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Roman Theatre

Roman Theatre. Heritage. Began when Romans tried to adopt Greek Theatre Comedy surpassed Greek predecessors Tragedy not as successful

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Roman Theatre

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  1. Roman Theatre

  2. Heritage • Began when Romans tried to adopt Greek Theatre • Comedy surpassed Greek predecessors • Tragedy not as successful • Because of Romans high standards for themselves they thought Romans wouldn’t behave in a free spirited fashion…so their plays often portrayed Greek settings and dealt with Greek characters so as not to offend Roman citizens

  3. Theatres • Romans wished to control • Built everything freestanding • Copied Greek idea of large gathering centers • Adapted to their own types of entertainment • Romans built • Large theatre, circus and a forum together

  4. Roman Style • Dominated architectural design of Europe and America for centuries • Romans added more realistic scenery to plays • Setting usually outdoors • Since Roman plays were about Greeks there was always an alter on stage • Still present today but rarely used

  5. A visual tour…

  6. Theatre of Pompey

  7. Arial View

  8. Another View

  9. Conventions of Roman Theatre • More speaking actors than Greeks • Chorus not used as often as the Greeks did • Actors played one part • Masks still used • Stock Characters embellished • Series of stereotyped characters • Used often in comedy • Easily identifiable • Anticipate behavior - reactions

  10. Common Stock Characters • Slave • Motivating force • Young man • Girl • Braggart • Old man • Smart slave • Dumb slave • Parasite or leech

  11. Plautus • Rome’s most popular comic playwright • Plays had poor structure • Were lyrical and poetic • Full of gag lines • Many playwrights from Shakespeare to Neil Simon follow his style of comedy writing • A series of misadventures loosely tied together

  12. Terence • Consummate craftsman • Well developed subtle plots • Greater suspense • More surprises • Not as lyrical or poetic

  13. Seneca • One of the greatest minds and writers in Roman history • Plays made him great writer of tragedies in Roman history • Conflicts in his plays mainly man versus himself • Plays more fit for reader’s theatre than stage production • Long • Brilliant monologues • Unmotivated entrances

  14. Theatres

  15. Coliseums

  16. Circuses

  17. Forums

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