What is Theatre? And how does it communicate messages to the audience?
[ 1 ] Theatre [ image source ]
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that
uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event
before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this
experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music
or dance. The specific place of the performance is also named by the word
"theatre" as derived from the Ancient Greek θέατρον (théatron, “a
place for viewing”) and θεάομαι (theáomai, “to see", "to watch",
"to observe”).
Beginning the 18th century, due to accompaniment by technological innovations, the expansion to include ordinary people, and the introduction of serious critical review, theatre began to see some changes. Dominated by a genius actor David Garrick, who was also a manager and a playwright, a more natural form of speaking and acting that mimicked life were emphasized. It is from this that realism and naturalism movements were born. The audience were also pushed back to behind the proscenium (the area of a theatre surrounding the stage opening, where the arch acts as a picture frame through which the action can be seen).
Beginning the 18th century, due to accompaniment by technological innovations, the expansion to include ordinary people, and the introduction of serious critical review, theatre began to see some changes. Dominated by a genius actor David Garrick, who was also a manager and a playwright, a more natural form of speaking and acting that mimicked life were emphasized. It is from this that realism and naturalism movements were born. The audience were also pushed back to behind the proscenium (the area of a theatre surrounding the stage opening, where the arch acts as a picture frame through which the action can be seen).
The origins of theatre were vastly different from
today’s modern theatre. Theatre first emerged from myths, rituals, and
ceremonies. The desired results that arise from certain actions performed by a
group or leaders of a group led to the early societies to believe that they
were related. The repetition of these actions in order to gain the desired
results set the ground for theatre.
Mythologist Joseph Campbell claims that rituals are
mainly concerned with pleasure, power, and duty, and are accompanied by myths.
These myths are then spread by the tradition of storytelling, and like all
subjects told as stories, the myths are then developed and enhanced beyond the
original rites. They evolve to gain more entertainment and aesthetics values. Now
performed for their own sake, the original actions now rapidly move towards
becoming theatre.
[ 2 ] Chinese Drama [ image source ]
The exact year of the origin of the Chinese drama is
unknown. It has been developed by assimilation, by the patronage of succeeding
emperors and the corresponding conversion of the Chinese people. Their theatre communicates messages by accompanying religious worship with music and dances. Music has already existed in China
by B.C.5400. The ceremonial dances were mainly to celebrate, and to portray
civil and military accomplishments. These dances (which describe the occupation
of the society of the time; e.g. harvesting, war, etc.) show various sensations
such as working, joy, content, fatigue, etc.
During the rule of emperor Hsuan Tsung (or Ming Huang),
a school was established by him in the gardens of his palace. This was where
young men and women were taught the arts of dancing and music. Many actors of
this age associate themselves with this school, calling themselves members of
the College of the Pear Orchard.
The Indian theatre has 2 unique variations of origins.
The first is the mythical origin, where Indra the thunderer (part of the divine
races that occupied the earth), approached the throne of the Godhead and,
delegated by the other gods, asked that their eyes and ears be feasted on a
dramatic spectacle, a merry play for their enjoyment. The Veda of the Theatre
sprang into existence, the quintessence of the drama drawn out of the four
Vedas; dance from Rig, song from the Sama, mimicry from Yajur, and passion from
Atharva. Vishwakarma the celestial architect built a stage in Indra’s heaven,
whilst the sage Bharata was appointed as theatrical manager and conductor of
the heavenly performances.
The second origin of the Indian theatre, based on
reality, is from the ancient custom of reciting national poetry at both social
and religious gatherings. The words bharata and magadha meant “minstrel” or
“actor”. According to Bana, a famous novelist from the age of the Arabian
Phrophet, claims that the Hindu epics were read aloud in places of worship. So
excellent were these public recitals that royalty often attended. Musical
accompaniment and dramatic gestures enhanced the success of these recitals. These recitals, accompanied by music and gestures, are the theatrical way the Indians communicate their messages.
References:
[1] MSUIIT.edu ; Wikipedia ; TheatreDesigner
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