Download Features of Elizabethan theatre

Features of Elizabethan theatre
12 features of the theatre form
Pace
Plays were performed quickly - not
garbling and rushing off the stage but
without the long breaks to change
scenes. Actors would have had to use
their voices and bodies expressively to
convey mood and meaning.
‘Good’ Acting
Good acting was natural but ‘big’, with a
lot of energy and sexuality. The
acoustics in theatres meant that actors
did not necessarily have to shout to be
heard, but they would need to speak
clearly.
Times of Performances
Plays were performed in the afternoon
as there was no lighting for night
performances.
The Stage
 Stages were round or
polygonal and open to
the sky although there
was usually a canopy
over the stage.
 Two doors at the back of
the stage lead to the
dressing rooms.
 There were no curtains,
the audience could see
everything.
Costumes
 Costumes were likely
to be fashionable and
contemporary (at the
time)
 They were used to
indicate the
character’s status or
profession.
Special Effects
 Special effects were a part
of the performances. In
particular, a bladder filled
with pigs blood was used
(concealed under a tunic) if
someone was to be stabbed
and could therefore ‘bleed.’
 Fireworks were also used to
replicate lightning and give
fights on stage more
emphasis.
Stage Directions
 Shakespeare gave many
of the stage directions in
the actual text of his
plays.
 Consider Hamlet’s
speech to the players…
“speak the speech I pray
you”
Acting Style
 Actors had to capture and hold
the attention of the audience,
therefore their actions and
gestures needed to be a lot
larger than what we see today.
 The audience was also very
close to the actors on the stage
- this was particularly the case
at The Globe theatre, where
‘the groundlings’ were directly
in front of the stage.
Language and Delivery
 Shakespeare wrote in these styles:
 iambic pentameter (10 syllables to
the line, with 5 strong and 5 weak
beats). This mirrors a heartbeat.
 Blank verse
 Rhyming verse
 Some of the text is in prose. In order
to make sense, the text should be
read to the punctuation, not to the
end of a line.
 Your speech should not sound like
you are performing poetry - it should
seem as natural speech.
On Stage
 Music and dancing were part of the
theatre form, as were sword fights.
 Elizabethan actors were accomplished
at stage sword fighting since it was
something that was usual to them.
Audience
 The groundlings paid a small entry fee
and stood for the duration of the
performance in front of the stage.
 Wealthy people bought seats in the
galleries or sat on the stage itself.
Female Actors?
 Women were not permitted to act so
female roles were played by young boys
whose voices had not yet broken.
Summary
 Pace
 ‘Good’ Acting
 Times of Performance
 The Stage
 Costumes
 Special Effects
 Stage Directions
 Acting Style
 Language and Delivery
 On Stage
 Audience
 Female Actors?