Roman Drama

240 B.C. – 476 A.D.

From Greek to RomanAs Rome expanded, they borrowed elements from Greek culture, even their gods

Instead of tragedy, Romans focused on comedy

Developed domestic comedy, similar to our situational comedies (sitcom) today

Gave us many new theatrical terms:Auditorium-”hearing place”

Persona-mask or character represented by the mask

Changes in Theater DesignSkene (now called Scaenae)– 3 stories tall with porticos (porch/roofed walkway) and statues

Orchestra

half circle

used by musicians

Pulpitum

raised stage for acting

2-5 feet high

Changes cont.

Voms – entrance and exitways for audience

Auleum-reversed curtain, pulled upward on poles

Theater now called the Auditorium, not the Theatron.

Skene

Voms

Orchestra

Pulpitum

Audience

Auleum Line

Theater Designs

Actors sometimes performed in temporary, moveable wooden theaters.

Permanent theaters were built in 55 B.C.

Although temporary, they were still elaborate.

Built to be free-standing and usually removed after the festival or occasion.

Roman vs. Greek Theater Design

Orchestra: semi-circle, used only by musiciansOne free-standing unit Backstage entrance: Skene with many doors and porticosEntrances and Exits: VomsLocated in cities

Orchestra: circular, used by actors and chorusSeparate buildings built into hillsBackstage entrance: Proskenion and 3 doorsEntrance and Exits: ParadosLocated in country

Pompey’s Contribution

Built permanent theater, called it a place of worship

Placed a statue of Venus outside to disguise it (permanent theatres not allowed)

Steps to the temple were actually seats for the spectators

Pompey continued…

It was copied by nearly all other future theatres in Rome and throughout the empire.

Multipurpose-used for meetings of the Senate and other gatherings

Thought to be the place Julius Caesar was assassinated.

Roman Drama TermsCloset Drama: A play that is better read, not performed, because of extremely violent scenes.

Satire: A play mocking or ridiculing society or a well-known institution.

Farce: Comedy that is possible but highly unlikely

Claque: Someone paid to influence the audience to clap or shout.

Plautus

Copied Greek tales and made them comical

Used slapstick and stock charactershttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-iZ6Tw4dg4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-iZ6Tw4dg4

Works inspired later playwrights

Plautus cont.

Plays did not use a chorus

Did not deal with political or social issues

Depicted the trials and tribulations of romance

Resembled modern musical comedies

About 20 fragments of his plays survive, although he may have written over 50

Plautus’ Stock Characters

A stock character was a stereotype of a certain person in society, stressing their personality traits

Country BumpkinsYoung LoversWise servant, Inept MasterSmart or naïve personThe braggart soldier

What are stock characters we use today?

Terence

Freed slaveBorrowed/stole Greek play ideas and themesConsistently styled after MenanderWrote differently from Plautus

CharacterizationSubtlety of expressionElegant language

Terence cont.

Used plot elements from 2 Greek plays and created 1 new workMay have been the first major black playwright in Western theaterNot as whimsical as Plautus, more literary6 comedies survive

Seneca

Only major tragedian

Borrowed plots from the Greeks

Served as models for later European playwrights

9 plays, all based on Greek myths

Seneca’s Closet Dramas

Seneca’s plays were so gory, they were better read than performed, making them closet dramas

Jocasta cuts out her wombOedipus blinds self onstage

Did not exploit violence, but used it to show tragedy

Did not use tragic flaws, obsessed with overwhelming emotion

Decline in TheaterBecause of the growing spectacles in the Coliseums (gladiators, lion fighting, slave/ship fighting etc.), theater was eventually overshadowedRome fell in 476 A.D., becoming a Christian societyThose who went to theater instead of church were excommunicated.Theatrics were banned because they were sinful, European drama dead for 500 years