2.   Middle Ages in Europe is often called the Dark Ages because there was little or no cultural activity.  Lasted from the fall of Rome in 476 A.D. to the 15 th century  Feudalism – a social system whereby peasants worked the land and paid rent to the landowning nobles.  For about 400 years there was no theatre. Medieval Theatre

3.   In the 9 th century, the church introduced the trope, short dramatized scenes, into the mass.  Easter and Nativity tableaus (frozen stage pictures) were given to help the illiterate congregation understand the service.  Pantomimes developed, which soon gave way to dialogue.  Stories were enacted by priests and choirboys.  Small platforms called mansions were placed within the cathedral for performances.

4.   Three types of plays were presented in the Middle Ages:  Mystery plays – Bible stories re-enacted  Miracle plays – enacting the lives of the saints  Morality plays – stories teaching moral lessons  Passion Play – depicted scenes from Jesus’s life  In the 10 th century, a nun, Hrosvitha, wrote religious comedies.  Cycles, series of short plays based on religious history, were performed on pageant wagons in Medieval England

5.   Commedia dell’arte  Developed from mimes and pantomimes  Improvisations using song and dance  Involving love and intrigue  Stock characters: Harlequin, Columbine, Pantalone  Actors wore half masks to delineate character  First to allow women on stage since Indian drama  Influenced the writings of Moliere Italian Theatre of the Renaissance

6.   Focused of Drama  Influenced by commedia dell’arte  Three major playwrights  Miguel de Cervantes  Lope de Vega  Calderon Spanish Theatre of the Renaissance

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