16th and 17th Century Theater Performance Conditions h The form of Elizabethan theatre derived from the innyards and animal baiting rings in which actors had been accustomed to perform in in the past. They were circular wooden buildings with a paved courtyard in the middle. Such a theatre would hold around 3,000 spectators. The yards were about 80 feet in diameter and the rectangular stage 40ft by 30ft in height h Groundling only paid a penny to get in, but for wealthier spectators there were seats in the three covered tiers or galleries between the inner and outer walls of the buildings extending round most of the auditorium and stage. It depended on your status as to where you viewed it from h The stage was partially covered by a roof or canopy, which projected from the wall of the theatre and was supported by two posts at the front. This protected the stage and performers from the changeable weather. It also used to secure winches and other stage machinery used for stage effects. On either side at the back was the stage door that lead to dressing rooms or tiring house and the actors entered and exited through here. h In 1608 the king¡¦s men acquired a second playhouse, indoors in Blackfriars. It held 700 people with seats for all, facilities for elaborate stage effects and artificial lighting. The price of admission was higher that at public playhouses thus leading to a more selective audience. h There was little room for scenery and props and nowhere to store them. Performances had to be transferable from the playhouse to court to private noble houses. Due to lack of scenery and props actors had to explain where they were. h Setting was used to suggest dramatic mood or situation. Staging was consistent... ... middle of paper ... ...structured in a way that did not completely eliminate the spoken word. In The Fairy Queen, spoken text comprised 40% of the performance time. It served as the structural framework of the play with each of the five acts ending in spectacular ballet performances for which Purcell wrote music. The text that did appear in The Fairy Queen was only half of Shakespeare¡¦s original text. It was "Englishized" by cutting any mention of Athens or Greece and altered to fit the language of the Restoration, when some of the syntax and diction already seemed archaic. The Fairy Queen was popular enough to be briefly revived in 1693, but soon after the music was lost and the Purcell opera disappeared from view for some time. Since its rediscovery in 1900, The Fairy Queen has enjoyed a few concert performances, but has rarely been fully staged.
Eighteenth century British theatre was perhaps the starting point that would evolve into modern theatre. Women started to be allowed on stage and acting techniques were beginning to change. Leading performers were like celebrities with a number of fans. Theatre was an intricate part of the social ladder. In the overall scheme of things the actors and actresses played an important part in making the theatre what it was. Without the performers there wouldn’t really be theatre, so in order to understand the eighteenth century British theatre the performers of that era need to be understood.
The stage was in proscenium form so it allowed most audience members to have the same amount of viewing as others throughout the theater. Due to the theatre space being so small and intimate, it created the relevant atmosphere of everything on stage happening to be small.
The Old Globe Theatre had many rules, but most of them changed after it was destroyed in a fire in 1613. One of the rules that dramatically changed was the system that...
The elements of staging in Shakespeare's Hentry IV, Part 1 are critically important to the action, theme, and quality of the performance. Elements such as costume, blocking, casting, and even the physical attributes of the stage are, of course, important considerations in the production of a play. But other, less apparent factors contribute to the success of the production as well. For instance, an underlying theme(rebellion, in the case of Henry IV, Part 1) must be, whenever possible, incorporated into the scene. Also the number and complexity of props must also be considered with regard to the financial success of the production. These elements as well as others, such as delivery and movement, must be addressed and accounted for effectively. All of these factors will be considered in this analysis of staging for Henry IV, Part 1, act II, scene iv, lines 394- 476. Since this scene transpires in a tavern it is necessary to maintain the simulacrum while still leaving room on stage for the 'play extempore'. To do this efficaciously it would be wise to keep the props to a minimum so that nothing is in competition with Hal and Falstaff for the true audiences attention, as well as for financial considerations. To create the appearance of a tavern one simply needs four tables, each accompanied by three or four chairs; at least ten or eleven are necessary for this scene. One of these chairs will later serve as a prop for Hal and Falstaff when they use it as a throne. Three of the tables should be approximately four or five feet in diameter and one table slightly larger, perhaps six feet in diameter. This will be the table at which Hal and Falstaff converse in the beginning of th...
In each and every culture theater exists. However, they are not always portrayed in the same way and could take up many different forms. What differ them from others is influenced by the convention of what governs them. What happen on stage depends on the conventions of the theater. Convention is define as “Rules governing a given style of theater, such as fourth-wall verisimilitude or bare stage. These rule should not be violated, but often are, as when actors “break” the fourth wall by delivering a line directly toward the audience” (Altshuler and Janaro 208). The condition governing the staging and performance are known as theatrical conventions, in which what the audiences agree to accept as what is real (Altshuler and Janaro 173). In comparing an Elizabethan and a modern theater to each other there are many differences and similarities between the two. By comparing William Shakespeare “Hamlet” to Lorraine Hansberry “A Raisin in the Sun”, we can see that there is a major difference between the two
"Elizabethan Theatre Audiences." Elizabethan Theatre Audiences. Strayer University, 16 May 2012. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
Imagine standing in an octagonal shaped structure, enclosing a roofless inner pit. You are standing on a shell-carpeted floor and in front of you is a projected stage; a theater. Behind you are wooden seats and oak balusters. Have any idea of where you are? You are standing in the pit of Shakespeare’s famous Globe Theater.
For the Elizabethan society, the theater represents a very powerful place. The theater was used as a tool for advertising and drawing the public attention to whatever is being performed. While we may consider Hamlets
Russell Brown, J. 1995. The Oxford Illustrated History of the Theatre. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
perform their section of the play. The back of the stage had a building painted
Elizabethan times in the 1600s was a progression for the world of the theater. A period named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, it is from this period that modern day society has its foundation for the entertainment industry. From the violence that was prevalent because of the Black Death, people turned to the theater for its poetry and romance. During this time period, there were two types of theatrical performances that were available for the people’s viewing, comedies or tragedies. These two genres were never really intertwined until the time of William Shakespeare. His play, Romeo and Juliet, is an example of both a comedy and a tragedy. It starts off as a comedy with Romeo weeping like a baby because of his love Rosaline, who did not love him back and ends as a tragedy when Romeo and Juliet, a pair of star crossed lovers, commit suicide because the lost of each other. It was also during Shakespeare’s time that writer were finally acknowledged by the people. Before this time, writers were not considered upper classman. Another group of people that began to rise into a higher social class were the actors. Actresses were not present back then because women were not allowed on stage. It was considered unladylike to have a female actor. Men played all the parts. Theater owners were dependent on actors to make them a profit. Rehearsals for the plays were fairly short, only lasting for about a week. The performances themselves would only show for three to four days.
This is how Shakespeare’s plays are a product of the Elizabethan theatrical context in which they were first performed.
Greek and Elizabethan theatre, while similar in some respects, had a few large differences. The Greeks believed in a certain unity of theme, which was prevalent throughout the production. Greek plays were often drawn from myth or of historical significance, so it seems that only ki...
To begin, The Globe Theater had a very unique building structure. In the article “The Globe Theater” Lee Jamison explains, “The Globe Theater was an open air theater experience and therefore exposed to England’s awful weather” (Jamieson). The Globe was built by Shakespeare's acting company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men. The Globe Theater was an octagonal structure, circular in shape having between 8 to 24 sides. The Globe had three stories of seating and was able to hold 3,000 people. There was a base stage where there was an area called the pit. This area held people who had paid a penny to stand and watch a performance. The fact that there is no roof for the building and is shape as an octagon, unlike any other theater makes it extremely different. Not only does the structure make the theater special, but the actors that have performed there added talent to the plays and Theater.
Walking into the theatre, handing my ticket to the ticket lady, I watched as workers scurried about trying to make sure everything was perfect for the upcoming concert. Chrome edged boxes were stacked in a couple of corners with the occasional person grabbing something instrumental out of one. In the adjacent corner of the building there were Jars of Clay souvenirs. There were posters, CD's, clothing, key chains, and lots of other visually appealing items on the tables.