Chapter 5: Creating a Professional Theatre Elizabethan England, Italian Commedia dell’Arte, and Seventeenth-Century France Renaissance : revived interest in classical theatre of Greece and Rome English Decree of 1558 : plays on religious and political subjects banned New subjects : classical literature, historical chronicles, legend Patronage : church and state withdraw support; theatre becomes commercial enterprise

Elizabethan Theatre Professional Groups: Had to perform often Had to have a large stock of plays to sustain audience interest Had to play in space large enough to accommodate sizeable paying audience; had to be able to control access to space Had to control all production elements Had to assemble company that could work full time

Elizabethan Theatre Professional Groups: Acting was not considered an acceptable profession Because acting did not fit into the guild system, actors were considered masterless men Companies petitioned noblemen to serve as patrons  Patronage legitimized companies to an extent  Patrons provided little financial support  Companies had to be licensed  Plays had to be approved

Elizabethan Theatre Prominent Playwrights: William Shakespeare ( ) Thomas Kyd ( ) Christopher Marlowe ( ) Ben Jonson ( ) John Fletcher ( ) John Webster ( )

Elizabethan Theatre Companies: Always 2 to 4 active companies in/around London (1580s-1642) Performed 6 days per week in the afternoon Usually changed bill every day During the 1590s, a London company averaged a new play every 17 days Average life of play = 10 performances over a season or two Writers sold plays to companies for one-time fee

The Globe Theatre Used by Shakespeare’s company after 1599 Round with exterior diameter of 99 ft. 3 levels of roofed galleries enclosing open space The yard = open space enclosed by galleries; 74 ft. in diameter The stage = 41 ft. 3 in. wide x 24 ft. 9 in. deep x 5-6 ft. above yard; extended to middle of yard; viewed from 3 sides Roof sheltered stage = the heavens or the shadows Back of stage platform = multilevel façade with 2 doors

The Globe Theatre Theatrical Conventions : Properties brought onto stage when needed (throne, bed) Façade served as backdrop for all performances; location clarified by dialogue: spoken décor Most characters were costumed in contemporary Elizabethan dress Companies composed of approximately 25 members:  Shareholders  Hired men  Apprentices

The Globe Theatre Theatrical Conventions : All roles played by men Performance style somewhat realistic No use of masks, except as disguises All lines spoken Musical elements:  Marked entrances of royal characters  Called attention to important announcements  Served as signal in battles  Accompanied songs and dances  Most performances concluded with jig = short, lively music-and-dance piece

The Globe Theatre Theatrical Conventions : Admission fee determined viewing location  Cheapest = yard  Moderate = galleries  Expensive = boxes, “lord’s rooms” No intermissions Circulating vendors sold wine, beer, ale, nuts, playing cards Atmosphere similar to modern sports event

Hamlet  Includes main plot and related subplot  All main characters drawn from nobility or aristocracy  Hamlet is among the most demanding roles ever written for tragic actors  Writing: Blank Verse : dramatic poetry that retains flexibility of normal speech while formalizing it Iambic Pentameter : Speech rhythm in an unstressed-stressed pattern, that makes up 5 “feet” per line: “to BE or NOT to BE that IS the QUEStion” Prose : used mostly for lower class characters Figurative Language : sets up direct or indirect comparisons

English Theatre English public theatres were closed in 1642 due to civil war, and did not reopen until 1660

The Theatre Experience in Renaissance Italy The Renaissance, begun in the 14 th century, revived interest in classical theatre of Greece and Rome Early 16 th century, plays imitating classical forms were written in Italian Performed at court festivals Reliance on classical sources, especially De Architectura by Vitruvius Describes theatre layout Describes settings appropriate to: tragedy, comedy, pastoral

The Theatre Experience in Renaissance Italy Principles of perspective drawing (developed in 15 th century) added to scenery (in 16 th century) Signaled movement away from formal, architectural stage to representational, pictorial stage Picture broken up and painted on 3 separate scenic elements: side wings, backdrops, overhead borders Floor of stage raked upwards towards back Introduction of proscenium arch, which framed the painted elements to complete the picture Resulted in need for mechanisms to shift scenery

The Theatre Experience in Renaissance Italy Intermezzi = interludes performed between the acts of regular plays Suggested parallels between a mythological figure and the person being honored at the festival Major features = music and dance Elaborate special effects Opera = combined drama, music, dance, spectacle, special effects Originated in the 1590s

Commedia dell’Arte Commedia dell’Arte = comedy of professional artists Actor as most essential element of form Adaptability : could perform in virtually any space, with or without scenery Scenario = summary of situations, complications, outcome; functioned as script Improvisation : distinguishing feature of commedia Lazzi : bits of comic business

Commedia dell’Arte Stock Characters 1. Lovers : Most realistic roles Only characters that did not wear masks Dressed fashionably 2. Masters : 3 recurred most often Pantalone : elderly Venetian merchant Dottore : lawyer or doctor Capitano : braggart and coward 3. Servants = zanni Minimum of 1 clever and 1 stupid Most popular = Arlecchino ( Harlequin ) Acrobat, dancer, and used slapstick Wore black mask and hat

Commedia dell’Arte Troupes averaged members Performers were both male and female Troupes traveled frequently Most popular from 1575 to 1650, but continued into late 18 th century Numerous scenarios have survived

Commedia dell’Arte Activity: Read each of the commedia character descriptions below. Think of characters from TV sitcoms that possess qualities similar to each commedia character. 1. Lover : young and handsome; stylish 2. Pantalone : an elderly, would-be lover; very frugal 3. Dottore : lawyer or doctor; supposedly intelligent, but easily tricked 4. Capitano : boasts about prowess in love and war, but cowardly when challenged

The Servant of Two Masters Written in 1745 by Goldoni, from last days of Commedia dell’Arte More than a scenario, so lacks most of commedia’s improvisational elements Conveys other key elements of commedia Characters: 2 pairs of Lovers 2 Masters 3 Servants Plot relies on disguise, coincidence, misunderstanding Divided into 3 Acts, with a total of 10 scenes; requires 5 settings

The French Neoclassical Ideal Firm genre restrictions : tragedy and comedy should not mix Tragedy must be about royalty and nobles Comedy should deal with middle and lower classes Characters should exhibit decorum All plays should be written in 5 acts Neoclassical Unities : Time : all play’s action should occur within 24 hour period Place : all play’s action should occur in one location Action : there should be only one plot Ending of play should uphold poetic justice Purpose of drama = to teach and to please

Molière and Seventeenth-Century French Theatre Practice Unlike Elizabethan Theatre, French companies included both male and female actors Each actor played a limited range of roles, eventually organized into lines of business Actors had to furnish own costumes; blend of contemporary fashions and some historical dress Plays were set in one place; no scene changes ; generalized scenery Plays performed indoors, using candles and oil lamps for lighting

Tartuffe A comedy of character, written by Molière Shares some characteristics of Commedia dell’Arte 5 stages of plot: 1. Demonstration of Tartuffe’s hold over Orgon 2. Unmasking Tartuffe 3. Tartuffe’s attempt at revenge 4. Foiling Tartuffe’s plan 5. Happy resolution Written in verse: alexandrine = 12-syllable lines, with each pair of adjacent lines rhyming Neoclassical unities of time and place are observed

The Elizabethan, Italian, and French Traditions Although Shakespeare and Molière were separated in time by only a few years, they worked in different theatrical traditions When the English theatres reopened in 1660, the influence of Commedia dell’Arte was clearly evident in the new style of plays written By the 18 th century theatres throughout Europe shared the same basic conventions

Making Connections Consider the ways in which English, Italian, and French theatre practices of the 17 th century are similar and the ways in which they are different. Make a list describing those theatrical conventions from the 17 th century that you see today being used in theatre, television, or film.