Roman TheatreRoman Theatre200s B.C.E. – 400s A.D. 200s B.C.E. – 400s A.D.

Historical InfluencesHistorical Influences

Greeks placed Greeks placed great emphasis on great emphasis on moral values and moral values and significant issues significant issues

Romans were more Romans were more concerned with concerned with popular popular entertainmententertainment Bosra, Syria –

preserved Roman Amphitheatre

Big change in attitudeBig change in attitude

Roman Theatre Roman Theatre became associated became associated with low comedy with low comedy and spectacles of and spectacles of violence and deathviolence and death

This lowered the This lowered the esteem of theatre esteem of theatre in the eyes of the in the eyes of the churchchurch

2 Types of Plays2 Types of Plays

Fabula Palliata – Translations of Fabula Palliata – Translations of Greek tragediesGreek tragedies

Fabula Togata – Based on broadly Fabula Togata – Based on broadly farcical situations and physical farcical situations and physical humor – also includes gladiators and humor – also includes gladiators and chariot raceschariot races

Physical SpacePhysical Space

Romans started using Greek arena style Romans started using Greek arena style theatres but built up the skene building – theatres but built up the skene building – often 3 stories tall with elaborate arches and often 3 stories tall with elaborate arches and columnscolumns

Meridia, Spain

Physical SpacePhysical Space

Djemila, AlgeriaOrange – Provence, France

Bullring

Arles,

France

Romans made the stage a raised rectangle which covered part of the Greek orchestra (thus making the orchestra a “pit” in front of the stage) and containing trap doors in the floor.

Theatre of PompeyTheatre of Pompey

Rome’s first stone Rome’s first stone theatretheatre

Started in 55 BCEStarted in 55 BCE Part of elaborate Part of elaborate

complex including complex including gardensgardens

Where Caesar was Where Caesar was killedkilled

Roman ColosseumRoman Colosseum

Started in 72 ADStarted in 72 AD Largest Roman Largest Roman

theatretheatre Considered greatest Considered greatest

work of architecture work of architecture and engineeringand engineering

Seats 50,000Seats 50,000 Ceased entertainment Ceased entertainment

use during Medieval use during Medieval timestimes

Earthquakes and Earthquakes and stone robbers caused stone robbers caused deteriorationdeterioration

Circus MaximusCircus Maximus

•1st and largest stadium for chariot racing in Roman Empire

•Held 150,000

Characteristics of ProductionsCharacteristics of Productions

Still male Still male performersperformers

More comedy and More comedy and physical humor physical humor (slapstick)(slapstick)

More violence – More violence – especially in especially in remakes of Greek remakes of Greek tragediestragedies

Less importance Less importance of chorusof chorus

More use of More use of music like flutesmusic like flutes

Eventual move Eventual move toward wigs and toward wigs and paint (make-up) paint (make-up) and away from and away from masksmasks

Important PeopleImportant People

Plautus (250-184 Plautus (250-184 BCE)BCE) Best examples of Best examples of

Togata (slapstick)Togata (slapstick) Copied Greek Copied Greek

comedies in Roman comedies in Roman settingssettings

Used Stock CharactersUsed Stock Characters Appealed to emotions Appealed to emotions

and not the intellectand not the intellect

Terence (190-159 Terence (190-159 BCE)BCE) Used subplots – Used subplots –

contrasts reactions of contrasts reactions of different characters to different characters to same eventssame events

Not popular in his Not popular in his lifetime but more lifetime but more influential laterinfluential later

Seneca (4 BC-Seneca (4 BC-65AD)65AD) Wrote tragediesWrote tragedies Was a philosopherWas a philosopher Made Greek plays Made Greek plays

more violent more violent (Palliata)(Palliata)

TitlesTitles

MenaechmiMenaechmi by Plautus by PlautusSometimes called Sometimes called The Brothers The Brothers

MenaechmusMenaechmusWas the basis of Shakespeare’s Was the basis of Shakespeare’s

Comedy of ErrorsComedy of ErrorsRidiculous situations from mistaken Ridiculous situations from mistaken

identity of a set of twins (Togata)identity of a set of twins (Togata)