Theatre of the French Renaissance Drama I

The Neoclassic Period The 17th century (1600s) in France Neoclassic means “new classics” French looked to Greek and Roman critics for ideals

Development of Theatre Religious plays were forbidden in 1548. Theatre was slow to develop because monarchs gave their favorite groups the sole rights to production in the form of a monopoly. This was the beginning of the practice known as royalty payments (we still have today).

The French Academy The Academy formed informally in 1629 and became official in 1635 due to the urgings of Cardinal Richelieu (the prime minister). The French Academy set the standards for writers to follow. They were rule-makers who took most of their ideas from Italian, Greek and Roman writers.

The Rules of the French Academy There are only two legitimate forms of drama—tragedy and comedy. Drama should be written to teach a moral lesson. Unities of time, place, and action. 5 act play form. Decorum—should be appropriate and fitting for your audience. Verisimilitude—reality, morality, and generality.

Verisimilitude Reality—rule out things that cannot actually happen in real life (chorus was discouraged, no ghosts, etc) Morality—violence off stage (it would offend the public) Generality—playwright sought attributes that are shared by all (universal types)

Elements Should Not Be Mixed Tragedy Characters of nobility as protagonists Stories dealt with affairs of state Unhappy ending Poetic style Comedy Characters from middle or lower class as protagonists Stories dealt with domestic or private affairs Happy ending Ordinary prose

Neoclassic Playwrights Pierre Corneille (1606-1684)—Le Cid. Broke all the rules but was still accepted by the public—an OUTRAGE! Jean Racine (1639-1699)—Phaedra. The peak of French neoclassic tragedy. Moliere (aka jean Baptiste Poquelin) (1622-1673)—The Miser, “Tartuffe,” The Misanthrope.

French Theatre Architecture Theatres started as indoor tennis courts. The walls around the buildings had two or three galleries, some divided into boxes. The stage was five or six feet above the pit where the less wealthy audience stood to watch the show. Stage was raked and had a proscenium arch and curtain.

Acting Companies Companies included women who could vote and were paid—”equal rights!” After Moliere’s death, his company merged with two others to become the Comedie Francaise—the first national theatre. Smaller companies than English—10 to 15 members. Democratic organizations where each member had a vote. Companies were professional—paid.

Scenery and Staging Italian scene design dominated. Flat wings and borders. Perspective scenes. Separate scenes for incidental entertainment (similar to lazzi). Raked stage. Stages were very deep, many with two stages divided in half depth-wise.

Costumes and Masks Actors were expected to furnish their own costume pieces. For the most part, costumes were contemporary but classical (they would use dress of the time, but alter it to look like that of the period). No masks were used.