the stage. ancient greece ancient rome now when and where are we? medieval england: 400 years after...
TRANSCRIPT
THE STAGE
Ancient Greece
Ancient Rome
Now when and where are we?
Medieval England:400 years after the fall of Rome!
Why did theatre disappear?
Who brought it back?
After the fall of Rome the 600’s A.D., came a period known to us as the "dark ages." Much political turmoil – no reliable political structure The Church was the only stable "government" The church exerted increasing control.
Christian ceremonies, where the theatre seems to have been "reborn." Between 925 and 975, drama becomes re-introduced into the church services to tell the Bible stories to people who could not read.Theatre was "reborn" within the very institution that helped to shut it down!
Play Festivals are re-born with different guilds (unions)competing to present different Bible stories or plays about good and evil.
A new Guild was formed: The Theatre Guild!They travelled from town to town putting on plays. They no longer had to be about the Bible or the battle between good and evil.
What do you notice about the wheels on the wagons?
Why are the stages on a slant?
They began to “tour” and play at Inns and castles.
Some companies became very famous.
Who was the most famous?
Shakespeare became the “rock star” of his time!
The Queen loved him…and his plays.
She allowed him to build…
A permanent theatre!
He called it The Globe.
Acting, stage design and technical effects all changed!
Shakespeare had to be good… the audience was very critical!
Unfortunately The Globe burned down…but you can visit a reproduction!
Things continued for a long time until….
Movies were invented!
No one wanted to see live theatre!
Theatres fought back by becoming very grand and offering an “experience”.
The stage changed to look like the movie theatre…except it was REAL!
Notice how they are very grand and the seats are comfy…and the audience is raked!
Some theatres even added movie screens and voms!
Unless you are a Drama class!But, what is the same in all theatres?
Now…we use anything from theatre history and the movies when designing theatres, stages and plays!
Let’s try it!