Influence of Roman Theatre: History and Culture

1. ROMAN THEATRE

2. Brief Roman History • by 345 B.C • There were over _____________ a year • 240 B.C • The beginnings of Roman theatre recorded • The first record of drama at the • ___________________(Roman Festival or • Roman Games).

3. Brief Roman History • 55 B.C • First stone theatre built in Rome by order of ___________________.

4. Roman Theatre • Borrowed __________ ideas and improved (?) upon them • Topics less ___________________ • Entertainment tended to be grandiose, _________________,_________________.

5. Roman Theatre • Included more than drama : • _____________ • gladiators • _____________ • athletics • _____________ • naumachia (_____________) • boxing • venationes (______________)

6. Roman Theatre • 3 Major Influences • ____________________ • ______________ influences, which emphasized circus-like elements • __________________ – which introduced FARCE (Atella was near Naples).

7. Roman Theatre • Farce • Short improvised plays, with ________________, similar costumes and ________ • based on ________________or mythology • burlesque, parody • Most popular during the _________B.C., then frequency declined

8. Roman Theatre • Farce • Probably was the foundation for commedia dell ‘Arte • Productions included “stock” characters: • __________: braggart, boisterous • __________: foolish old man • __________: swindler, drunk, hunchback

9. Roman Theatre • Serious or comic (satiric) • No ____________ • Had _________ • Violence and sex depicted literally (Heliogabalus, ruled 218-222 A.D., ordered realistic sex) • Scoffed at ______________

10. Roman Festivals • Held in honor of the ______, but much less religious than the _________. • Performances at festivals probably paid for by the _______. • Were often lengthy and included a series of plays or events, and probably had prizes awarded to those who put extra __________ in.

11. Roman Festivals • ________= official religious festivals • these were preceded by _________ = religious procession

12. Roman Festivals • ludi Romani • ________ of the official festivals • held in September and honored _____________ • regular performance of comedy and tragedy began in _____ B.C.

13. Roman Tragedy • Characteristics of Roman Tragedy • 5 acts/episodes divided by choral odes • included elaborate ____________ • interested in __________ • unlike Greeks, they depicted ___________ on stage

14. Roman Tragedy • Characteristics of Roman Tragedy • characters dominated by a single passion which drives them to ______ (ex: obsessiveness or revenge) • developed technical devices such as:_____________and___________. • interest in _______________ and human connections

15. Roman Tragedy • ________ (5 or 4 B.C. – 65 A.D.) • only playwright of __________ whose plays survived • Nine extant tragedies, five adapted from ____________(Gr.) • Though considered to be _________, Seneca had a strong effect on later dramatists.

16. Roman Tragedy • Seneca (5 or 4 B.C. – 65 A.D.) • WroteThe Trojan Women, Media, Oedipus, Agamemnon, etc., which were all based on _________ originals • His plays were probably ________ dramas—never presented, or even expected to be.

17. Roman Comedy • Characteristics of Roman Comedy • ___________ was abandoned • No ________________divisions • Concerned everyday, domestic affairs • Action placed in the ___________

18. Roman Comedy • Material from only 2 playwrights survived • __________ (c. 254-184 B.C.) • __________(195 or 185-159 B.C.)

19. Roman Comedy • Platus (c. 254-184 B.C.) • Very popular. • Plays include: Pot of Gold, The Menaechmi, Braggart Warrior • All based on Greek New Comedies, probably, none of which have survived

20. Roman Comedy • Platus (c. 254-184 B.C.) • Added Roman allusions, Latin dialog, witty jokes • varied poetic meters • Developed Slapstick & Songs

21. Roman Comedy • Terence (195 or 185-159 B.C.) • Wrote only six plays, all of which survive, including: The Brothers, Mother-in-Law • More complex plots – combined stories from Greek originals.

22. Roman Comedy • Terence (195 or 185-159 B.C.) • Character and double-plots were his forte • Less boisterous than Plautus, less episodic, more elegant language. • Used Greek characters. • Less popular than Plautus.

23. Roman Theatre Design

24. Roman Theatre Design • First permanent Roman theatre built __ A.D. (____ years after the last surviving comedy)

25. Roman Theatre Design • General Characteristics • Built on level ground with ________-style seating (audience raised)

26. Roman Theatre Design • General Characteristics • Stage raised to _________ • Stages were • _______ – • 20-40 ft deep • 100-300 ft long

27. Roman Theatre Design • General Characteristics • Theatre could seat ____________ people • dressing rooms • in side wings • stage was • covered with • a room

28. Roman Theatre Design • General Characteristics • _____________were common • _________________– air blowing over streams of water • ____________ over the audience to protect them from the sun

29. Roman Theatre Design • ____________ • “stage house” • joined with • audience to • form one • architectural • unit

30. Roman Theatre Design • Scaena frons • front/façade of the stage house • was painted and • had _________, • niches, • porticoes, • ___________

31. Roman Theatre Design • ________________ • becomes half-circle • was probably used for ____________ and for the display and killing of wild animals • if entertainment permitted, people were sat here

32. Roman Theatre Design • ___________ • corridors under the seats that lead onto the orchestra

33. Roman Theatre Design • ___________ • the stage • _________ • the auditorium

34. Roman Theatre Design • Other structures included: • ________________ • _________________

35. Roman Theatre Design • Circus Maximus • Primarily for ____________ racing • Permitted __ chariots to race at once

36. Roman Theatre Design • Ampitheatres • For gladiator contests, _______________, and occasionally naumachia • Had space with ___________ below to bring up animals, etc.

37. Roman Actors • Referred to as_______________, ______________ (means declaimers), and ____________ – later primarily histriones • Mostly _________ – women were in mimes

38. Roman Actors • Mimes were considered inferior; some believed they were _________. • In the 1st century B.C., a “______" performer seems to have been emphasized

39. Roman Actors • Style of Acting • Mostly __________ traditions – masks, doubling of roles • _____________ – slow, stately • ______________—more rapid and conversational

40. Roman Actors • Style of Acting • Movements likely ____________ • Actors probably specialized in one type of drama, but did others • ____________ if favorite speeches given (no attempt at "realism")

41. Roman Actors • Style of Acting • Mimes – no ___________ • Used Greek or Roman ___________ • Lots of ___________