Download English Renaissance Theatre

Renaissance
Theatre
Renaissance = “rebirth” of art and
learning; began in Italy in the 1300s and
spread throughout Europe
(1300s – 1600s)
The Renaissance
• Roman Catholic Church has
lost much of its power and
influence
• Less emphasis on “religion,”
more emphasis on man =
humanism
The Renaissance
• Important for people to be
educated and wellrounded (“renaissance
man”)
• Renewed interest in Greek
and Roman influence
• Invention of the printing
press (Gutenberg) allows
more people to read and
gain access to publications
(i.e. Aristotle’s The Poetics)
Some People of the
Renaissance…
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Da Vinci
Michelangelo
Shakespeare
Galileo
Columbus
Theatre During
the Renaissance
Italian Renaissance Theatre
• Theatres are indoors (for wealthy).
• The proscenium and proscenium arch
develop.
• Moving scenery (chariot and pole;
shutter and groove –like sliding doors)
Italian Renaissance Theatre
• A scenographer was someone who
designed everything from scenery to
costumes
• Actors were male and female
Italian Renaissance Theatre
• Court masques
– written for the wealthy and nobility;
often performed in their homes
– music, poetry, dance
– extravagant scenery and costumes;
special effects
Italian Renaissance Theatre
• Other types of public (but expensive
plays)
– Comedy
– Tragedy (heroic)
– Intermezzi
• Based on mythology
• Extravagant costumes and scenery
• Chorus
• Evolved into opera
Italian Renaissance Theatre
• Commedia dell’arte
– The common person’s theatre
– Improvised comedy
– Very physical and often sexual
– Based on scenarios
– Used stock characters
– Slapstick comedy
Commedia dell’arte
Not much is known about how it began
Clearly inspired by two ancient Roman
writers of comedy: Plautus and Terence.
Commedia dell’arte
Usually 10-12 actors per troupe (male and
female)
Quick and witty
Acrobatic, or at least able to do physical
comedy
Commedia dell’arte
• Actors are given a scenario
• They improvise the dialogue
Commedia dell’arte
• Slapstick comedy
– Pratfall
– Double-take
– Spit-take
– Exaggerated action and violence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qxaaJzln
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNkvLDF
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Commedia
dell’arte
Another major element of Commedia
is the use of stock characters.
A stock character is
a stereotype of a person
recognized by audience immediately
• What “types” of characters do you
recognize here?
Commedia dell’arte
• In Commedia, stock
characters are
identified by their
costumes and masks;
they are “types” of
people that we still see
today
Commedia dell’arte
Innamorati
– Young lovers
– Wealthy and
attractive
– Do not wear masks
Commedia dell’arte
The Masters
• Pantalone
– Greedy, sour old man
• Dottore
– Doctor who is clueless
– Likes to hear himself talk
• Capitano
– Usually Spanish
– Bragging soldier and coward
– Driven by sex
– A loner
Commedia dell’arte
Zanni (the Servants/Workers)
• Arlecchino
– Rascal servant
– Also called Harlequin
– Carries slapstick; very physical
• Columbina
– Clever servant
– Sometimes Arlecchino’s mistress
– Flirtatious but very smart
Commedia dell’arte
• Brighella
– Cunning, looks out only for
himself
– Usually a high-ranking
servant or tavern owner
(worked hard to get there)
• Pulcinello
– Cruel servant
– Often pretends to be stupid
– becomes “Punch”
• Scaramouche
– Buffoon; boastful clown
Commedia dell’arte
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_0TA
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The English
Renaissance
• Sometimes referred to as the Elizabethan
Age or “the Golden Age” of England
• Queen Elizabeth I ruled from 1558 to 1603
(Henry VIII; Bloody Mary)
The English Renaissance
• For years, England was divided by
religious unrest
• When Elizabeth I came to the throne in
1558, she had to deal with this
• Eventually government banned religious
theatre
• Licensing Acts of 1559 – allowed for
theatre under governmental control
Development of English
Renaissance Theatre
• Actors had a bad
reputation –
vagabonds and thieves
• During Bubonic
Plague, regulations
restricted travel—had
to have a license
Development of English
Renaissance Theatre
• Entertainers also needed licenses
• English noblemen would buy licenses
for their group of actors (acting troupe
or company) – this protected them
from harsh laws
• The nobleman was their patron, and
they performed to please him
Development of English
Renaissance Theatre
• Sometime acting companies/troupes
would perform in courtyards of inns and
taverns (inn-yards)
English Renaissance
Theatre
• Private theatre
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For the wealthy and nobility
Indoors, candlelight, expensive
By invitation only
Organized by the Master of Revels
Resembled proscenium stages in Italy
Often performed court masques
Development of English
Renaissance Theatre
• Then there were 9 public theatres*
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The Rose
The Globe
The Swan
The Curtain
-The Fortune
-The Theatre
-The Hope
-and 2 others…
*The theaters were built outside London city
limits; flag announced play
*All built in a similar style
Development of English
Renaissance Theatre
• The first permanent public theatre in
England was built in 1576. It was called
the Theatre.
• The design of it and other theatres was
inspired by the Greek and Roman
amphitheaters.
Famous Playwrights
from the English
Renaissance
• Christopher Marlowe
• Thomas Kyd
• Ben Jonson
• But probably the
most well-known
was, yep, William
Shakespeare!
English Renaissance
Theatre
• Types of plays popular during this time
period:
– Comedies
– Tragedies
– History Plays
English Renaissance
Theatre
 only men and boys were
allowed onstage
 young boys whose
voices had not changed
played women’s roles
 it would have been
considered indecent for
a woman to appear on
stage
English Renaissance
Theatre
no scenery—depended on language to
set the scene
elaborate costumes (actor’s
responsibility; often hand-me-downs
from the wealthy)
open roofs—dependent on daylight
and good weather!
English Renaissance Theatre
 Audience size = about 2,000-2,500
 general admission = 1 Penny entitled a
spectator to be a “groundling” (someone
who could stand in the yard/pit)
 more expensive seats were in the roofed
galleries
The Globe Theatre
The Globe Theatre
built in 1599 on the banks of the Thames
River in Southwark, London (built from
pieces of The Theatre!)
Shakespeare was part owner; many of his
plays were performed here
His acting company was the Lord
Chamberlain’s Men (and then the King’s
Men)
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flag
tiring house
heavens
hell
trap door
galleries
pit
The Globe
Theatre
• Burned to
ground in 1613;
rebuilt but then
destroyed in 1644
• A brand new
Globe was built
in 1997, close to
the original
location
The English Renaissance
• Especially during the rule of Elizabeth I,
England was a great nation
• Elizabeth I helped to make theatre popular and
appreciated in England
• Theatre was England’s greatest contribution to
the Renaissance
• Theatre continued to evolve in England until
Oliver Cromwell came along…BOO, OLIVER
CROMWELL!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3
VGa6Fp3zI