Task 1: Exploring Techniques: History of Theatre

 History of Theatre

8500 BC

Primitive Tribal Dance and Religious Rituals

• Theories suggest the first dramatic stories were told by primitive tribes returning from hunts and re-enacting the events for the rest of the tribe. The religious leader (the Shaman) would watch and it would become a spiritual celebration. 
  

 2500 BC

Egyptian Ritual Dramas

• The Ritual Dramas honoured the gods and were performed at seasonal festivals in temple sanctuaries or at sacred lakes. The festivals had re-enactments of myths and role-playing of the Gods. The rituals were only seen by members of the priesthood. 

550 BC

Origin of Greek Theatre

• Greeks turned theatre into a way to worship their mythical gods. They turned rituals into dramas and festivals in honour of the Greek God of wine and fertility, Dionysus. A group of men called a 'chorus' performed these early plays and they gave commentary on the action in the performances. They were the beginnings of narrators in modern shows. 

534 BC

The First Actor

• The first man to ever stand on stage and play a character, as said by sources, was Thespis. He introduced masks, the staple of Greek and Roman theatre and won the first public contest in Greece for tragic poets. The term for an actor, 'Thespian', came from his name

80 AD

Roman Theatre

• Early Roman actors were slaves and owned by managers and the plays they performed were less philosophical. Roman theatre wasn't just about drama and plays. Shows had acrobatics, gladiators, chariot races etc. 

618 AD

Theatre Emerges in China

• Traditional Chinese theatre is called 'xiqu' in Chinese and it features a plot and live actors impersonating certain personalities. The majority of dialogue was sung or chanted. Lines were often spoken by comedic characters that addressed audiences. The term, 'xiqu', is often translated to opera as singing was very important for dialogue. Chinese theatre also included mime, acrobats, jugglers. 

692 AD

Church Officially Opposes Theatre

• In Rome, the church still remained in power and Catholic leaders said that the Pagan dramatic presentations/ shows that were put on, were a sin. The Catholic leaders banned people from performing. This began religious themed theatrical performances. These performances took over Europe during the Medieval Era and it was the primary style of acting at this time.

1100

Medieval Theatre

• Theatre was banned by Christians banned theatre in Roman times but Medieval theatre found Priests and Monks acting out parts of the Bible. These were called, 'Mystery plays'. This created a popular way to teach people Christianity. 'Miracle plays' were also created and these plays are based on the lives and work of the saints. Later, 'Morality plays' taught people how to act morally. The plays began to be performed on holy days and were known as, 'Pageants'. They were travelling plays that included masks, costume and humour. 

1325

Noh Theatre (Japan)

• Noh Theatre is the oldest surviving form of Japanese Theatre. It communicates Buddhist beliefs by putting together music, dance and acting. The plots often recreate famous scenes from well-known works of Japanese literature.

1500's - 1700's

Italian Theatre - Commedia Dell'Arte

• Italian theatre was brought to life by the use of masks and 'stock characters'. The performances were based on sketches or scenarios and were improvised. The shows were put on outside, temporary stages and to create scenery the show relied on props. 
  

1537 - 1600's

Renaissance

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  Renaissance means 'rebirth' and theatre during this time was reborn with new elements like Shakespeare, The Globe Theatre, all male casts, proscenium arches and backdrops and focusing mainly on set design. Renaissance theatre still had aspects of Medieval theatre as 'Mystery Plays' were still being performed at English religious festivals. Plays were performed at inn yards as it brought large numbers in the audiences and good business for the inns. By 1570 playhouses were being built. Britain's first playhouse, 'The Theatre', was built in 1576 by Leicester's Men. The most famous is 'The Globe'. Theatre were outside London's city walls as people were hostile to public performances. Plays were temporarily banned in 1572 due to the plague outbreak. Actors were employed by royalty or aristocracy and one of the first troupes was 'The Kings Men'. All actors were male as it was illegal for women to be actors. During this era, one of the most famous playwrights was William Shakespeare. The leading player in Shakespeare's company was Richard Burbage and he specialised in tragic roles. He was the first Hamlet, King Lear, Othello and Richard III.
  
  
  
  

1600's

Kabuki

• Kabuki is Japanese Theatre and it included actors having painted white faces. Traditionally the performances were made up of an all male cast and they had very stylised and elaborate costumes. 

1616

The First Playhouses

• They opened at the South Bank as it was outside the cities control so theatres opened here to avoid the authorities. 

1642

The English Civil War

• Civil war broke out and it led theatres to be closed for 18 years. Performances became illegal and public theatres were destroyed. Actors were being beaten and chased out of towns, cities and villages. 

1660 - 1700

Restoration Theatre

• Charles II came to the throne and he loved glamourous clothes, styles and people. This was a complete difference to the old government. This made the people like him a lot. Charles II also brought his French passion for theatre and music. He attended performances regularly and licensed newly built theatres.

1737

The Licensing Act

• The Act was put in place by Prime Minister Robert Walpole and it restricted production of plays and tightened the censorship of drama. This meant that the Lord Chamberlain and his Examiners of Plays must check over every script before it was allowed to be performed. Robert Walpole introduced this Act as he was worried about the political satire of plays undermining him. 

1794

New playhouses

• Theatres were now enlarged so that they could bring in a larger number of audiences as theatre was seen as a popular past time.

18th Century

Baroque

• This era in Europe introduced 3D, related mostly to architecture and was very elaborate and modern.

1843

Censorship

• The Patent Act was introduced and it allowed other theatres to perform and present drama. The Licensing Act still remained and did until 1968.

1837 - 1900

Victorian Theatre

• Queen Victoria came to the throne. The design of Victorian theatres is the same as the modern day theatre. Victorian theatres all had a classic proscenium arch and a thick curtain to cover it. The forestage projected out into the auditorium, but this became out of fashion. Large theatres had an auditorium with a stall and then 4 or 5, maybe 6 tiers of boxes in a horseshoe shape, with a a gallery around the top. Small theatres just had boxes at the side of the stage and space was increased by the use of the 'circles'. Auditoriums were decorated very ornately with gold, rich colours and flock wallpaper.

Late 1800's

Realism

• Realism consisted of theatre having very natural movements and everyday dialogue. It was introduced by Russian actor, Stanislavski. He believed that actors should use feelings that they have experienced in real life (method acting) so that there would be authentic emotions on stage.

Melodrama

• It began in the late 1800's and was influenced by the working class during the industrial revolution. Melodrama is over the top creating very stereotypical and unrealistic performances. Melodramatic plays normally consist of a constant theme of 'good vs. evil'. It was normally performed in pubs. They happened in the evening as workers were at their jobs during the day and needed a place to relax and enjoy themselves.

19th Century

New Era in Theatre

• This was the time of the industrial revolution and it brought more people to move into the cities. Shows were being created more for the 'working class'. Vaudeville theatre was introduced and it had a variety of acts that didn't follow a storyline. Burlesque was also introduced and like Vaudeville, it didn't have a story line but it was a very extravagant female strip tease. 

20th Century

Modern Theatre

• Theatre brought in audiences as people wanted to be entertained. Theatre, now, doesn't just rely on actors to tell the storyline. Now there is visual images like lighting, set, music and special effects.