the power of theatre a theatrical performance is not one thing. it is a compilation of many things...

The Power of TheatreThe Power of Theatre

A theatrical performance is not one A theatrical performance is not one thing. It is a compilation of many thing. It is a compilation of many

things that make up one performance. things that make up one performance. In general, there are In general, there are fivefive important important

aspects that help give theatre its aspects that help give theatre its power.power.


1.1. Theatre Creates a Social Occasion.Theatre Creates a Social Occasion.2.2. Theatre Holds a Mirror Up to Theatre Holds a Mirror Up to

Nature.Nature.3.3. Theatre Provides a Progressive Theatre Provides a Progressive

Experience.Experience.4.4. Theatre Can Make Use of Words.Theatre Can Make Use of Words.5.5. Theatre Is Fantastic.Theatre Is Fantastic.


1.1. Theatre Creates a Social OccasionTheatre Creates a Social Occasion When watching a theatrical When watching a theatrical

performance, many individuals share performance, many individuals share the same experience within the same the same experience within the same period of time. We can all be held period of time. We can all be held captive by a play in performance. It is captive by a play in performance. It is not like literature or like painting – it is not like literature or like painting – it is something designed to be seen by a something designed to be seen by a crowd.crowd.


1.1. Theatre Creates a Social OccasionTheatre Creates a Social Occasion

Theatre in Epidaurus, Greece



Globe Theatre in London



Street Theatre in Mexico City



Weathervane Theatre, a converted barn, in New Hampshire



Weathervane Theatre, a converted barn, in New Hampshire – inside view of the 250 seats



Walnut Theatre in Philadelphia – 600 seats



Tivoli Theatre in Illinois, built in 1928 – 700 seats



Winter Garden Theater in New York – 1,482 seats

The Power of TheatreThe Power of Theatre1.1. Theatre Holds a Mirror Up to Nature.Theatre Holds a Mirror Up to Nature. Shakespeare had Hamlet say that the Shakespeare had Hamlet say that the

““purpose of playingpurpose of playing” was “” was “to hold as to hold as ‘twere the mirror up to nature: to show ‘twere the mirror up to nature: to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressuretime his form and pressure.”.”


1.1. Theatre Holds a Mirror Up to Theatre Holds a Mirror Up to Nature.Nature.

What Hamlet expected the “mirror” What Hamlet expected the “mirror” of the stage to show was not an of the stage to show was not an ordinary reflection, but one that ordinary reflection, but one that revealed to the audience the truth revealed to the audience the truth about about themselvesthemselves..



What happens on the stage may What happens on the stage may look real, because, in some look real, because, in some respects, it respects, it isis real. real.



There are real men, women and There are real men, women and children. There is talk, noise, children. There is talk, noise, and silence; light, darkness, and silence; light, darkness, movement and stillness.movement and stillness.

The Power of TheatreThe Power of Theatre1.1. Theatre Holds a Mirror Up to Nature.Theatre Holds a Mirror Up to Nature. To a degree, the dramatists and To a degree, the dramatists and

directors cheat by being selective in directors cheat by being selective in what they show us in the mirror. what they show us in the mirror. They may leave certain elements of They may leave certain elements of reality out. An actor may cry quicker reality out. An actor may cry quicker than a man would in real life or a than a man would in real life or a piece of furniture may be ignored.piece of furniture may be ignored.



Sweet Charity


1.1. Theatre Holds a Mirror Up to Nature.Theatre Holds a Mirror Up to Nature.


1.1. Theatre Holds a Mirror Up to Nature.Theatre Holds a Mirror Up to Nature. To some degree, film provides a To some degree, film provides a

dramatic contrast. Many would say that dramatic contrast. Many would say that film is more lifelike, and that is true is film is more lifelike, and that is true is some ways, but a film does not show some ways, but a film does not show anything palpably anything palpably therethere. Everything . Everything happens in two dimensions.happens in two dimensions.

The Power of TheatreThe Power of Theatre1.1. Theatre provides a Progressive Theatre provides a Progressive

Experience.Experience. While a painting or a photograph While a painting or a photograph

can be revealed in a moment, can be revealed in a moment, theatre is something that develops theatre is something that develops over the course of several hours.over the course of several hours.


1.1. Theatre provides a Progressive Theatre provides a Progressive Experience.Experience.

Narrative, conflict , argument, Narrative, conflict , argument, tension, climax and tension, climax and development are the very stuff development are the very stuff of dramatic energy. of dramatic energy.


1.1. Theatre Theatre provides a provides a Progressive Progressive Experience.Experience.


1.1. Theatre Can Make Use of Theatre Can Make Use of Words.Words.

Theatre can work without words, Theatre can work without words, by use of spectacle, dance or by use of spectacle, dance or mime. mime.



But most of the time, words are But most of the time, words are a vital and powerful element of a vital and powerful element of theatre. theatre.

Consider how many ways there Consider how many ways there are for saying “Good morning.”are for saying “Good morning.”



A good dramatist imagines A good dramatist imagines everything that will happen on everything that will happen on the stage and will provide words the stage and will provide words that will fit in with all this that will fit in with all this complex phenomena.complex phenomena.



A poet or a writer can A poet or a writer can manipulate words too, but a manipulate words too, but a dramatist can focus an dramatist can focus an audience’s attention on exactly audience’s attention on exactly that element in the play that is that element in the play that is important at any one moment.important at any one moment.



Occasionally, what is said draws Occasionally, what is said draws attention to what is attention to what is notnot said. said.



Speech is also important in a Speech is also important in a musical sense.musical sense.



Speech is also important in a Speech is also important in a musical sense. The playwright musical sense. The playwright can change its variations of can change its variations of tempo, pitch, and rhythm.tempo, pitch, and rhythm.


1.1. Theatre is Fantastic.Theatre is Fantastic. Saying theatre is fantastic is Saying theatre is fantastic is

quite the opposite of saying that quite the opposite of saying that theatre “holds the mirror up to theatre “holds the mirror up to nature” but the former is equally nature” but the former is equally true. Although theatre can show true. Although theatre can show us our world, it can also show us our world, it can also show us a world that never was.us a world that never was.


1.1. Theatre is Fantastic.Theatre is Fantastic.Arden Theatre’s production of “The Snow Queen”


1.1. Theatre is Fantastic.Theatre is Fantastic.

In “Swimming in the Shallows” a boy falls in love with a shark.



Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”



Oberon and Titania in “Midsummer Night’s Dream”

the power of theatre a theatrical performance is not one thing. it is a compilation of many things...

Documents