q

What is neoclassicism?

A

It is a return to the classical plays and tenants from the Ancient Greeks.

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16
Q

Name the five tenants of Neoclassicism

A

1) Unites: Unity of time, place, and action
2) Purity of genre
3) Five Acts
4) Verisimilitude
5) Decorum

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17
Q

Define the unities within Neoclassicism

A

Unity of Time- The story must take place over a 24-hour time period

Unity of Place- There must only be one location

Unity of Action- No sub-plots

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18
Q

Define Decorum with Neoclassicism

A

No vulgarity, lewdness, no suicide on stage, and no violence. There must be civility depicted on stage.

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19
Q

What does “ Verisimilitude” mean?

A

“Truth Seeming” No magic, must be believable. Refers to the actors as well.Realistic. No soliloquies. Maids and friends serve as soundboards

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20
Q

Why did the French create these rules for theatre?

A

They observed that these were the tenants of the plays of Ancient Greece. A play should have 5 acts because that’s how Seneca did it.

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21
Q

Who was Jean Racine?

A

A neoclassical playwright. He wrote Phedra.

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22
Q

Explain Jean Racine’s writing.

A

1) Dodecasyllabic verse
2) Plays focused on tormented women. Intensely observed feelings
3) Set before an emotional crisis and struggle is internal

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23
Q

Who was Pierre Corneille

A

A French neoclassical playwright famous for Le Cid.

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24
Q

Why was Le Cid controversial?

A

It broke the unities of time, place, and action. It did not contain decorum or verisimilitude. It mixed comedy with tragedy. It DID have five acts.

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25
- When did the Neoclassical period take place (what years)?
1625-1750
26
Creates the impression of 3 dimensions in a flat work (such as a backdrop). Includes multiple vanishing points.
Multipoint perspective
27
The first professional female playwright
Aphra Behn
28
The behavior of a neoclassical character in keeping with their social status, age, sex, occupation, etc.
Decorum
29
The excessive expression of feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia
Sentimentalism
30
A comedy genre that satirizes "proper" behavior in a particular social group, especially the upper classes.
Comedy of Manners
31
Genre that had a complicated plot marked by wit, cynicism, and licentiousness. Characterized by a new explicitness about sexual behavior in the upper classes. Can be interchangle with Comedy of Manners- upper class, foibles, super risque
Restoration Comedy
32
To teach and to please
Neoclassical purpose of drama
33
(1660-1750) Restoration of the monarchy in England, marked the return of Charles II as king after the period of Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth.
English Restoration
34
Genre where peoples virtues rather than their weaknesses were stressed. The audience experienced something "Too exquisite for laughter."
Sentimental Comedy
35
Later melodrama for middle-class audiences with upper-middle class subjects and settings.
Gentlemanly melodrama
36
the practice of a resident company presenting a number of different productions, often alternating them
Repertory
37
"Music drama"
Melodrama
38
Shows that are produced to earn a profit for investors
Commercial theatre
39
A monopoly that controlled nearly all touring theatres in the US from 1896-1908.
Theatrical Syndicate
40
Characters who are drawn from cliché and stereotype, not real life.
Stock types
41
Minor characters are played by local actors for the season, and central roles are played by stars brought in for one production.
Star System
42
Payments made to playwrights that are a percentage of ticket sales
Royalties
43
A category of drama in which a meticulous and complicated plot takes precedence. Typified by the melodramas of Eugene Scribe.
Well-made play
44
The arousing of feelings out of proportion to their cause.
Sentimentality
45
A type of setting that is built on the stage to look like the interior of a house or room, having three walls and no ceiling.
Box set
46
What are the 5 ideas of Romanticism?
Rebellion, Art, Nature, Anti-industrialism, Uniqueness
47
What were the years of French Neoclassicism?
1625-1750
48
What are the years of the Restoration period?
1660- 1750
49
What were the years of Commercial Theatre?
1750- 1900
50
What were the years of Realism and Naturalism?
Late 1800s
51
When were the Age of Revolutions?
1750-1850s
52
Who wrote The School for Scandal?
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
53
Who wrote Tartuffe?
Moliere
54
What is the definition of " Romanticism"?
A return to nature and everything primitive and naive
55
Why did France not have a Golden Age of theatre?
Due to involvement in ongoing wars
56
What relationship did theatre have with King Louis XIV and Cardinal Richelieu?
Both viewed themselves as proponents of theatre. At the time, neoclassical theatre was heavily controlled by the Acadamie Francaise, which was controlled by the King and Cardinal.
57
Explain stages and scenery during French Neoclassicism
Theatres were long and rectangular. The proscenium arch was introduced along with Italianate staging and the vanishing point. The chariot and pole system was used to change scenery.
58
What were the two genres during French Neoclassicism?
Comedy and Tragedy
59
How doe the Industrial Revolution influence theatre?
1) Theatre becomes commercialized 2) Middle class grew 3) Steam power enabled troupes to tour and gave rise to Showboats
60
Define “Sturm und Drang
Storm and stress . Theatre in Germany which focused on love and loss, liberty, the fight against despotism, free will and wisdom
61
What was the Comedie Francaise?
One of the national theatres- Subsidized through the government so that the poor could see theatre
62
What was the Academy Francai?
The national theatre academy. It set the rules for theatre in Neoclassical France
63
What is a Breeches Role?
Women playing young men and wearing breeches. For plot, Audiences liked seeing women’s legs, Women became famous for their shapes
64
What is a Comedy of Manners?
Satire of the upper class. Written for all classes 1) Sexually explicit 2) Here are the rules, but you will if you can get around them without getting caught. More scandalous and focused on sexual promiscuity
65
What is a Social Comedy?
These are the rules of society, and you get a happy ending if you follow them
66
Traditional “Tragedy” in England
1) Tragic heroes/heroines- Kings, queens, nobles 2) Heighten language verse 3) Tragic circumstances- fate is inevitable 4) Man character has a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall
67
Traditional Comedy
-Purpose is to amuse -About normal people, dealing with normal, every-day matters Private affairs of mundane life -Language is prose Ends happily= marriage
68
Comedy of Intrigue
1) Comedy of situation 2) Complicated conspiracies and strategies drive play 3) Farcical humor, ridiculous situations 4) Characters reply on deception
69
Heroic Tragedies
1. Tragic heroes are flawless 2. Tragic heroines are chaste 3. Must be important about important grand matters 4. Heightened language ( in verse) 5. Epic poetry for the stage 6. Love, honor, and courage
70
Sentimental comedy
1) Stress virtues instead of foibles 2) Human are inherently good but can be led astray 3) “A pleasure too exquisite for laughter"
71
Domestic Tragedy
``` Middle class hero Written in prose Led astray Punished Taught morality by showing punishment of evil No scenery or special effects ```
72
Pantomimes:
Elaborate scenery and costumes Short, funny, elaborate and spectacular Often an afterpiece Included transformation, elaborate magical scene and costume change
73
Who are William and Lewis Hallam?
The founders of The American Colony
74
When and Where was the The Walnut Street Theatre founded
1809, Phildephia
75
What was an Actor-Manager?
Leading actor who managed the theatre and made big decisions
76
What was a Director-Manager?
Came after the actor-manager. Now it is the director who is responsible for all financial and artistic aspects of the performance.
77
What is a Producer?
Over the theatre company and handled the finances
78
Explain the Star System
Famous leading actors would travel around the country ( and world) joining local companies to perform a single role
79
What are Combination Companies?
An entire theatre production that would travel from city-to-city. Complete with actors, scenery, and props.
80
What is a Showboat?
team-powered paddle wheel boats that brought entertainment to the river side of Mississippi in the 1800s.
81
When theatre is run by business people...
Profits trumps art
82
Define " Sentimentality"
The arousing of feelings out of proportion to their cause
83
Values of Sentimentality in the age of commercialism
family, fidelity, loyalty, work, and obedience to superiors
84
Stock Characters of Melodrama
1) Hero 2) Heroine 3) Villain 4) The Comic Sidekick- gets the hero out of tough situations 5) The Henchman- the villain’s sidekicks 6) The Poor Parent- kind heart, but unable to help 7) The Teacher- helps the hero unlock their true potential
85
American Stock Characters
1) The Stage Yankee- simple, straight talking character, rugged individual of modes means 2) The Fireboy- Hardworking blue collar urban man. Based on real life urban heroes. 3) Ethnic Types- Jumping Jim Crow
86
Name several elements of Melodrama
1) Good always trumps evil 2) Simplified moral universe 3) Stock character 4) Costumes announced their character types 5) Episodic, repetitive structure of the story
87
Element of Romantic melodrama?
Depended on spectacle
88
Define " Spectacle"
Fire, explosions, drownings, earthquakes,
89
What are Equestrian and Canine melodramas?
Stories that involve horses and dogs
90
How are demographics, technology, and plays related
Increase of population brought more people, story representation together Technology allowed more people to come to the theatre and stay up late for the shows. Reflects worry of the day “ people being run over by trains”
91
What is Realistic Melodrama?
1) Developed in the 1850s 2) a form of melodrams developed for realistic settings, in which the conflict between good and evil was less flamboyant than in full blown melodrama
92
What is gentlemanly melodrama?
upper-middle-class subjects and settings, without as many violent spectacles as romantic melodramas
93
What problems came to theatre as a result of theatre’s growing commercialism?
1) reinforced ethnic stereotypes 2) stifled creativity 3) Low quality
94
What is a Minstrel Show?
Racist show. Allowed audience to laugh at ethnic stereotypes | Black actors had to use black face too
95
When was the African Grove Theatre started?
1816
96
Name the characters in a Minstrel Show
1) Interlocutor 2) Mr. Tambo 3) Mr. Bones
97
What is an Interlocutor?
straight man/ lead. Gentleman whiteman MC Condescending Humor comes from how uppity he is and contrast with Mrs Tambo and Bone
98
What does Mr. Tambo play?
tambourine
99
What did Mr Bones play?
Castinets
100
Name the parts of a Minstrel Show
3- part format 1-Intro- Troupe fences on stage t a pop song.Jokes and songs 2- Olio- Variety show in front of the curtain. Ended with a “ stump speech” 3- Afterpiece- A skit ( ofen set on a plantation) with racial stock character and slapstick humor
101
Who becomes a Christ-like figure at the center of Romanticism?
Thomas Chatteron
102
What are the tenants of Romanticism?
Value innocence and the creativity of children Romantic hero =Christ like Love-> dramatic outpouring of feeling. Always right and noble to follow your heart Godlike grandeur of nature Nature> industry Feelings> science and logic “Cult of the middle ages” The flaneur- playful, impractical, unemployed >wave slaves Civilization is what has made us sick
103
What were the effects of Romanticism on theatre?
1) Protagonists are portrayed as rebels 2) Promoted individuality and importance of imagination 3) Closest seating became the most expensive , with upper galleries the cheapest 4) The idea of the master artist
104
Name two "strum and drang" plays
1) Faust- Goethe | 2) William Tell- Fredrich von Schiller
105
What are the two innovations of Wagner?
Production unity, created a unifying artist- paves the way the modern director Separate, classless audience space in the theater
106
Describe the Continental Seating.
Several nested proscenium arches- makes more of a picture frame Hidden orchestra pit- unearth the apron No center aisle- no differentiation between class No elevated boxes No gallery Audience is raked- everyone has an equality good view Stage was lit. Audience was dark during the show You are all equal and you are here to watch the show The master artist gave and the audience received - worshiping the artist
107
1)What shifts in culture led neoclassical to crumble and Romanticism to emerge?
The age of revolutions- emphasis on freedom The rise of the common man and individualism Disenchantment with religion
108
2) How was Romanticism not always consistent in itself?
We will kill ourselves for love Theatre is high tech, but we should worship nature We are all equal, but the artist is above all Privileged mindset to withdraw from society to be in nature
109
How did Romanticism express itself in Germany, England, and France?
``` Natural language, focused on love and loss Heroes are average people Liberty and fight against absolute power Not limited by unities Sturm und dung Production unity Classless audience ```
110
What are the tenants of Realism and Naturalism
Principle of the fourth wall Actors will act like you are not there. They will act and play to one another and not the audience Psychologically driven- focuses on how characters are feeling and how they deal with the situation- verisimilitude Realism in not perfectly realistic-> Only heightened moments of the day are portrayed No longer have happy ending, but realistic Relatable to what people were going through at the time
111
Tartuffe
Neoclassical French Social Comedy
112
School for Scandal
Comedy of Manners
113
The London Merchant
Bourgeois Tragedy
114
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Melodrama
115
Under the Gaslight
Melodrama
116
The Importance of Being Earnest
Gentlemanly melodrama
117
Hernani
Romantacism
118
A Doll’s House
Realism
119
The Cherry Orchard-
Russian Realism
120
What factors from Freud influence theatre during realism?
heredity and environment
121
woman with baby and money
gentlemanly melodrama
122
Who wrote Under the Gaslight?
Augustin Daly.
123
Who wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin?
Harriet Beecher Stowe adapted by George L. Aiken
124
Who wrote Hermani?
Victor Hugo
125
Who wrote The London Merchant?
George Lillo

Theatre History II (3 decks)

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