Caroline Greer

Block 3

1/10/09

The Roman Theatre

The roman culture was very influenced by theatre. These plays
were only held on occasion. The richest people of the town would
finance the plays. In exchange they gained popularity throughout the
city. This made it possible for even the poorest citizens to attend. On
these special days all stores were closed and no buisness was done.
These types of events would usually last all day. Many people hurried
to the theatre to get a satisfactory seat so that they may be able to
see the stage. The best seats were reserved for the most important
people in the city. Most Roman theatres that still stand today share
some certain features. You can separate the theatre into three areas.
The scaenae, orchestra and cavea.

The scaenae can be disdinguished into a few

different parts. First the proscaenium is the space for actors to play.
Its surface was usually covered with wood. Below it there was the
hiposcaenium, a hidden chamber for decoration and machines.

Another part is the scaenae frons. It was the very large wall that
limited back part of proscaenium. It is the most spectacular part of the
scaena. It was composed with columns, crowned by a roof with a
double function: acoustic and protection. There were three doors at it:
the central one and two at both sides.
% The orchestra is semicircular surface placed
between scaenae and cavea. The chorus stood there to sing. Its
curved area was surrounded by rows for the important people in
the city to sit. At the opposite side, limiting its right zone, raised
the frons pulpiti: the front wall of the scaenae's podium. It was
composed of decorated niches with pillars. They often connect
the scaenae with stairs.  
%

% The third and final is the cavea.It is the

row for public watching the plays. Because of its structure it is
divided in three horizontal high areas. Each one is made for a
kind of spectator. Ima cavea, media cavea and summa cavea.
Each being for different citizens of different social status.

The exterior look of theatres directly depends on origin on which

they are built. They are different whether rows are constructed on a
hill or not. The external part is composed by a series of orders of
columns, arches, and pillars with blind arches. They reflect the inner
space; not only the cavea but also the frons scaenae.

All actors in Roman plays were male slaves.   Men played the
parts of women.  The typical character would include the rich man, the
king, the soldier, the slave, the young man, and the young woman.  If
necessary, an actor would play two or more roles in a single
performance. 
 The most notable part of an actor's symbol was probably his
mask.  While different masks and wigs were used for comedies than
tragedies, certain characteristics remained constant.  All masks had
both cheek supports and special chambers which acted as amplifiers.

These masks are typical of what

one would see on the Roman stage. The top two masks are tragic
characters, and the bottom three are comedic characters. The bottom
right being the slave, and the other two being old men. 

Gray wigs represented old men, black for young men, and red for
slaves.  Young men donned brightly colored clothing, while old men
wore white.  In this manner the audience could easily identify the
characters. 

Here are some other characteristics. A black wig meant the

character was a young man. A gray wig meant the character was an
old man. A red wig meant the character was a slave. A white robe
meant the character was an old man. A purple robe meant the
character was a young man. A yellow robe meant the character was a
woman.

Greek tragedies were performed in late March/early April at an

annual state religious festival in honor of Dionysus. The presentation
took the form of a contest between three playwrights, who presented
their works on three successive days. Each playwright would prepare a
trilogy of three tragedies, plus an unrelated concluding comic piece
called a satyr play.

Tragedy depicts the downfall of a noble hero or heroine, usually

through some combination of hubris, fate, and the will of the gods.
The tragic hero's powerful wish to achieve some goal inevitably
encounters limits, usually those of human frailty gods, or nature.
Aristotle says that the tragic hero should have a flaw and/or make
some mistake. The hero need not die at the end, but he / she must
undergo a change in fortune. In addition, the tragic hero may achieve
some revelation or recognition about human fate, destiny, and the will
of the gods.

Another type of play was comedy. Some types of comedies are

pantomimes. Pantomimes shows, usually given by a single dancer,
were of three kinds: simple mimicry without music or words, but with
dancing; secondly, mimicry with instrumental music; and thirdly,
mimicry with music and words. Often they told tales of irregular evil,
and always they had crude and indecent humor.