Ancient Greek Theatre

Ancient Greek Theatre

1. Lenaea, lunar month of Gamelion

   • Local Athenians, winter sea travel rules out visitors
   • Comedy had greater prominence
   • City Dionysia
     • Wealth of Athen's political, literary, musical displayed to world
     • Lasted 4/5 days
   • Dionysus Eleuthereus, statue of patron god brought in procession from temple to Theatre of Dionysus
     • 14,000 capacity
       • No restriction on age, gender, citizen status

2. Each play begins with person, situation, idea

   • Person is comic hero or heroine
   • Idea is the person's idea for putting things right
   • 1 Conception
     • Learn about initial situation and discover what the ideas is
     • 2 Struggle, the hero encounters, overcomes difficulties standing in the way of implementing the idea
       • 3 Realisation: idea put into effect
         • 4 Consequences: the effects following the implementation of the idea

3. Orchestra was centrally placed, a dance floor, where chorus performed

   • Audience surround on 3 sides
   • Skene behind orchestra: house/temple/cave etc
     • Lysistrata: battlements of the Acropolis

4. Comic actors costume traditionally characterised by grotesque padding

   • Ludicrous punches
   • Very short tunic to reveal large leather phallus