Introduction to the Classical Greek Theater

2006

AHB Online Reviews 4 (2014) 15–20, 2014

Gnomon 91.7: 588–596, 2019

Review published in BMCR: http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2015/2015-01-04.html

The Pronomos Vase and Its Context, 2010

The Pronomos krater undoubtedly marks the high point of the production of Greek 'theatre vases'. However, it is perhaps not exaggerated to maintain that this splendid show piece can at the same time be seen as testimony to and a symptom of a great change or – depending on one's point of view – even a crisis in Athenian theatre culture. With regard to its actual imagery, three aspects are particularly noteworthy. First: in not reproducing a scene from the play, the emphasis is transferred from the impact of the actual theatrical performance to the theatre as an institution; second: the disposition of the protagonists emphasises two sources of authority with Dionysos as the inspiring patron of the theatre and the citizens of the polis as the promoters of the performances; third: the emphasis on the satyr play is explained principally by their visual and semantic effectiveness. While it certainly cannot be said that the Pronomos vase 'has nothing to do with drama', it has, I believe, quite a lot to do with a general development in Classical Athens, one that changed dramatic performances into a stage upon which social distinction and advancement could be acquired. My brief survey of the relevant monuments, choregic and otherwise, is intended to give an idea of the enormous dynamics of this process. In retrospect, the festive gathering on the Pronomos krater represents both the farewell gathering for the theatre as a forum where polis citizens engaged in intellectual exchange, and a welcome party for the theatre as a means of individual self-praise and promotion in the public arena of the city of Athens.

School of Arts, 2009

This PhD focuses on physical theatre techniques and practices in order to provide acting keys for directing ancient drama. More specifically, the work for stage put effort in the acting method, with which the chorus and the main characters can be approached. For that reason, the basic method adopted was that of J. Lecoq, and especially the 'transference' practice. Moreover, specific elements were selected from the methods of: the Laboratory theatre of J. Grotowski, the Odin Teatret of E. Barba, and from K. Stanislavski's practice of physical actions. Elements were also incorporated from modern dance techniques (M.Graham, P. Bausch and R. Laban), as well as from Dramatic play. The first part of the PhD summarizes theoretical aspects on the tragedy's structure through the written material that has survived from antiquity. The ancient drama history, the history of acting and directing tragedy, as well as other interpreting matters are analyzed. Moreover emphasis has been placed on Euripides' whole work, on the historical and cultural frame of writing the Bacchae, as well as on ideological aspects and comments on the roles. Finally, material for the most important performances, which took place in Greece, is given. In the second part of the thesis an experiment has been performed between the classic speech of tragedy and contemporary methods of movement and speech. The aim was to investigate how these function together, by applying them on the text of Bacchae. Although the stress on the body pre-existed in acting methods of several directors, the specific method of Physical theatre was applied around 1955 from J. Lecoq. Since in Physical theatre the physical expression is symbolic, non-realistic, with a heightened sense of theatricality, this method can provide to tragedy the suitable acting tools for the big statures of the roles-symbols and for the meaningful movement of the chorus. Physical theatre does not emphasize on the character and his behavioural gestures but on the situations themselves and how the actor undertakes them. Therefore it can complement word-based theatre, which focuses on the acts emerged from the myth and on the creation of mimetic archetypes. In that way, the demonstrated actions and the messages conveyed through them, become essential and represent the collective unconscious. Consequently, if tragedy expresses symbols, emphasizes on the myths' acts and detaches from realism then it is proved that the method of Physical theatre can be an appropriate method. Contents Pages Introduction 3 1. Physical theatre-the term, its genesis and its components 9 2. Ancient Greek Tragedy 17 Euripides, "a stage philosopher" 19 I. Biography 19 II. A profile of his work 20 Prologue. Deus ex machina 20 Contest of speeches 21 Messenger's speech 21 Choral passages 22 The divine element 24 The element of passion 26 3. The sociopolitical context of the writing of The Bacchae 29 The Bacchae in Euripides' dramatic work 34 4. History of Ancient Greek Tragedy 39 Evaluation of Greek directors 60 5. Key influences on the practical research 67 Some crucial stagings in Greece 67 Indicative record and drama criticism of The Bacchae in Greece (1962-2007) 73 Three important performances in the context of my research 79 6. The Bacchae: the text 83 I. Outline of the play 83 II. Important themes dealt with in The Bacchae 84 III. Comments on the roles 87 7. The realization of The Bacchae as an original theatre performance 97 2 I. Issues of interpretation in relation to Ancient Tragedy 97 II. Basic directorial concept 8. The Bacchae: the creative process 103 I. Preparatory phase II. Improvisation phase 9. Mise-en-scene 110 Scenography Costume design 113 Original music 113 Choreography-movement 114 Lighting Chorus Miracle Play Epiphany of God 120 Mask 121 Roles 124 10. The fundamental acting choices-physical theatre methods 128 Dionysus and 'his many forms' 132 Pentheus: 'the ambiguous' Teiresias, servant: 'the need for form' Cadmus, Agave: 'in the labyrinth of emotions' 137 Messenger: 'the mediator' 140 The chorus: 'autonomus histories' 11. Conclusion 147 12. Critical evaluation and findings Bibliography 156 Appendix: The collaborators Comments from by members of the audience Translations of "The Bacchae" Euripides, (1979) The Bacchae [Βάκχες] (translation in demotic dialect Karagiorga Ol.). Evdomo theatre Euripides, (1985) The Bacchae [Βάκχες] (translation in demotic dialect Heimonas G.). National Theatre Euripides, (1962) The Bacchae [Βάκχες] (translation in demotic dialect Prevelakis P.). National Theatre Euripides, (1993) The Bacchae [Βάκχες] (translation in demotic dialect Giannaris, G.). Athens, Kaktos Euripides, (1996) The Bacchae [Βάκχες] (translation in demotic dialect Georgousopoulos, K.

Seeing Theater: The Phenomenologies of Classical Greek Drama, 2023

Discussions of this pot have generally been concerned with identifying these various details. One of its most remarkable features, however, is its focus on theatrical spectatorship itself. Actors, chorus, musician, judges, and audience have been reduced to an exchange between a single performer and two spectators. 6 The latter have been variously identified: as both judges; a judge with the chorēgos, the man who financed the production; a judge with the dramatic poet; or perhaps just regular audience members. 7 Whoever they may be, the scene invites its viewer to position themselves alongside this pair-to look upon the actor and the physical properties of his performance space and perhaps also, like modern scholars, to wonder about their potential objects of representation. Yet the curved shape of the pot prevents any stable viewing of or with the spectators, for only when not actually using this chous to pour wine might a user see the entire scene; otherwise they would flit between audience and actor. 8 In a way, this experience is analogous to that of seeing a play, especially in a light-filled open-air structure: that is, an audience member may look as much at his fellow spectators as at the performance itself. 9 It also