We explain what theatre is, how it originated and the variations that exist. In addition, we explain its characteristics, structure and more.
Theater combines speech, gestures, scenery and music.
What is theater?
When we talk about theater we refer to one of the oldest arts known to mankind. It consists of the representation in front of the spectators of acted stories that can combine speech, gestures, scenery and music. Every theatrical performance is a play.
At the same time, the term theatre is used to refer to the dramatic genre. This literary genre is characterized by presenting texts intended to be performed in front of an audience.
See also: Classicism
Origin of theater
Greek theatre is considered the initiator of the theatrical tradition in the West.
It is believed that the theater derived from shamanic ritual representations or religious.
These rituals were used by primitive humans. in the hope of fighting diseasesinvoke rain or ask for victory in war.
Thus, It emerged in different cultures at the same timethus existing an Indian (Brahmanic) theatre, a Chinese theatre and a theatre of Greek Antiquity.
The latter is considered the initiator of the theatrical (and literary) tradition in the West.
Over there “dramatic art” was born from various rituals belonging to their religion, which went from ritual practice to myth and later the word was added to them, thus becoming the first theatrical works.
With them, the ancient Greeks They sought to educate religiously, emotionally and civically to its citizens, through the representation of its founding myths, in which its gods and mythological heroes appeared.
History of theatre
The Romans incorporated the genres and form of Greek theaters.
Classical Antiquity witnessed the beginning of theater in the West and its incorporation into the imagination of the Roman Empire, after the absorption of Hellenic culture by the Latins.
Initially, The Romans accompanied the representation with music and dancejust as the Greeks did, but gradually they focused almost exclusively on the word.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the theater was inherited by the Christian Middle Ages, associated with popular culture. But then he joined the theocratic thinking that dominated Europe for fifteen centuries.
Given the The Church used it as a mechanism for evangelizationwere represented mysteries and passions Christians, with ecclesiastical subsidy.
Non-religious variants were called “profane” theatre. and in both cases they were recited first in Latin and then in vernacular languages.
With the transition from theocentrism to anthropocentrism in the Renaissance, the theatre It gained great importance as an expressive formLike other forms of art, it revived the classical tradition abandoned during the Middle Ages.
In the following centuries many of the great genres flourished and authors of European theatre.
Contemporary theatre
Modernity saw in the theater the opportunity to give body and voice to many of the new currents of thought aesthetic, political and philosophical that appeared after the discovery of America and especially the Bourgeois Revolutions.
From the Renaissance to the rise of Romanticism, it was cultivated a movement that produced some of the greatest exponents of the genre in Europe and the Americas.
This legacy It was the source of inspiration for the avant-garde movementswho from the end of the 19th century to the mid-20th century saw the theatre as an aesthetic laboratory in which to test different creative tendencies.
Over there It was shown from the absurdity and crueltyto the theater committed to the Marxist and therefore anti-bourgeois revolution.
How is theatre classified?
Street theatre often incorporates the audience into the performance.
The plays They are traditionally classified into tragedy and comedystarting from the feeling that each genre entails: sadness and laughter.
On the other hand, Aristotle pointed out that each one represents the human being in two different ways: as a courageous being fallen into disgrace, or as a common villain who can be laughed at.
Later, numerous theatrical genres appeared in history that made the classification more complex, such as:
- The tragicomedy (romantic drama). A mix of tragedy and comedy.
- The farce. Caricature of characters and situations that is generally laughable.
- The melodrama. Which incorporates a musical accompaniment to the tragedy that details the emotional situation of each scene.
- The realistic drama. That imitates reality to move the public and raise social awareness.
- The intimate theater. Performed for a small audience and around a limited situation, taking advantage of the feeling of being “alone” with the character.
- Street theatre. Which is performed in public and often incorporates the audience into the work.
It may help you: Literary genres
Basic elements of theatre
The costumes and the scenery are the elements that set the scene for the play.
The usual elements of theatre are:
- Scenery. The place where the performance takes place, whether it is a theater, the street, a park or the living room of a house. It can be at the top of a platform, or at ground level, and may or may not have a curtain and a stage.
- Actors. Who represent the characters of the work, generally differentiated between protagonists and secondary characters. The same actor can play several roles, if the work requires it.
- Text. The works have a libretto, that is, a script similar to a film script, in which the dialogues and thoughts of the characters (parliament), the actions they will undertake (didascal or annotations) and the beginning and end moments of each act, scene and of the work are indicated.
- Costumes and scenery. The total of the decorative elements or atmospheres of the work, such as costumes, prop materials (swords, tables, chairs, etc.) or the background landscapes: city, countryside, mountains, etc.
Structure of a play
Theatrical works are generally made up of acts, that is, internal divisions between which it can change:
- The fictional place represented;
- The tenor of the story;
- The time represented (years later, for example).
At the same time, Each act is divided into scenes: situations in which things happen on stage.
every scene It can be long or short as stipulated in the work.and can involve as many characters and actions as necessary. But generally the exit of a main character, the change of scene or the advancement of time implies a new scene.
Theatrical direction
Some directors stage plays that are classic or written by other playwrights.
Every theatrical piece has a director: an “author of the montage”, Who is responsible for orchestrating the elements? who intervene on scene. He takes care of both the acting direction and the rest of the team. His role is comparable to that of the director of a cinematographic work.
Many great playwrights have also been theatre directors. However, there are also It is common for directors to dedicate themselves to staging classic works or written by another playwright.
Why is theatre important?
The theater has been throughout its history one of the most important artistic genres due to its ability to communicate with the masses. In this sense, it can only be compared today with cinema and the major audiovisual media.
In theatrical performances the public could be subjected to ideas of all kindsoften disguised as fiction, to encourage critical thinking or to problematize political and social features of the time.
The use of theatre as complaint instrument and protest has been one of its constants.
Ancient and current theater
Today’s theatre can afford more experimentation.
The main distinctions between ancient and contemporary theater point to the fact that the latter allows a greater degree of experimentation.
That is Today’s theatre has greater freedom from any vigilant gaze in moral or religious matters (although not always in political matters).
Besides, Ancient theatre consisted of long theatrical sessions which kept the public busy for hours, sometimes days. That is why they were part of celebrations on specific dates.
The brevity of modern life leads us to the fact that, in general, theatrical works They do not exceed two or three hours at most.
Great playwrights in history
Some of the great playwrights in history are:
- The playwrights of classical Greece: Aeschylus (525-456 BC), Sophocles (496-406 BC) and Euripides (c. 480-406 BC).
- William Shakespeare (1564-1616).
- The three greats of the Spanish Golden Age: Lope de Vega (1562-1635), Tirso de Molina (1579-1648) and Calderón de la Barca (1600-1681).
- Molière (1622-1673).
- Jean Racine (1639-1699).
- Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805).
- Anton Chekhov (1860-1904).
- Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906).
- Federico García Lorca (1898-1936)
- Antonin Artaud (1896-1948).
- Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956).
- Samuel Beckett (1906-1989).
- Eugene Ionesco (1909-1994).
- Tennessee Williams (1911-1983).