Renaissance Theatre History

Before the Renaissance… … was the Medieval period Morality plays and miracle plays are the norm Basically all theatre is focused on teaching you how to be a good Christian. Actors are treated like thieves and beggars – not trusted… they wander from city to city No stable playhouses or sets

England: Elizabethan Age (1550-1650 CE): One of the most important periods. Height of change in drama; it becomes very expressive and a force in the lives of people. Morality play continued as farces (somewhat comical exaggerations). 1st English public playhouse in 1576. Popular acting troupes start to settle down, but stages are still very minimal.

Queen Elizabeth I

London Bridge in the Renaissance

Famous playwrights…

Christopher Marlowe A poet and playwright The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus (1588) A good angel and a bad angel attempt to influence Faustus to sell his soul to the devil Stabbed in a brawl in 1589

William Shakespeare Successful because his plays appealed to everyone. Considered a master of characterization: Characters are well defined and are moved by emotions: love, jealousy, and grief. Globe Theatre and The Lord Chamberlain’s Men Wrote tragedies, histories, comedies, and tragicomedies

The Globe of 1599

Cross Section View of The Globe

Theatre Conventions… Plays were written to be seen, not read, by loud audiences. Used to be shouting approval and displeasure so plays had to be exciting, humorous, and moving to maintain interest. Typical Renaissance Theatre devices: Couplet: Two rhyming lines that signal the end of a scene. Soliloquy: Character speaks directly to the audience; explained action or described characters

Audience Seating Seating had three tiers Each tier was for different levels of wealth, including private boxes (Elizabeth had her own since she was a patron – a financial supporter – of Shakespeare!) Ground floor was called the yard Lower-class spectators stood here and were called groundlings. No chairs, just standing on the dirt floor.

Stage and Tiring House Raised platform surrounded on three sides by audience Trapdoors led to below the stage Tiring House similar to Greek skene At least two doorways Second story for an “inner above” playing area Third story for musicians’ gallery Roof covered stage; called the heavens which also had a trap door

Scenery and Costumes Neutral stage that did not represent a specific location “Spoken décor” or characters’ lines were used to establish location Minimal props to also suggest location Costumes were not always historically accurate to time of play Often cultural clothing was haphazardly intermingled with Renaissance clothing

After the Renaissance was the Reformation… 1642-1660 Puritans, under direction of Oliver Cromwell, come into power and dethroned King Charles. Puritans wanted to “purify” the Catholic Church. and for the Church of England to enforce a stricter morality They considered theatre impure and outlawed it for 18 years. After Charles II took the throne, theatre returned and was more modernized… present day costumes and women actors.