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THEATRE HISTORY
MEDIEVAL, COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE,ELIZABETHAN
MEDIEVAL THEATRE
Medieval period was from about 500 to 1500AD.
Christians used theatre to worship and teach the gospel.
Performances began as simple chants by priests but gradually
became more elaborate.
They were called Miracle and Mystery plays.
Miracle and Mystery plays are based on saints’ lives and Bible
stories.
MORE ON MEDIEVAL…
 Passion plays are based on the last week in the life of Christ.
 Morality plays are more concerned with the principles taught by
Christianity rather than Bible stories.
 Despite the religious content, there was still silliness and horseplay (Tower
of Babel!)
 Audiences also loved the technical elements.
 Trap doors, cranes to fly in angels, and Hell’s Mouth, which took 17 men
to operate, were all huge hits.
RENAISSANCE THEATRE
The Renaissance (rebirth) began early in the 14th century.
Most famous contribution of the Renaissance was the
commedia dell’arte.
It had a basic plot, subplot and stock characters.
The rest was improvised.
It incorporated dancing, signing, acrobatics, mime, and
juggling. Actors had to be skilled AND intelligent and talented.
COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE
 Plays were performed by traveling companies with portable stages.
 Actors played stock characters—they were always the same character and were
identified by their masks and elaborate costumes.
 Young lovers were usually the main plot. The heroine was the inamorata and her
hero was the inamorato (beautiful clothes, no masks.
 Maid—fontesca. Giggly and a flirt. Often one bright, one clumsy. All the servants
played a role.
 Pantalone—heroine’s father. Overbearing and sneaky.
 Il Capitano—braggart soldier who was actually a coward.
ELIZABETHAN THEATRE
England was the center of the Renaissance theatre
explosion.
Three playwrights stand out: Marlowe, Jonson, and
Shakespeare.
Theatre companies were supported by wealthy
noblemen.
Women were not permitted to act—it was
considered unladylike and unsuitable for women.
Young boys played women’s parts.
MORE ELIZABETHAN THEATRE
Early plays were bawdy. Later plays were more
intellectual.
Civil War eventually broke out in 1642, and theatre was
banned by the Puritans.
Elizabethan playhouses were round with scenery and a
partial roof.
Christopher Marlowe—introduced blank verse. Rival of
Shakespeare. Stabbed just before his 30th b-day in a
tavern brawl.
Ben Jonson—1st real English comic. Lack of higher
education. Bitter. Imprisoned several times.
William Shakespeare—greatest playwright ever. Wrote
37 plays and 154 sonnets. All plays published after his
death.