1. Aspects of Greek Theatre (Costumes and masks) By Sim£on £vanson

2. Masks in Greek Theatre
Using masks in performances allows actors to portray more than one character
It makes it easier for the audience to remember specific characters.
Although masks create distance in a modern theatre with stage lighting , in a large open-air theatre the effect of classical masks was to bring the face closer to the spectator and thus create intimacy .
Masks allows the actor to present a situation and not to wallow in emotion

3. Costumes in Greek Theatre
The wearinf of himatation imposed a bodily discipline involving stillness, balance and restricted gesture
Upper class male characters in tragedy wore a chiton to the ankle in the old fashioned Ionian style
The costume of tragedy was highly ornate and doubtless colourful to emphasise the status of the performance as a ceremony
The actors also wore flesh coloured tights to give the impression their naked

4. What are Greek plays like ?
Greek actors wear masks made from stiffened linen, with holes for eyes and mouth. Actors also wear wigs. They wear thick soled shoes too, to make themselves look taller , and padded costumes to make them look fatter or stronger .
The masks show the audience what kind of character the actor is portraying. Some masks have two sides, so the actor could them turn them round to suit the mood for each scene

5. Thanks for listening £R