Scarica ELIZABETHAN THEATRE e più Appunti in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! THEATRE The origins of the theatre The origins of the theatre in Britain are linked to medieval religious celebrations. These performances took place in the nave of churches at first, but soon they moved outside. This meant that Latin was replaced with English and lay people took place of monks and priests in these performances, which became known as “mystery plays”. Reasons for development (why did drama become the main form of art?) Drama became the main form of Elizabethan art because: 1) entertainment was rooted in the communal life; 2) the public were more trained in listening than in reading; 3) they prospered as economic enterprises; 4) public performances were illegal in the City of London, so theatres were built on the South Bank. Towards the end of the 16th century several theatres were built: ➢ the Theatre (by James Burbage, 1576); ➢ the Curtain (by James Burbage, 1577); ➢ the Rose (by Philip Henslowe, 1587). ➢ the Swan (by Francis Langley, 1595); ➢ the Globe (by Cuthbert and Richard Burbage, 1599); ➢ the Fortune (by Philip Henslowe, 1600). The structure of theatres • Theatres were circular or octagonal, were 12 meters high and had a diameter of 25 meters; • had a rectangular stage, the “APRON STAGE”; • had NO CURTAIN; • had a stage partially covered by a thatched roof, or ‘SHADOW’, supported by two pillars and projected into a yard or ”PIT”, were the poorer spectators stood; • one major problem was the staging of the final scene of tragedies which ended with several corpses on the stage. Only two methods were available: either the body was carried off or else it was hidden at the side of the stage, since the Elizabethan stage had no general stage curtain; • had three TIERS OF ROOFED GALLERIES around the stage with the actors’ TIRING HOUSE at the back; • no more than 12 actors appear on stage at the same time due to the space restrictions; • there were also an UPPER STAGE hidden by a curtain and a balcony normally used by musicians; • had a TRAP DOOR in the front of the stage used for apparitions or disappearances; • had an INNER STAGE behind the stage used for discoveries or concealments; There was no SCENERY and plays took place in daylight, usually starting at 2 p.m. The stage relied on conventions using a limited number of props. For night scenes a simple candles represented the night world.
