Chapter 6- The Theatre of the Italian Renaissance
Scenarios
short plot lines conceived by the company not written down, company members invented the words and actions as they went along (improvised)
Stock characters
stereotypical fictional character who the audience recognize they also wear specific costumes, somewhat 2 dimensional don't really grow or change very much ex: pentalone, il dottore, il capitano, arlecchino, innamorati
Modern versions of lazzi
the 3 stooges, Charlie Chaplin, Marks brothers Groucho Marks- always had glasses, big mustache, guitar Harpo- usually had guitar, giant scissors 3 Stooges- very physical comedy
What are we being reborn out of during the Renaissance?
the dark ages/middle ages
Which class of people was emerging and growing during the Renaissance?
the merchant class
Perspective
the painting and arrangement of scenery to achieve an illusion of depth
About the Renaissance
the reawakening of arts and culture after the "sleep" of the medieval period, a time of great exploration and discovery, focus shifts to humanism, secularism
What impact did Commedia dell'arte have?
they traveled all throughout Europe, spreading this idea of theatre and these stock characters
Unity of action
1 central story, small group of characters, no subplots
4 contributions that the Italian Renaissance made to Western theatre
1) acting (commedia dell'arte) 2) theatre architecture 3) scenic design 4) dramatic criticism/neoclassical ideas
Minor neoclassical ideals
1) characters actions must be morally acceptable 2) must teach a moral lesson 3) no onstage violence 4) no chorus 5) no soliloques 6) no deus ex machina
Sections of audience seating in a proscenium theatre
1) pit- down below, cheap seats, standing 2) boxes- most expensive, exclusive 3) galleries- raised and off to the side for the next 300 years (and up to today) this is standard seating for people in the Western world
Neoclassicists' influence
1) rigid, literal rules for drama 2) other countries followed Italy's lead 3) these "rules have been followed, broken, and debated for centuries
The 3 Unities
1) unity of time 2) unity of place 3) unity of action
Greek and Roman manuscripts
Byzantium fell in 1453, Greek and Roman manuscripts transferred to the West, serendipitous timing
Big voyage in 1492 was who?
Columbus Columbus was from Italy, "discovered" America
What country did the Renaissance first take root?
Italy
Rake stage
a stage that's at an angle
Unity of time
action should not exceed 24 hours
Comedy
always dealt with commoners, happy ending
Tragedy
always dealt with royal people, sad ending
Il Capitano
bragging but really is a cowardly soldier
Metachi Family
come from Florence, wealthy and powerful family whose kids traced throughout the Renaissance into other countries
Proscenium arch stage
comes from greek word proskene, audience all faces one direction kooks through a rectangle "frame", fourth wall became a bigger thing
Opera
cross between play and music, made its grand debut in the Italian Renaissance
Humanism
focusing on human beings, the here and now people in this world as opposed to G-ds and G-desses
Neoclassicists derived their "ideals" about theatre from who?
from Aristotle and "The Poetics" although, Aristotle was not actually writing "rules" for drama, he was merely observing but neoclassicists took these rules to heart
Deus ex machina
g-d from a machine, a contrived plot device- unexpected power/event arriving at the last minute to save a hopeless situation
Arlecchino
harlequin, comic, clever servant wears a cap that falls down and a very colorful patchwork
Acting/Commedia dell'arte
improv (there's no script) and stock characters, have scenarios instead of script, a traveling company of professional actors, usually made up of 7 men and 3 women, traveled throughout Europe
Gutenberg printing press
invention that came along in 1450 that made it popular for rich people to pass knowledge around amongst their friends, their country and other countries
Il Dottore
means doctor as in PhD, academic who knows everything and understands nothing, wears mask and long academic robe
Pentalone
meddling (gets in everyones business) miserly (he likes to keep his money, he's cheap) lecherous (always lusting after someone who's inappropriate for him) old man, wears mask with big nose
Decorum
neoclassical idea, characters should behave in ways based on age, profession, sex, rank, characters expected to follow set behavior deemed appropriate
Verisimilitude
neoclassical idea, drama was to be "true to life", no ghosts, apparitions, supernatural
Merchant class
not necessarily kings and queens, increasing power as dominance of church declined, patronage system, loved the arts and theatre, also loved learning
Secular
not religious
The wing and groove system
painted flat wings placed in grooves, grooves allowed wings to slide off stage quickly, new series of wings revealed to audience
Scenic Design
perspective, painted flat wings (today called flats), the wings and groove system, in order to add to this illusion the stage was raked
Modern slapstick comedy
physical comedy, often making fun of pain
Meaning of "renaissance"
rebirth
Lazzi
repeated bits of physical comic business that are peppered throughout that make each time they perform different ex: Il capitano and his sword
Unity of place
restricted action of a play to 1 locale
2 choices of genre
tragedy or comedy, no mixing
Slapstick
used by Arlecchino, 2 pieces of wood to make slapping noise to sound like a hit
Patronage system (patron)
wealthy people funding artists, still occurs today, very popular among the merchant class in Italy
Comedia companies
worked together long periods of time, often composed of families, improvisation became second nature
Innamorati
young lovers, plot complications, the only characters without masks