Greek theatre: context (the physical theatre)
Technology:
- mechane: stage crane used to lift a character, typically a god. This is seen at the end
of the Bacchae with Dionysus. The plot technique is called duex ex machina.
- Ekkeklema: turning wheeled cart used to reveal dead bodies.
Props:
- masks were essential to character, having distinctive features that would allow the
audience to identify the character from far up. They rendered a specific facial
expression. They were also used to allow an actor to play multiple roles. An actor
could have up to six roles.
- Masks could be adored with beards to signify old men, could be painted differently, or
could have hair if the actor was playing a woman
- Props such as crowns, walking sticks, and lyres were also commonly used. Seen at
the end of the Bacchae when Agave holds the head of Pentheus.
- The scene could be painted in realistic images to help ‘set the scene’
- Trapdoors to reveal a god were common
Parts of the theatre:
- parados: entrance and exit to the stage
- Prohedria: the front row of seats, reserved for the priest of Dionysia and the elite.
The seat were elaborate, with the person’s name carved into them
- Diazoma: the upper and lower parts of the theatre. The closer you were to the stage
(lower) the more likely you were of upper class and could afford the more expensive
tickets.
- Orchestra: where the chorus perfommed
- Theatron: where the audience sat
- Kerkis: wedges that divided the theatron. There were thirteen wedges, ten for each
of the ten tribes, and three for metrics/foreigners
- Skene: an area were the props and costumes were kept. The actors went behind this
to change
- Theatre was in open air and plays were performed in daylight
- Had perfect acoustics due to its shape, a testament to new technology
Greek theatre: context (the Great Dionysia)
- The Dionysia started in the 6th century, stemming from phallic disease the men
believed was due to a lack of worship towards Dionysus
- It was five days long and held in the spring, when it was easier for foreigners to travel
- It started with a komos (revel) on the first night, where the men would go and party,
drink wine, and perform ritual dances
- There would be a procession (pompe) through the city, with women carrying fruit
baskets, Athens’ orphans displayed, and effigy of Dionysus carried to the theatre,
and the programme for all of the plays read out
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, - On the 2nd day, sacrifices and libations would be carried out, as well as the
performances of comedies. 240 bulls and piglets were sacrificed
- 10 generals from the tribes of Attica would pour libations of water, honey, or wine
- On the 3-5 days, the tragedies would be performed. Each day ended with a satyr
play
- Admission was 2 obols, and food was sold
- The prize for best poet and choregos: ivy wreaths/bronze tripod
Politics
- theoric fund: scheme established by Athenian statesman Pericles to allow the poor to
attend the theatre by taxing the rich and having free tickets for the poor.
- Athens: before the start of the shows, Athens’ wealth would be paraded around the
theatre allowing all to see
- Politicians would often attend the theatre to prove they were a part of the community
- The Theatre of Dionysus led out from the road of tripods to the Agora (marketplace)
which was a hub for commmunity and politics
- The Delian league would be in attendance and would have to donate money
- The plays would be judged by ten judges, one from every tribe. The votes were
democratic, and cheating would result in death
- Announced the public benefactors who would have places on the prohedria
Greek theatre: context (tragedy)
History:
- comes from the words for ‘goat’ and ‘song.’ It is unclear whether this was to do with
Dionysus, sacrifice, or ritual dances
- Theatre lasts from around 550-220
- Came out of the dithyrambs, a choral dance to Dionysus
- There would be dithyramb contests, with 50 men or 50 boys
- Thesis is considered to be the first actor (534). He came away from the dithyramb
with a mask and dialogue
- The first recorded play is Aeschylus’ The Persians (472)
- Tragedies did not take place in Athens; it was a bad omen
- Violence was never depicted on stage (bad omen), so a messenger speech would be
used to relay the information. This was an especially good technique as special
effects were not advanced, so the audience would imagine a more realistic image.
The actors would often scream behind the stage to heighten the image.
- Made use of dramatic irony
Costumes:
- Himaton: a cloak
- Chiton: full length robe
- Kothornoi: upturned boots
Actors:
- only three speaking actors on stage at a time
- Only male
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, - Believed they became the character (ekstasis)
- Professionals
- Had to be good at singing
- Often had stock characters (ie. the tyrant, the messenger, the mother)
The Chorus:
- performed in the orchestra
- entertained the audience
- Interacted with the actors, foreshadowing, setting the mood, revealing flaws, and
echoing contemporaneous beliefs. When actors went to change during the intervals,
the chorus dance and sang.
- Dressed the same and spoke in unison
- 15 ordinary citizens
- Leader who spoke individual lines
- Kept pace
- Linked to religion and traditional Greek epic and solo poetry
- Most expensive part
- 500 people, decreased to 12 with Aeschylus, then increased to 15 with Sophocles
Music accompanied the chorus and the actors.
- monody: a time of high distress where a character would sing
- Kommos: when the chorus and actor would interact and talk to each other
Themes:
- why do people suffer?
- To what extent can you control your destiny?
Greek theatre: context (playwrights and structure)
Aeschylus
- 525-456 (Eleusis)
- Introduced the second actor
- 80 plays, 6 survive
- Most use of the chorus
- Fought at the battle of Marathon against the Persians
- Connected plays in a trilogy
Euripides:
- 480-406 (Salamis)
- 92 plays, 19 survive
- Seen as unconventional in the way he presented characters, especially women
- He sought to question societal norms
- Innovated myths and characters, sometimes changing them
- Self conscious style, with colloquial language
Sophocles
- 496-406 (Athens)
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