Task 1: Exploring Techniques: History of Theatre

 History of Theatre Timeline

Primitive tribal dance and religious rituals

The primitive tribal dance and religious rituals begun in 8500BC and is still continued to this day and may have set the stage or theatre for the next several hundred years. The religious leader of the tribe would have overseen the dance and would have become a sort of religious or spiritual celebration.

Origin of Greek Theatre

The Origin of Greek Theatre begun in 550BC and Greeks embraced theatre as means to worship their mythical gods. They transformed drama from a ritual into sort of ritual-drama and held festivals in honor of the Greek god of wine and fertility, Dionysus.

Greek cont- Many famous plays came from this time period. Sophocles and Euripides are all well-known playwrights from this time.

Colosseum built

The Colosseum was built in 80AD. The early Roman actors in the plays that were being produced here were slaves and owned by managers and Roman plays were less philosophical and the theatres were more than just about drama. Some of theses shows could  include Acrobatics, Athletics, Chariot Races, Boxing and last but not least Venationes Animal fights.

Theatre emerges in China

In 618AD the first theatre emerges in China with people who would paint their faces white and theme the show around Chinese culture.

Church officially opposes theatre

In 692AD Churches in England officially opposed theatre this theatre shortly begun after the Roman Empire ceased to exit. The Roman Catholic Church was still in power within Rome, and catholic leaders declared the pagan dramatic presentations a sin and took over the practice while banning the general population from performing. 

Miracle plays

Miracle plays begun in the 1100s and these where plays on the lives and works of the saints.

Noh Theatre developed 

The Noh Theatre that was developed was made in Japan in 1325. Noh dramas are the oldest surviving form of Japanese theatre. This piece of theatre combines music, dance, and acting to communicate Buddhist themes.

Commedia Dell'Arte

This form of theatre begun in the 1500s until 1700s and it was characterized by masked "types" (stock characters) which began in Italy in the 16th century. The performances were based on sketches or scenarios.

Renaissance set design

The Renaissance set design begun in 1537. The set design was a back drop which was painted. Pomp and ceremony.

Shakespeare's birth 

Shakespeare worked from late 1500s and early 1600s.Playhouses started to appear in London by the 1570s as secular drama began to predominate. The most famous of these theatres was The Globe Theatre and the main man who would make the plays for this theatre was William Shakespeare and he made most of his actors male because it was against the law for women to be actors. 

Kabuki Theatre 

Kabuki theatre begun in the 1600s, this was theatre coming from Japan using white face making and traditionally performed by an all male cast. It had very elaborate costumes and very stylized.

Realism

Realism was in the late 1800s. Realism is natural movements and everyday dialogue. Realism was introduced to acting by a Russian actor called Stanislavski. He believed that actors needed to draw upon feelings they'd experienced in their own lives. Authentic emotion.

Theatre of the Absurd 

This begun in the 1950s till present day and theatre has come a long way since the Cavemen. Nowadays people come to the theatre to see the drama, music and the entertainment to be purely entertained. We now don't have to rely on just the actors to tell us the story but visual images from lighting can, as well as set, music and special effects add to the spectacle and story.