ROMAN THEATRE

Brief Roman History by 345 B.C 240 B.C There were over 175 festivals a year 240 B.C The beginnings of Roman theatre recorded The first record of drama at the ludi Romani (Roman Festival or Roman Games).

Brief Roman History 55 B.C First stone theatre built in Rome by order of Julius Caesar.

Roman Theatre Borrowed Greek ideas and improved (?) upon them Topics less philosophical Entertainment tended to be grandiose, sentimental, diversionary

Roman Theatre Included more than drama : acrobatics gladiators jugglers athletics chariots races naumachia (sea battles) boxing venationes (animal fights)

Roman Theatre 3 Major Influences Greek Drama Etruscan influences, which emphasized circus-like elements Fabula Atellana – which introduced FARCE (Atella was near Naples).

Roman Theatre Farce Short improvised farces, with stock characters, similar costumes and masks based on domestic life or mythology burlesque, parody Most popular during the 1st century B.C., then frequency declined

Roman Theatre Farce Probably was the foundation for commedia dell ‘Arte Productions included “stock” characters: Bucco: braggart, boisterous Pappas: foolish old man Dossenus: swindler, drunk, hunchback

Roman Theatre Serious or comic (satiric) No masks Had women Violence depicted literally Scoffed at Christianity

Roman Festivals Held in honor of the gods, but much less religious than the Greeks Performances at festivals probably paid for by the state. Were often lengthy and included a series of plays or events, and probably had prizes awarded.

Roman Festivals ludi Romani oldest of the official festivals held in September and honored Jupiter regular performance of comedy and tragedy began in 364 B.C.

Roman Tragedy Characteristics of Roman Tragedy 5 acts/episodes divided by choral odes included elaborate speeches interested in morality unlike Greeks, they depicted violence on stage

Roman Tragedy Characteristics of Roman Tragedy characters dominated by a single passion which drives them to doom (ex: obsessiveness or revenge) developed technical devices such as: soliloquies, asides, confidants interest in supernatural and human connections

Roman Tragedy Seneca (5 or 4 B.C. – 65 A.D.) only playwright of tragedy whose plays survived Nine extant tragedies, five adapted from Euripides (Gr.) Though considered to be inferior, Seneca had a strong effect on later dramatists.

Roman Tragedy Seneca (5 or 4 B.C. – 65 A.D.) WroteThe Trojan Women, Media, Oedipus, Agamemnon, etc., which were all based on Greek originals His plays were probably closet dramas—never presented, or even expected to be.

Roman Comedy Characteristics of Roman Comedy Chorus was abandoned No act or scene divisions Concerned everyday, domestic affairs Action placed in the street

Roman Comedy Material from only 2 playwrights survived Platus (c. 254-184 B.C.) Terence (195 or 185-159 B.C.)

Roman Theatre Design First permanent Roman theatre built 54 A.D. (100 years after the last surviving comedy)

Roman Theatre Design General Characteristics Built on level ground with stadium-style seating (audience raised)

Roman Theatre Design General Characteristics Stage raised to five feet Stages were large – 20-40 ft deep 100-300 ft long

Roman Theatre Design General Characteristics dressing rooms Theatre could seat 10-15,000 people dressing rooms in side wings stage was covered with a room

Roman Theatre Design General Characteristics trap doors were common cooling system – air blowing over streams of water awning over the audience to protect them from the sun

Roman Theatre Design Scaena “stage house” joined with audience to form one architectural unit

Circus Maximus- (Circo Massimo) Roman Theatre Design Circus Maximus- (Circo Massimo) Primarily for Chariot racing Permitted 12 chariots to race at once Largest Roman Amphitheater Could seat 150,000 spectators