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Renaissance Theatre History. Renaissance Drama (1500 – 1700 CE). Renaissance means rebirth of classical knowledge. Italy:. Known more for stage equipment and scenery than great plays. Ideas from Greek and Roman period blended to develop perspective paintings and colored lights. Continued….
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Renaissance Drama(1500 – 1700 CE) • Renaissance means rebirth of classical knowledge.
Italy: • Known more for stage equipment and scenery than great plays. • Ideas from Greek and Roman period blended to develop perspective paintings and colored lights.
Continued… • Street comedy started • (Commedia Dell’Arte: improvised comedy: no script.) • Troupes: • Acting companies traveled from town to town presenting these comedies. • Had fixed or stock characters: • Identified by costumes and masks (doctor, maid, clown, male servants). • 15th and 16th Centuries developed interludes: one act farces.
Continued… • Stock characters: • - Harlequin- clown with diamond outfit • - Pierrot- lovelorn and moody • - Columbine- flirtatious and pretty • - Pantalone- baggy trousers- gullible father or fool • Characters all wore half-masks • Popular across Europe- especially in France with the playwright- Moliere’
Continued… • A few works were serious, and some pastoral, but most were comic. • The acting appears to have been natural though the actors needed good entrance and exit lines as well as repartee. • Actors required great skill, physical dexterity, and timing, since much of humor was visual. • Actors in commedia also had to dance, sing, and do acrobatics. • Commedia dell’arte introduced women into the theatre as equals.
France (late 1600s): • Returned to ideas of Aristotle: • Greek philosopher (considered first literacy critic). • Three unities: • -One action • -One day • -One place • Plays portraying heroes were popular. • After French Revolution, Commedia Francaise established (comedies and farces). • Led to the development of French professional theatre. • Theatre further developed by the government under direction of Louis XIV (great supporter of the arts). • Famous playwrights: • Moliere and Racine
Moliere Racine
Moliere • greatest writer in France • changed his name to protect family from disgrace of theatre connections • acted in the commedia dell’arte • wrote satires- humorous and caustic themes • died on stage from TB while in the show THE IMAGINARY INVALID
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