The theatre Flashcards
What was the main genre of play?
Comedy, most famously written by Plautus who adapted the plays of Menander, a Greek playwright
What were the common conventions of the plays?
Centred on the tricks of a sly slave who would assist his master’s son in a love affair or deceiving his master
Which aspects of the plays made them popular to the lower classes?
The slave was very popular with the audience and the idea of him outwitting the master and making a fool of him was liked,
the girl was often also a slave or prostitute and so the marriage wasn’t allowed however she would often end up being freeborn and overcame the restrictions of society
Why would masks have been worn?
Gave the actors a clear role,
allowed actors to play multiple roles,
helped the audience identify them instantly as a character, especially those at the back,
helped amplify the actors voices
Which masks belonged to which characters?
What costumes would each have?
Old men often had white beards with their masks, he wore a white costume
young men had dark hair, the young master a multi-coloured costume
slaves always had red hair, he wore a short tunic and a padded costume for humour,
the prostitute wore a yellow cloak
Why would audiences attend?
Suggestive scenes, typical jokes and slapstick humour, invited to join in the mocking of upper class, famous actors could attract audiences to their new plays
How would an audience have conducted themselves?
They were very vocal, if they became restless and bored they would shout “We want bears! We want boxers!”, bad singing or reciting of lines could result in being booed off, they would also cheer and clap loudly if they enjoyed the play
How were actors regarded?
Actresses were considered little better than prostitutes,
Actors rarely gained respect and were foreigners but they could earn huge amounts of money,
“Paris, pearl of the stage”, some actors were loved
How was the seating arranged?
Seats were stone, 40cm for each person there were 3 section: Ima Cavea -4 rows for VIPs and senators Media Cavea -20 rows for wealthier townfolk Summa Cavea -4 rows for others
How was the theatre designed?
Semi circular, an ornate Frons Scenae was the stage area, backdrop was a street in Athens with 3 doorways in the back wall and an entrace on either side,
in between the frons scenae and seating was an open space for the orchestra
What benefits did the design have?
The structure of the theatre meant all the audience had a good view and the acoustics were very good, no ceiling solved lighting problem and awning could be put over to shade from sun
