Theatre History - Acting

Primitive Man -

aware of outside forces that control their existence

developed rituals to recognize these ‘forces’

Rituals – demonstrated a form of knowledge,

educational, entertainment, or glorify

Example: “Acting out” a successful hunt for the tribe, or sitting

around a fire impersonating, re-telling real events or

mythology

THE EGYPTIANS.3500 – 3000 B.C.

Deity System of belief

Coronation Rituals, Plays

Abydos Passion Play

The Greeks8 and 6 centuries

534 B.C. – Festival and Contest at the City Dionysis Thespis – winner – given credit for the

invention of drama, First tragedy

Tragedy translates into “goat song”Came from dithyrambs, songs and

dances

Roman Theatre H

eavily influenced by the Greeks

C

omedy more popular

N

o more chorus

A

dded music accompaniment to dialogue

T

ragedy – noble deeds, horror, vice, blood

ROMAN THEATRE

Popular forms of Roman

entertainment Chariot Races

Gladiators Wild Animal Fights Mime, Pantomime

Naumachiae (sea battles)

ROMAN THEATREIntroduction of the “archetype” character

Old man

Young man in love who rebels against authority

Clever or cunning slave

Stupid Slave

Hanger-on or flatterer

Courtesan

Braggart Soldier

Middle Ages

1050 – 1300

Towns began forming, mostly for protection

Kings and Princes began to take control

Universities took the place of monasteries as

places of learning

Plays only read in school, never performed.

Middle Ages

C

hurch realized public was uneducatedS

tarted ‘acting out’ Biblical scenes

Liturgical Drama – during services, in Latin

Vernacular Drama – Common language,

performed outside of church

Medieval Theatre1350 - 1550

C

hurch gave up active participation in TheatreA

cting troupes travelled town to town, each actor supplied own costume

Cycle Plays – Wagons pull into town, park in a circle

pattern, each wagon acts out a

different episode of a play. T

ownspeople walk between wagons.

Medieval Theatre1350 - 1550

Types of Medieval PlaysMorality Play – Taught a moral lesson

worried about man’s after life, lectured about seven deadly sins

Miracle Play – Portrayed the lives of the church’s saints and martyrs.Mystery Play – Acted out episodes from the Bible.

Renaissance

Revival of all things Greek and Roman

Neoclassicism1. Verisimilitude – appearance of truth,

real life, no fantasy, no supernatural

2. Teach a moral lesson3. Three unities – Action, Time, Place

one plot, one hour, one place

Renaissance

Commedia dell’Arte

Traveling troupe, 10 – 15 actors

Improvisation and Stock Characters

Stock Character - the same characteristics,

same type of person, performing in a different

situation each time

RenaissanceY

oung Lovers – straight characters, dressed in whiteZ

anni – servants or best friends, silly, offbeatC

apitano – braggart, coward, likes to boastP

antalone – merchant, mask with large hooked noseD

ottore – academic, uses Latin phrases wrongH

arlequin – mischief maker, diamond costume, black

mask, carried a slapstick

Renaissance

Court Masques –

think Cinderella going to the ball

Usually lasted a several days or a week

Short plays, singing, dancing, eating

Usually to honor one person or one event

AmericaSet up like a variety show

Became known as Vaudeville

Most popular form of entertainment in America

Performers sat in a semi-circle

“Tambo” and “Bones” – masters of ceremony

Realism1

860 – 1900’s

M

oscow Arts Theater

K

onstantin Stanislavsky – 1936 -

An Actor

Prepares

“

The Method” – a school of acting training

Realism

Stanislavsky –

An actor’s body should be trained for all demands.

Actors should be schooled in all stage techniques.

An actor should be an observer of reality.

Inner Justification and Emotional Recall