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A History of European Theatre

A History of European Theatre. Rachel Holder 6 th Period. Morality Plays. Morality plays are religious dramas that taught a lesson along with the story. The characters usually represented good and evil, and the plot normally involved a struggle for human’s soul.

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A History of European Theatre

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  1. A History of European Theatre Rachel Holder 6th Period

  2. Morality Plays • Morality plays are religious dramas that taught a lesson along with the story. • The characters usually represented good and evil, and the plot normally involved a struggle for human’s soul. • Late 14th Century-16th Century. • Preformed by traveling troupes in the streets. • Became much less popular during the Protestant Reformation. • Most famous is Everyman (which is still preformed today). • The main character, Everyman, is summoned by death. All of his friends (Beauty, Kindred, and Worldly Goods) abandon him, except for Good Deeds. • In 1558, Elizabeth I ascends the throne and bans all religious plays (except in church).

  3. ComediaDell’Arte • Emerged in Italy around 1560. • First public professional theatre in Italy. • Designed to make the common person laugh. • Slapstick comedy. • Preformed by troupes. • Used stock characters, most of whom wore masks. • Spread through out Europe. • Began to die out around 1776

  4. Il Capitano Harlequin Pantalone

  5. Commercial Theaters in England • In 1576, James Burbage builds the first commercial theater just outside of London. It is called “The Theatre.” • Over the next 18 years, three more theaters—The Curtain, The Rose, and The Swan are built. • In 1599, The Theatre is dismantled and moved across the Thames River. • It is rebuilt as The Globe. • The development of commercial theaters meant common people could enjoy drama. Prior to this point, theatre had been for the aristocracy. • Seeing plays became a regular form of entertainment for people of all classes.

  6. The Globe The Rose The Globe The Curtain

  7. Christopher MArlowe • Christopher Marlowe was an English dramatist. • His play, Tamburlaine the Great, introduces a blank verse that defines Elizabethan and Jacobean drama. • Edward IIis the first play to dramatize English history as a conflict between real characters. • He died shortly before Shakespeare became popular. • His career in drama only lasted 6 years, and did not carry many works.

  8. Christopher Marlowe

  9. Shakespeare • William Shakespeare is often considered the greatest playwright of all time. • His first plays to be preformed were the three parts of Henry VI. • Shortly after, London theatres are closed because of the plague, but his career accelerates afterwards. • He was a part of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, which later granted royal favor by James I and renamed the King’s Men. • Some of his most famous plays are: Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Othello, and Macbeth. • All together, he wrote 36 plays which were published by two of his colleagues in the First Folio (1623). • Shakespeare’s plays are still widely read and preformed today.

  10. Neoclassical Theatre • 17th Century • Involved melodrama and large gestures • Over-the-top scenery and costumes • Included the restoration period • Had strict guidelines as to how plays were to be written and how actors were to preform. • Important Works: • Le Cid by Pierre Corneille • Tartuffe by Moliere • Andromaque by Jean Racine

  11. Restoration Comedy • In 1642, the Puritans close all English theatres. • In 1660, the theatres are reopened and the Restoration Comedy emerges. • The Restoration Comedy refers to the British comedies that were preformed in response to the reopening of the theatres. • They were known for their sexual explicitness, encouraged by Charles II. • This period also saw the first actresses and the first professional woman playwright, AphraBehn.

  12. Sturm Und Drang • A movement among German playwrights in the 18th century • Translated as “Storm and Stress” • Focused on Nature, feeling, and individuality • A response to the rationalism of the enlightenment • Important Works: • Götz von Berlichingen mit der eisernen Hand by Goethe- first success • Die Räuberby Friedrich Schiller- last success

  13. Realism • 19th Century • Dealt with everyday life, and used contemporary settings. • Involved science and human behavior • Social problems were the main subject • A lot of feminist works emerged during this time period. • Important Works: • A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen--- feminist themes; considered the father of realism • Mrs. Warren’s Profession by George Bernand Shaw--- prostitution • Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov

  14. A Doll’s House Mrs. Warren’s Profession Three Sisters

  15. Naturalism • Late 19th to early 20th century. • Attempted to mimic reality. • There were detailed sets, everyday speech, variety of classes, normal characters and settings, and a lack of divine intervention. • More extreme version of Realism • Important Works: • The Power of Darkness by Leo Tolstoy--- banned in Russia until 1902 • The Father by August Strindberg--- misogynistic themes • Therese Raquinby Emile Zola--- "study temperaments and not characters"

  16. Therese Raquin The Father

  17. Constantine Stanislavski • Possibly the most famous acting theorist. • Began as an actor, and was sick of seeing mechanical and over acting. • Developed a system to help actors discover their characters • The inspiration for his method came out of the realist and naturalist periods. • Thought acting should be honest instead of over-the-top • His “system” is still widely used today.

  18. Epic Theatre • Contrasted with Stanislavski’s method • Bertolt Brecht was the father of it • Thought that Stanislavski was providing an escape for the audience • The audiences of Epic Theatre performances always knew they were watching a play. • Characters often break the “forth wall”

  19. Expressionism • Early 20th century • Began in Germany • Deal with spiritual awakening and suffering • A popular theme was the conflict between bourgeoisie values and established authority. • Not focused on reality, but emotions. • Important Works: • Murderer, the Hope of Women by Oskar Kokoschka--- first expressionistic play • The Beggar by ReinhardSorge--- Bourgeoisie vs. government • Parricide by ArnoltBronnen Parricide

  20. Dadaism • A cultural movement that peaked around 1916-1922. • Involved the visual arts, not just theatre • Anti-war, anti- bourgeoisie, and anarchist. • Believed the ideology of the bourgeoisie had started WWI. • Some described it as “anti-art” because it was not aesthetically pleasing. • Important Works: • The Gas Heart and Handkerchiefof Clouds(“ironic tragedy”) by Tristan Tzara The Gas Heart

  21. Surrealism • Began in 1920’s • Paris was the center of the movement • Developed out of Dadaism • Seeks to surprise the audience by using unexpected juxtapositions. • Important works: • Les Mamelles de Tiresias by Guillaume Apollinaire--- first surrealist play • When Five Years Pass by Frederico Garcia Lorca • The Mysteries of Love by Roger Vitrac Les Mamelles de Tirestas

  22. Theatre of the Absurd • Came about because of World War II • Embodied meaninglessness of human existence • Abandoned traditional dramatic devices • Sought to convey the feelings of humans during and after the war. • Important Works: • Bald Soprano by Eugene Ionesco • Waiting for Godotby Samuel Beckett

  23. Theatre of Cruelty • Similar to the Theatre of the Absurd • Sought to “assault the audience with movement and sound” • Brought about an instinctive, rather than intellectual, reaction. • Again, this was in response to the violence of WWII • Important Works: • Look Back in Anger by John Osborne • Marat/Sade by Peter Weiss- class struggles Marat/Sade

  24. Postmodernism • Mid 20th century • Reaction to modernism • There is no definite truth • Encourages the audience to reach their own interpretation • Raises questions instead of supplying answers. • Important Works: • Hamletmachineby Heiner Muller--- not a conventional plot • 4.48 Psychosis by Sarah Kane--- No characters • A Mouthful of Birds by Cheryl Churchill--- No scenes, just vignettes. A Mouthful of Birds

  25. Other Theatre After WWII • Theatre after World War II took included many different styles from previous centuries. • Experimental theatre emerged in the 1960’s, such as the Polish Laboratory Theatre • The theme of many dramatic works focused on issues at the time • Popular themes included: women’s rights and gay liberation • Important Works: • Top Girls by Cheryl Churchill • Bent by Martin Sherman • Mean Tears by Peter Gill

  26. Andrew Lloyd Webber • An English composer • He’s won seven Tony Awards, three Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe award, and many others. • Some of his famous works include • Cats • The Phantom of the Opera

  27. Phantom of the Opera Cats

  28. Picture Sources • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantalone • http://www.clownbluey.co.uk/clown-bluey-clowns-history.html • http://www.delpiano.com/carnival/html/captain.html • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/holidaytypeshub/article-615102/Capital-gains-Take-cruise-heart-London.html • http://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/countries/uk/london/globe-theatre • http://labspace.open.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=439116&direct=1 • http://lightsoflondonproductions.co.uk/ShakespeareinShoreditch.aspx • http://www.listal.com/viewimage/469224 • http://www.famesteps.com/celebrities/william_shakespeare_g370068/ • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_theatre • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_II_of_England • http://www.fanpop.com/spots/gillian-anderson/images/11101172/title/dolls-house-photo • http://www.stagezine.com/mrswarrenphotogallery.html • http://joemader.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/troika-travesty-berkeley-rep%E2%80%99s-three-sisters/ • http://www.benchtheatre.org.uk/plays90s/father.php • http://www.bu.edu/today/2009/singing-opera%E2%80%99s-praises/ • http://www.edgemarcenter.org/blog/2010/08/05/723/ • http://www.thedramateacher.com/brechts-epic-theatre-conventions-part-1/ • http://www.andreaspietschmann.com/theater_vatermord_gb.html • http://victorisauruss.tumblr.com/post/3606538105/tristan-tzaras-the-gas-heart-costume-design • http://www.webthea.com/?Les-Mamelles-de-Tiresias-de • http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2011/10/vladimir-and-estragon-await-office-of.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Peter_Weiss%27_Marat_Sade_at_SUNY_2008.jpg • http://www.dougpaulson.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/img_0969.jpg • http://www.mckellen.com/stage/00075.htm • http://theater.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/theater/reviews/08girl.html • http://andrewlloydwebber.tumblr.com/page/2 • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-scarborough/cats-musical-theatre-west_b_822362.html • http://fandomania.com/adaptation-analysis-5-phantom-of-the-opera-musical/

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