Ancient Greek Theatre

Ancient Greek Theatre About 600 BCE - about 250 BCE

Origins • Religious ceremonies • Funerals • Seasonal celebrations • Ceremonies honoring the gods • Of particular significance were ceremonies honoring Dionysus, god of wine, fertility and revelry. • Some historians believe Greek drama originated in the dithyrambic choruses • Dithyramb: long hymn, sung and danced by a group of 50 men

Thespis • Thespis is credited being the first actor • In 534 BCE, he stepped out of the chorus and delivered a prologue and dialogue while impersonating a character • That is where we get the modern term “thespian” as a tribute to Thespis.

Festivals • Business came to a standstill during dramatic festivals – even wars were stopped to celebrate and honor the gods • Has no modern day equivalent • City Dionysia • Held at the end of March when spring had arrived to honor Dionysus • In 534 BCE, tragedy was incorporated – In 486 BCE, comedy and satyr plays added

City Dionysia • Lasted for several days • Before the opening of the festival, parades and sacrifices were held to honor Dionysus • 2 days for dithyrambs, 3 days for plays • Each playwright had to enter 3 tragedies and 1 satyr play – this was called a tetralogy • Awards were given – similar to Olympics

Greek Tragedy • Violence and death offstage • Frequent use of messengers to relate information • Usually continuous time of action • Usually single place • Stories based on myth or history, but varied interpretations of events

Aeschylus • His are the oldest surviving plays • Has the only remaining Greek trilogy • TheOrestia • Agamemnon • The Libation Bearers • The Eumenides • Introduced the 2nd actor

Sophocles (496-406 B.C.) • Introduced the 3rd actor • Fixed the chorus at 15 • Wrote: • Oedipus Rex • Antigone

Euripides (480-406 B.C.) • Very popular in later Greek times • little appreciated during his life • Sometimes known as "the father of melodrama" • Wrote: • Hecuba • Medea

Aristotle • Wrote The Poetics (c. 335 BCE) in response to Plato’s The Republic • Aristotlean Elements • Plot • Character • Thought • Diction • Music • Spectacle

The Satyr Play • Afterpiece to the tragedies • Thematically tied to trilogy • Poked fun at honored Greek religion and heroes • Had elements of vulgarity

Comedy • Satirical treatment of domestic situations • Called "Old Comedy" • Commentary on contemporary society, politics, literature, and Peloponnesian War.

Aristophanes • Wrote plays in the style of Old Comedy • Reflected the social and political climate in Athens • Plays full of bawdy wit • Distinguished for their inventive comic scenes, witty dialogue and pointed satire rather than for plot or character • Wrote: • The Clouds (423 BCE) • The Birds (414 BCE) • Lysistrata (411 BCE) • The Frogs (405 BCE)

Greek Theater

Scenery and Special Effects • Periaktos • rotating triangles used for changing scene locations • Ekkyklema • platform on wheels used to bring out characters from inside the building • Mechane • Crane hidden behind the upper level of the skene, used to lower the actor playing the god to suggest a descent from the heavens • Later changed to deus ex machina which means “god from a machine”

Acting Styles • Acting styles: • Only three actors • Actors usually played more than one role • Men played all the parts • Chorus: • Entered with stately march, sometimes singing or in small groups. • Choral passages sung and danced in unison, sometimes divided into two groups.

Costumes and Masks • Masks • All tragic players wore masks. • None survive - made of cork, linen, wood. • Covered whole face - hair, beard, etc. • Comedy - more varied often birds, animals, etc. Probably not realistic. • Characters had exaggerated masks, some in chorus wore identical masks.

Ancient Greek Theatre