medieval theatre
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Medieval Theatre. Liturgical Drama. Due to church being a major presence in society. Most drama was presented in the sanctuaries of churches and cathedrals. But How? Doesn’t the church oppose theatre at this time? - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
MEDIEVAL THEATRE
LITURGICAL DRAMA
• DUE TO CHURCH BEING A MAJOR PRESENCE IN SOCIETY.
• MOST DRAMA WAS PRESENTED IN THE SANCTUARIES OF CHURCHES AND CATHEDRALS.
• BUT HOW? DOESN’T THE CHURCH OPPOSE THEATRE AT THIS TIME?
• LIKE GREEK THEATRE, ROMAN CATHOLICS HAD RELIGIOUS RITUALS WITH THEATRICAL ELEMENTS.
LITURGICAL DRAMA CONTINUED
• ADDED LONG MUSICAL PASSAGES, CALLED TROPES.
• LYRICS WRITTEN IN LATIN ONLY
• PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF CLERGY WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF CHOIRBOYS.
• HAD TWO SPATIAL ELEMENTS TO STAGING.
• PLATEA – CENTRAL, OPEN SPACE.
• MANSION- SCENIC STRUCTURE DEPICTING SOME LOCALE NEEDED FOR A BIBLICAL STORY.
• DUE TO LITURGICAL PLAYS BEING ONLY IN LATIN NO EVERYDAY PERSON COULD UNDERSTAND.
• BRINGING ABOUT….
RELIGIOUS VERNACULAR DRAMA
• DEBATE OVER WHEN RELIGIOUS VERNACULAR DRAMA ORIGINATED.
• MOVED FROM INSIDE CHURCH TO OUTSIDE
• REASONS BEING:
• PLAYS BECAME TOO ELABORATE TO STAGE IN CHURCHES
• COST BECAME BURDENSOME FOR THE CHURCH.
• CHURCH OFFICIALS BECAME OPPOSED TO USING HOLY SPACES FOR THEATRE
• DIVIDED INTO TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES
• MYSTERY PLAYS
• CYCLE PLAYS
MYSTERY PLAYS
• TERM MYSTERY COMES FROM WORD MINISTERIUM
• MEANING RELIGIOUS SERVICE
• MYSTERY PLAYS DRAMATIZED A SERIES OF BIBLICAL EVENTS
• FROM CREATION TO THE END OF DAYS.
CYCLE PLAYS
• DRAMATIZED OTHER STORIES CONNECT TO BIBLICAL FIGURES, THE LIVES OF SAINTS AND CONTEMPORARY CHURCH DOCTRINES.
• PRESENTED IN “SEQUENCE” OR CYCLES
• HOW THE NAME ORGINATED
• VERNACULAR PLAYS WERE MOSTLY PRESENTED IN SUMMER OR SPRING
• DUE TO BEST WEATHER
CYCLE PLAYS CONTINUED.
• FAVORITE EVENT FOR CYCLE PLAYS WAS THE FEAST OF CORPUS CHRIST
• WHICH WAS CREATED TO REMIND THE PEOPLE OF THE LAST SUPPER OF JESUS.
• CYCLE PLAYS WERE ALSO PRESENTED AT OTHER TIMES IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER FESTIVALS.
• CYCLE PLAYS WERE MEANT TO APPEAL TO LARGE CROWDS AND POPULAR TASTES.
• PLAYS WERE OFTEN SET IN BIBLICAL TIMES, BUT THE CHARACTERS WERE MEDIEVAL TYPES.
• EXAMPLE: ABRAHAM AS AN ENGLISH SERF
• THIS DISPLACEMENT IS CALLED ANACHRONISM
• COMEDY WAS ALSO INTRODUCED TO MAKE CYCLE PLAYS MORE APPEALING.
• EXAMPLE: NOAH’S WIFE WAS A NAG.
PRODUCING THE CYCLE PLAYS
• PRODUCED BY RELIGIOUS GUILDS OR CLUBS CALLED CONFRATERNITIES
• EACH BASED OFF OF THEIR ACTUAL JOBS
• EXAMPLE: CARPENTERS BUILD THE SETS.
• PRODUCED ONCE EVERY 2 TO 10 YEARS
• SOME WERE VERY ELABORATE
• PERFORMANCES BEGAN EARLY IN THE DAY AND CONTINUED UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON.
• DEPENDING ON LOCALE, WENT ON FOR 2 OR 3 DAYS.
• MANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WERE INVOLVED.
ACTORS FOR CYCLE PLAYS
• WERE AMATEURS
• CUSTOMS REGARDING WOMEN PERFORMERS VARIED FROM PLACE TO PLACE
• FRANCE WOULD ALLOW THEM
• ENGLAND WOULD NOT!
• OFTEN ACTORS PLAYED SEVERAL DIFFERENT ROLES
• REHEARSAL TIME WAS MINIMAL
• FINANCIALLY BURDENSOME FOR THE ACTORS, BUT IT WAS A RELIGIOUS DUTY
COSTUMES OF CYCLE PLAYS
• ACTORS PROVIDED THEIR OWN COSTUMES
• ACTORS WOULD BE ASSISTED IF NEED UNUSUAL COSTUMES
• EXAMPLE: GOD WAS USUALLY DRESSED AS THE POPE.
• THE MODERN MEDIEVAL COSTUMING KEPT WITH THE ANACHRONISTIC THEME.
• SUPERNATURAL BEGINS MAY HAVE WORN MASKS
PAGEANT MASTERS
• THE PERSON WHO SUPERVISED THE MOUNTING OF PLAYS ON WAGONS
• MIGHT INCLUDE ADVANCE PREPARATIONS AS WELL
• INCLUDING REHEARSALS
• SEEING THE PLAYS UNFOLDED ON SCHEDULE
• DID NOT PERFORM THE SAME DUTIES AS MODERN DAY DIRECTORS
• MORE LIKE STAGE MANAGERS.
STAGES OF CYCLE PLAYS
• TWO DIFFERENT STYLES OF STAGING FOR CYCLE PLAYS
• PROCESSIONAL
• STATIONARY
PROCESSIONAL STAGING
• AUDIENCES WOULD ASSEMBLE IN VARIOUS PLACES AND THE CYCLE PLAY WOULD BE SET UP ON A WAGON THAT MOVED FROM PLACE TO PLACE
STATIONARY STAGING
• A SERIES OF SMALL SCENIC MANSIONS STOOD SIDE BY SIDE ON A HUGE PLATFORM STAGE
• USUALLY OUTDOORS
THE SECOND SHEPARDS’ DAY
• CIRCA 1375
• DRAMATIZES THE BIBLICAL STORY OF THE SHEPHERDS WHO WERE TOLD BY THE ANGEL OF JESUS’ BIRTH
• WRITTEN IN THE VERNACULAR
• FILLED WITH ANACHRONISM
MORALITY PLAYS
• ATTEMPTS TO TEACH A MORAL LESSON THROUGH ALLEGORICAL CHARACTERS
• MEANING PEOPLE REPRESENT IDEAS
• EXAMPLE: ONE CHARACTER IS CHARITY, ANOTHER INTEGRITY, ANOTHER GREED
• DEBATES OVER MORALITY PLAYS BEING RELIGIOUS OR SECULAR
• CHARACTERS WERE ORDINARY PEOPLE INSTEAD OF SAINTS OR BIBLICAL FIGURES
• THE BASIS OF MORALITY DRAMAS IS THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN TWO FORCES, ONE GOOD AND THE OTHER EVIL, FOR THE SOUL OF THE MAIN CHARACTER
• EXAMPLE: GOD & SATAN
THE DECLINE OF RELIGIOUS THEATRE
• ROMAN CATHOLICS WITHDREW SUPPORT DUE TO RELIGIOUS DRAMA “WEAKENING” THE CHURCH.
• OUTLAWED RELIGIOUS DRAMA IN FRANCE.
• SECULAR QUALITIES OVERWHELMED RELIGIOUS MATERIAL.