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    Roman Theatre Notes

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    Patty4Kaiser Rad

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    Roman Theatre Notes

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    3 views5 pages

    Roman Theatre Notes

    Uploaded by

    Patty4Kaiser Rad

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    Roman Theatre –

    27 BCE Empire formed


    Practical laws regarding property, marriage etc

    Roman theatre had its roots in Etruscan culture in 650-450 BCE , northen Italy, in celebration of the
    gods. Juggling, singing and dancing. Festival known as the Ludi Romani

    Mime performance as described in Chapt 2

    Atellan farce dealing with family issues and historical and mythological figures

    Big Greek influence in 250-150 BCE

    Mostly adapted and adopted to to meet the needs of Roman audiences. Bread and circuses.

    The comedies, fabula paliata based on the Greek models and subjects and then added innovations of

    1) Elimination on the chorus


    2) Addition of musical element to accompany the dialougue
    3) Emphasis on eavesdropping leading to misunderstandings and complications
    4) Setting, outdoor urban environments

    Not unlike comedies aimed at kids and early teens

    Pautus 254-184 BCE: Most popular comedic writers. Dealt with the trials and tribulations of romance
    and mistaken identity, meant to be entertaining. Mel Brooks

    The Maechmi – Stock characters, twins, “Sponge” a hanger on.

    Terence 185-159 BCE – greater focus on character , language and subtlety of expression. Like Woody
    Allen. A freed African slave. More complicated plots, double plots ( two characters in similar situations
    and examining their different reactions. Comedy of words as opposed to slapstick as seen in Phormio.
    Plays held in high esteem by future practitioners in the Middle Ages and Renaissance

    Roman Tragedy –

    Not widely received or performed, mostly for private salon performances. Why? Roman’s didn’t want
    to be bothered with questions about human existence. Sound familiar?

    Seneca 4 BCE – 65 CE– Was the most notable Roman tragedian. A proponent of Stoicism with high
    oratorical skills was exiled by Caligula. Recalled to Rome by Nero and ran the govt for 5 years before
    Nero ordered him to take his own life. And as all good Stoics, he did.
    His plays, The Trojan Women, Medea, Oedipus, etc all based on Greek myth. Different though because
    his emphasized violent spectacle. Jocasta cuts out her womb and Oedipus blinds himself on stage and
    thus satisfying the Roman taste for spectacle and violence. Whether the plays were produced or not is
    debatable. How do you do it? No tragic flaw but obsessed with overwhelming emotion. Again Stoicism.
    Also lots of super-natural influence. Important because of his influence on Renaissance playwrights. The
    emotion being a very human quality that more accurately depicts human actions.

    Horace 65-BCE 8 BCE - Dramatic criticism. Son of a freed slave. Noted for his lyric poetry and stressed
    rules as opposed to describing like Aristotle. Like not mingling tragedy with comedy, 5 acts, 3 speaking
    characters at one time, no deus ex machine. Drama should provide entertainment AND instruct. Aslo
    decorum, meaning character actions should be consistent with age and station. No burbing and farting
    unless you were a fool.

    Actors and Companies – dominus lead the acting troupe under the local gvt. Called historiones and were
    all male. Emphasized broad gestures and powerful voices. They specialized in playing specicifc roles.
    Wore masks and wigs. Mostly slaves but some became famous and wealthy.

    Theatre Buildings permanent and well built. BIG Important terms, auditorium, vomitorium . 25, 000
    spectators.

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