Intro to Theatre Arts Unit 3 Review: Medieval & Renaissance Theatre History

Historical Context

• Medieval theatre emerged in Europe during the Middle Ages (5th-15th centuries) after the fall of the Western Roman Empire
• Early medieval theatre was heavily influenced by the Catholic Church and religious themes dominated
  • Liturgical dramas were performed in churches as part of religious services
  • Mystery plays depicted stories from the Bible and lives of saints
• Secular theatre began to develop in the later Middle Ages alongside religious theatre
  • Morality plays allegorically represented the struggle between good and evil (Everyman)
• The Renaissance (14th-17th centuries) saw a revival of interest in classical Greek and Roman theatre
  • Rediscovery of ancient texts led to new dramatic forms and techniques
• Theatre became more professionalized during the Renaissance with the emergence of dedicated theatre troupes and purpose-built theatres

Key Periods and Movements

• Liturgical drama (10th-13th centuries): Plays performed as part of church services, often on religious holidays
• Mystery plays (13th-16th centuries): Dramatizations of Bible stories performed by trade guilds
  • Cycles of plays covered creation to judgment day (York Mystery Plays)
• Morality plays (15th-16th centuries): Allegorical plays teaching moral lessons with personified virtues and vices as characters
• Interludes (15th-16th centuries): Short, secular plays performed between acts of mystery plays or at court
• Commedia dell'arte (16th-18th centuries): Italian improvisational theatre featuring stock characters and scenarios
• Elizabethan theatre (late 16th-early 17th centuries): Flourishing of theatre in England during reign of Elizabeth I
  • Playwrights like Shakespeare and Marlowe created enduring works
• Spanish Golden Age (16th-17th centuries): Period of prolific playwriting in Spain with authors like Lope de Vega and Calderón de la Barca

Influential Playwrights and Works

• Anonymous authors of liturgical dramas, mystery plays, and morality plays
• Fernando de Rojas: La Celestina (1499), tragicomedy considered a precursor to Spanish Golden Age theatre
• Christopher Marlowe: Doctor Faustus (c. 1592), tragedy about a scholar who sells his soul to the devil
  • Influenced by morality plays but with a more complex protagonist
• William Shakespeare: Prolific English playwright whose works spanned comedy, tragedy, and history (Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream)
  • Masterful use of language, complex characters, and universal themes
• Lope de Vega: Fuenteovejuna (1619), Spanish Golden Age drama about a village rising against tyrannical rule
• Molière: French playwright known for satirical comedies of manners (Tartuffe, The Misanthrope)
• Ben Jonson: English contemporary of Shakespeare known for satirical comedies (Volpone, The Alchemist)

Theatrical Spaces and Staging

• Medieval theatre was performed in various spaces including churches, town squares, and pageant wagons
  • Pageant wagons were mobile stages used in mystery play cycles
• Elizabethan theatres were open-air amphitheatres with a thrust stage surrounded by the audience on three sides (Globe Theatre)
  • Minimal scenery with symbolic props and costumes
  • Audience included all social classes with groundlings standing in the pit and wealthier patrons in galleries
• Corral de comedias: Spanish courtyard theatres adapted from inn yards
• Italian Renaissance theatre featured proscenium arch stages with perspective scenery painted on flats
• Court masques in England used elaborate scenery and special effects in indoor performance spaces
  • Masques combined poetry, music, dance, and spectacle

Performance Styles and Techniques

• Liturgical dramas and mystery plays used chanting, simple staging, and symbolic gestures
• Morality plays featured allegorical characters and direct address to the audience
• Commedia dell'arte relied on improvisation, physical comedy, and recognizable character types (Harlequin, Pantalone)
  • Performers specialized in specific roles and wore distinctive masks
• Renaissance theatre emphasized rhetoric and oratory with long speeches and poetic language
  • Soliloquies revealed characters' inner thoughts and emotions
• Elizabethan theatre used cross-gender casting with young male actors playing female roles
• Aside: Dramatic convention where a character speaks their thoughts aloud for the audience to hear
• Tableau: A frozen picture created by actors to represent a scene or convey symbolism

Religious and Social Influences

• Medieval theatre was heavily influenced by the Catholic Church and religious themes
  • Plays were often performed on religious holidays as a form of worship and education
• The Protestant Reformation led to a decline in religious theatre in some areas
  • Reformers viewed theatre as sinful and idolatrous
• Theatre was seen as a tool for moral instruction and social commentary
  • Morality plays taught lessons about virtue and vice
  • Renaissance plays often critiqued social norms and political power structures
• Patronage system influenced the content and style of plays
  • Playwrights and theatre companies relied on support from wealthy patrons or the court
• Sumptuary laws regulated clothing and appearance based on social class
  • Costumes on stage could subvert or reinforce social hierarchies
• Puritans in England viewed theatre as immoral and succeeded in closing theatres in 1642

Costumes and Set Design

• Medieval theatre used simple, symbolic costumes to represent characters
  • Biblical figures wore robes and halos while devils had horns and tails
• Commedia dell'arte costumes were colorful and exaggerated to match the stock characters
  • Each character type had a distinctive mask and outfit
• Renaissance theatre used more elaborate costumes to convey character status and personality
  • Costumes were often anachronistic, reflecting contemporary fashion rather than historical accuracy
• Elizabethan theatre relied on rich, detailed costumes to create spectacle and indicate character traits
  • Cross-dressing on stage subverted gender norms and added comedic or dramatic tension
• Set design in medieval theatre was minimal with symbolic props and backdrops
  • Hellmouth, a gaping monster mouth, represented the entrance to Hell
• Italian Renaissance sets used perspective painting and multiple vanishing points to create illusion of depth
  • Elaborate set pieces and machinery allowed for special effects like flying characters
• Court masques featured intricate sets, costumes, and special effects to create a fantastical atmosphere

Legacy and Impact on Modern Theatre

• Medieval theatre laid the foundation for the development of Western theatre traditions
  • Use of allegory, symbolism, and moral instruction influenced later dramatic works
• Commedia dell'arte had a lasting impact on physical comedy and stock characters in theatre and film
  • Servant characters like Harlequin evolved into the modern clown or fool archetype
• Shakespeare's plays continue to be widely performed and adapted around the world
  • His language, characters, and themes have influenced countless writers and artists
• Spanish Golden Age plays explored complex themes of honor, faith, and social class that resonate with modern audiences
• Molière's satirical comedies critiquing hypocrisy and social norms inspired later playwrights like Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw
• The Elizabethan stage and acting style influenced the development of realism in theatre
  • Emphasis on character psychology and motivation laid the groundwork for Method acting
• Renaissance ideas about perspective scenery and special effects paved the way for modern set design and theatre technology
• The legacy of censorship and moral outrage over controversial plays continues to spark debates about artistic freedom and social responsibility in the theatre