The Origins of English Theatre

1. The Origins of English Theatre Fabio Pesaresi fpesaresi@aliceposta.it

2. Classical Theatre • Greek Theatre: • Ritual function • Catharsis • Roman Theatre: • inoffensive entertainment

3. End of Classical Theatre early VI century: last representation in Rome

4. Medieval Theatre • Originated from the Christian liturgy • Easter as the climax of the year • Gospel read by clericals  Tropes

5. Evolution of Medieval Theatre • Tropes • Mystery Plays • Miracle Plays • Morality Plays • Interludes

6. Tropes • significant sections of the mass which were elaborated until they became short liturgical dramas • “Quem quaeritis?”Easter trope consisting of few lines exchanged between the three Marys and the angel when they visit Christ's tomb. Several existing variations of this trope show the development of the trope into a short liturgical play with characters, additional dialogue, set, props, costumes, and stage directions.

7. Interrogatio. Quem quaeritis in sepulchro, o Christicolae? Responsio. Jesum Nazarenum crucifixum, o caelicolae. Angeli. Non est hic; surrexit, sicut praedixerat. Ite, nuntiate quia surrexit de sepulchro (Question [by the Angels}. Whom do ye seek in the sepulcher, O followers of Christ? Answer [ by the Marys] Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, just as he foretold. The Angels. He is not here: he is risen, just as he foretold. Go, announce that he is risen from the sepulcher)

8. Potential problems: Some episodes, such as the Massacre of the Innocents, forced the monks to deal with several potential problems: • how should such a character like Herod be portrayed? • was it appropriate to enact such terrible crimes in the church? • was it appropriate for a monk to enact an evil character?

9. Mystery Plays Mystery: • One that is not fully understood or that baffles or eludes the understanding; an enigma: How he got in is a mystery. • A mysterious character or quality: a landscape with mystery and charm. • A work of fiction, a drama, or a film dealing with a puzzling crime. • A religious truth that is incomprehensible to reason and knowable only through divine revelation. • An incident from the life of Jesus, especially the Incarnation, Passion, Crucifixion, or Resurrection, of particular importance for redemption. • One of the 15 incidents from the lives of Jesus or the Blessed Virgin Mary, such as the Annunciation or the Ascension, serving in Roman Catholicism as the subject of meditation during recitation of the rosary. • [Middle English misterie, from Latin myst rium, from Greek must rion, secret rite, from must s, an initiate, from m ein, to close the eyes, initiate.]

10. Mystery Plays Mystery = an incident from the life of Jesus, especially the Incarnation, Passion, Crucifixion, or Resurrection, of particular importance for redemption

11. Mystery Plays • represented at first inside the church by churchmen • in Latin • episodes from the Gospel or from the Bible • faithful to the Sacred Texts

12. Mystery plays: subjects • Creation • Adam and Eve • The Flood • The Crucifixion • The Resurrection

13. Mystery Plays:evolution 13th century: various guilds began producing the plays • in the vernacular • at sites removed from the churches

14. Mystery Plays: the guilds • Cardmakers. God Creates Adam and Eve. • Glovers. Sacrificium Cayme et Abell. • Shipwrites. Building of the Ark. • Fysshers and Marynars. Noah and the Flood. • Masonns. Coming of the Three Kings to Herod.

15. Mystery Plays • lengthy cycles • Took many days • represented by professionals • acted on moving stages

16. The Pageant • moveable carriage on six wheels • two vertical rooms: • lower room for the actors to prepare themselves • upper room for the acting • use of mechanical devices: trapdoors, flying angels, fire-spouting monsters

17. consequences • strictly religious nature of the plays declined • they became filled with irrelevancies and apocryphal elements • satirical elements were introduced to mock physicians, soldiers, judges, and even monks and priests.

18. Mystery Plays: importance and role • Gave pride to the community • Lasted many days (up to 40) • Gave a moral teaching • Provided entertainment with comic elements

19. Miracle plays • a real or fictitious account of the life, miracles, or martyrdom of a saint • in vernacular • performed at public festivals • not controlled by clerical authorities • filled with unecclesiastical elements

20. End of Mystery and Miracle Plays 1576 : last recorded production Reasons: • Reformation considered them too connected to popery • Productions had become too expensive • Other forms of theatre had become available