Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
Theatre histories
Why theatre histories?
● → multiple regions, cultures, etc.
Grading:
● Reading quiz = 15% week 6 (14 november)
○ → On Greek Theatre, Sanskrit Drama and Classical Japanese Theatre
● Final exam = 85%
○ → on computer
○ → multiple choice (150-words long)
○ → long insight questions (500 words-long) about a specific play
Reading
● → Reading assignments = mandatory
● → Optional reading is handy to read
Lesson 1: Greek theatre........................................................................................................ 7
1. What is theatre?............................................................................................................. 7
1.1 Myth and rituals as a prototype of theatres?.......................................................... 7
1.2. Warning!................................................................................................................ 7
1.3. Storytelling as a prototype of theatres?.................................................................8
1.4. How rituals and storytelling become theatres........................................................8
1.5 pre-Greek passion plays........................................................................................ 8
2. Greek tragedy.................................................................................................................8
2.1. Dithyramb.............................................................................................................. 9
2.2 Democracy and greek theatre................................................................................ 9
2.3. The Greek playwrights.......................................................................................... 9
2.4 Chorus.................................................................................................................. 10
3. Greek comedy.............................................................................................................. 10
3.1. Historical background.......................................................................................... 10
3.2. Difference between comedy and satire............................................................... 10
3.3. Structure of comedy.............................................................................................11
3.4. Two principles of ancient comedy........................................................................11
3.5. Parabasis (scene)................................................................................................11
3.6. Aristophanes........................................................................................................11
3.7. Lysistrata............................................................................................................. 11
3.8. Characters of Aristophanes' Lysistrata................................................................ 12
4. Antigone by Sophocles.................................................................................................12
Les 2: Romeins theater........................................................................................................12
1. Romeinse cultuur......................................................................................................... 12
1
,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
1.1. Het Romeinse rijk................................................................................................ 12
1.2 Romeinse entertainmentcultuur........................................................................... 13
1.3. Invloeden op Romeins theater............................................................................ 13
1.3.2. Wat typeert Romeins theater?..........................................................................13
1.4. Leven en werken als theateracteur in Rome.......................................................13
2. Romeinse komedie.......................................................................................................14
2.1. Griekse komedie in een nieuw jasje....................................................................14
2.2. De toneelschrijvers.............................................................................................. 14
3. Romeinse tragedie....................................................................................................... 14
3.1. In een notendop.................................................................................................. 14
3.2. De toneelschrijvers.............................................................................................. 15
4. Romeine theaterarchitectuur........................................................................................ 15
4.1. Termen................................................................................................................ 15
4.2. Theatrum Pompeii in Rome.................................................................................16
5. Romeins theater en theorie.......................................................................................... 16
5.1. Horatius en Ars Poetica.......................................................................................16
Lesson 3: Sanskrit Drama and Indian Performances....................................................... 17
1. Basics of Sanskrit drama..............................................................................................17
1.1. Historical background.......................................................................................... 17
1.2. Kailasa Temple (in Ellora caves, India)............................................................... 17
1.3. Mahabharata....................................................................................................... 17
1.4. Dharma................................................................................................................18
1.5. The Caste system............................................................................................... 18
1.6. Rasa in Sanskrit Drama...................................................................................... 18
1.7. Basic Elements of Rasa...................................................................................... 19
1.8. Expression, deities and colours of Rasa............................................................. 19
1.9. Peter Brook's The Mahabharata..........................................................................19
2. Nāțyaśāstra (science of Dramaturgy)...........................................................................20
2.1. Nāțyaśāstra......................................................................................................... 20
2.2. Basics of Nāțya (drama) according to Bharata....................................................20
2.3. Gender and Democracy in Nāțyaśāstra.............................................................. 20
2.4. 10 types of plays in Nāțyaśāstra......................................................................... 20
2.5. Abhinaya (traditional techniques)........................................................................ 21
3. Contemporary Indian Performances............................................................................ 21
3.1.Kuttiyattam........................................................................................................... 21
3.2. Yakshaganam......................................................................................................22
3.3. Kathakali..............................................................................................................22
Lesson 4: Classical Japanese Performances and Theatre.............................................. 23
1. Origins of Japanese theatre......................................................................................... 23
1.1 The origin of Japanese theatre and performance................................................ 23
1.2 Gigaku and Gagaku............................................................................................. 23
1.3 Kagura.................................................................................................................. 23
1.4. SPACE: Where performances happened............................................................ 23
2. Performance.................................................................................................................24
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
2.1 Introduction to Nō................................................................................................. 24
2.2 What is Nō............................................................................................................ 24
2.3. Spatial and temporal Structure of Nō Stage........................................................25
2.4. Five genres of Nō plays.......................................................................................25
2.5. What is Mugen Nō (dream/fantasy nō)................................................................26
2.6. Comparison between the Greek Theatre and Nō................................................26
3. Bunraku Puppets..........................................................................................................26
3.1 What is Bunraku.................................................................................................. 26
4. Kabuki theatre.............................................................................................................. 27
4.1. The origin of Kabuki............................................................................................ 27
4.2. What is Kabuki?.................................................................................................. 27
4.3. Typical Characters of Kabuki...............................................................................28
4.4. Kata (acting roles)............................................................................................... 28
4.5. Kumadori (face painting)..................................................................................... 29
4.6. Feudalism in Kabuki............................................................................................ 29
Les 5: Middeleeuws theater................................................................................................ 29
1. De middeleeuwen als tijdvak: achtergrond voor theater.............................................. 29
1.1. Disclaimer over de ‘tusseneeuwen’.....................................................................29
1.2. Het Oost-Romeinse Rijk...................................................................................... 30
1.3. De middeleeuwen in West-Europa...................................................................... 30
2. Liturgisch drama: theater in en rond de kerk................................................................31
2.1. Kerk en theater.................................................................................................... 31
2.2 Quem Quaeritis?.................................................................................................. 31
2.3. Liturgisch drama.................................................................................................. 31
2.4. De volgend fase: thater in de kerk.......................................................................32
3. Volkstalig geestelijk toneel: theater buiten de kerk.......................................................32
3.1. Een natuurlijke evolutie....................................................................................... 32
3.2. Soorten volkstalig geestelijk toneel..................................................................... 33
3.3 Het mysteriespel...................................................................................................33
3.5 De moraliteit......................................................................................................... 35
4. Seculier theater: theater zonder kerk........................................................................... 36
4.1. Wat is seculier theater tijdens de middeleeuwen............................................... 36
4.2. Soorten seculier theater...................................................................................... 36
5. Einde van een tijdperk: theater voorbij de middeleeuwen............................................36
5.1. Breuklijn voor middeleeuws religieus theater...................................................... 36
Lesson 6: Italian renaissance and French neoclassicism............................................... 37
1. Theatre and Italian renaissance: rise of humanism, individualism, and economy....... 37
1.1. Background: The renaissance in Italy................................................................. 37
1.2. Theatres of the early Italian renaissance............................................................ 37
1.3. Renewed interest in Greek and Roman classics.................................................38
1.4. Pastorals............................................................................................................. 38
1.5. Intermezzi............................................................................................................ 38
1.6. Operas.................................................................................................................38
2. Theatre architecture..................................................................................................... 39
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
2.1. The oldest surviving theatre: Teatro Olimpico..................................................... 39
2.2 The proscenium arch............................................................................................39
3. Commedia dell’arte...................................................................................................... 39
3.1. Prehistory of commedia dell’arte: how it came about..........................................39
3.2. The essence of commedia dell’arte.....................................................................40
3.3. Masks.................................................................................................................. 40
3.4. Language............................................................................................................ 41
3.5. Body Gestures.....................................................................................................41
4. Stock characters...........................................................................................................42
4.1. The masters: Magnifico....................................................................................... 42
4.2. The masters: Pantalone...................................................................................... 42
4.3. The masters: Il Dottore........................................................................................ 43
4.4. The masters: Il Capitano..................................................................................... 43
4.5. The lovers: Innamorati.........................................................................................43
4.6. The servants: Arlecchino..................................................................................... 43
4.7. The servants: Brighella........................................................................................43
4.8. The servants: Colombina.................................................................................... 44
5. French renaissance and theatre: historical context......................................................44
5.1. Background: religious civil war............................................................................ 44
5.2. Italian influence................................................................................................... 44
5.3. Alexandrine verse................................................................................................45
5.4. Italian neoclassicism........................................................................................... 45
5.5. Five neoclassical ideals.......................................................................................46
5.6. Verisimilitude....................................................................................................... 46
5.7. Decorum.............................................................................................................. 47
5.8. Unities................................................................................................................. 47
6. Racine, Corneille, and Molière: masters and revolts of neoclassical ideals.................47
6.1. Who is Jean Racine?.......................................................................................... 47
6.2. Racine’s Phèdre (1677).......................................................................................48
6.3. Who is Pierre Corneille?......................................................................................48
6.4. Le Cid (1636) and the Violation of neoclassical ideals........................................ 49
6.5. l’Académie Française.......................................................................................... 49
6.6. Who is Molière?...................................................................................................50
6.7. Comedie Française............................................................................................. 50
6.8. Molière’s Tartuffe................................................................................................. 50
Lesson 7: Shakespearean plays.........................................................................................52
1. The English reformation: before and during the Elizabethan period............................ 52
1.1. Background: the English reformation.................................................................. 52
1.2. Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen Scots..................................................................... 52
1.3. The English renaissance or the Elizabethan era.................................................53
1.4. The English renaissance theatres....................................................................... 53
1.5. James Burbage (1531-1597) and richard Burbage (1567-1619)........................ 53
1.6. The structure of public theatre.............................................................................53
1.7. Lord Chamberlain’s men and The Globe.............................................................54
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
2. Shakespeare’s language..............................................................................................54
2.1. Who is Shakespeare?......................................................................................... 54
2.2. Types of plays..................................................................................................... 55
2.3. Poetry and Prose.................................................................................................57
2.4. Iambic pentameter...............................................................................................57
2.5. Shakespeare’s sonnets....................................................................................... 57
2.6. Vocabulary...........................................................................................................58
2.7. Soliloquy.............................................................................................................. 58
3. King Lear...................................................................................................................... 58
3.1. Plot...................................................................................................................... 58
3.2. Characters........................................................................................................... 59
3.3. Themes............................................................................................................... 60
Lesson 8: Realism and Naturalism: dramas: Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll House....................60
1. French Renaissance and theatre: historical context.................................................... 60
2. Racine, Corneille, and Molière: masters and revolts of neoclassical ideals.................60
3. After neoclassicism
3.1. Key movements in the 18th century.......................................................................... 60
3.2. Denis Diderot: The forerunner of the modern theatre......................................... 61
3.3. Denis Diderot: The Paradox of Acting................................................................. 61
3.4. Romanticism........................................................................................................62
3.5. Traits of romanticism........................................................................................... 62
3.6. Romantic art forms.............................................................................................. 62
3.7. Transition in theatre from the 18th to the 19th century........................................63
4. Beginning of Realism................................................................................................... 63
4.1. Key movements in the 19th century.................................................................... 63
4.2. Victor Hugo, ‘Preface to Cromwell’ (1827).......................................................... 63
4.3. Major principles of realism...................................................................................63
4.4. Alexandre Dumas Fils (1824-1895).....................................................................64
4.5. The Meiningen Ensemble (or, Players)............................................................... 64
4.6. Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906)....................................................................................65
4.7. Konstantin Stanislavsky and The Moscow Art Theatre....................................... 65
4.8. Stanislavsky method........................................................................................... 66
5. Naturalism.................................................................................................................... 66
5.1. Major principles of naturalism..............................................................................66
5.2. Émile Zola........................................................................................................... 67
6. Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House...................................................................................... 67
6.1. Summary............................................................................................................. 67
6.2. Themes............................................................................................................... 68
6.3. Questions............................................................................................................ 68
Lesson 9: War and Politics: Theatres of Bertolt Brechte and Antonin Artaud.............. 69
Key terms and Important Figures............................................................................... 69
Historical Background................................................................................................ 69
1. Discovery of the East................................................................................................... 69
1.1 Discovery of the East by the West........................................................................69
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
1.2. Movement against realism in theatre.................................................................. 70
1.3. Edouard Manet, Vincent Van Gogh and Japanese Ukiyo-é (woodblock print)
painting....................................................................................................................... 70
1.4. Influence of Kabuki..............................................................................................70
1.5. Chinese Peking opera and Mei Lang Fang......................................................... 71
1.6. Influence of nō: William Butler Yeats................................................................... 71
1.7. Characters and costumes from Yeats’ At The Hawk's Well.................................72
2. Who is Brecht............................................................................................................... 72
2.1. Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956).................................................................................. 72
2.2. The socialist political principles of Brecht............................................................72
2.3. What is epic theatre?...........................................................................................73
2.4. Key strategies for epic theatre.............................................................................73
2.5. Dramatic theatre and epic theatre....................................................................... 74
2.6. Alienation of effects in chinese acting (1935)...................................................... 74
2.7. Gestus................................................................................................................. 74
3. Who is Artaud?.............................................................................................................75
3.1. Antonin Artaud (1896-1948)................................................................................ 75
3.2. Influence of Balinese dance................................................................................ 75
3.3. Theatre of Cruelty................................................................................................75
3.4. Theatre as virtual reality...................................................................................... 76
4. Bertolt Brecht: The Good Woman of Setzuan.............................................................. 76
4.1. Preliminary information of the play...................................................................... 76
4.2. Characters........................................................................................................... 76
4.3. The pursuit of goodness......................................................................................77
4.4. Historical materialism.......................................................................................... 77
4.5. Patriarchal capitalism and corruption.................................................................. 78
4.6. Women and dual identities.................................................................................. 78
4.7. Humanity versus the divine................................................................................. 78
4.8. Questions............................................................................................................ 79
Lesson 10: Theatre of the absurd and structuralism: Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for
Godot (1953)......................................................................................................................... 79
Key terms for Samuel Becket..................................................................................... 79
1. Historical context.......................................................................................................... 79
1.1. WWII....................................................................................................................79
1.2. Existentialism...................................................................................................... 80
1.3. Human desire to escape from freedom............................................................... 80
1.4. Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980).............................................................................80
1.5. Albert Camus (1913-1960).................................................................................. 81
1.6. Philosophy of absurdism: “A Sisyphean Toil (task)”............................................ 81
2. Semiotics in structuralism.............................................................................................81
2.1. What is semiotics?.............................................................................................. 81
2.2. Basic sausurean semiology.................................................................................81
2.3. The arbitrariness of significant and signifié......................................................... 81
2.4. Can semiology be used in theatres?................................................................... 81
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
2.5. Semiotics: icon; index; symbol; and involuntary sign.......................................... 81
2.6. All signs on stage are “signs put on pedestals”...................................................81
2.7. Structuralist/semiotic analysis of Godot.............................................................. 81
3. Samuel Beckett: Waiting for Godot (1953)................................................................... 81
3.1. Characters........................................................................................................... 81
3.2. Waiting for Godot in Sarajevo (1993) initiated by Susan Sontag........................ 81
3.3. Structuralist/semiotic analysis of “waiting”...........................................................81
3.4. Martin Esslin’s interpretation of “waiting”.............................................................81
3.5. Structuralist/semiotic analysis of “rope”...............................................................81
3.6. Common mistake: it is not a nihilist play............................................................. 81
3.7. A play depicting a condition not action................................................................ 81
3.8. Condition: prisoners of time.................................................................................81
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
Lesson 1: Greek theatre
1. What is theatre?
Greek theatre = the father of theatre
→ double reality in Greek = you look at the theatre and also at the city because of how the
amphitheatre is constructed
Western theatre erased all the natural elements of outside theatre
→ Why? The plague
● The word "theatron" in ancient Greek means "a place to see."
● "Spectacle" comes from the Old French word "spectare," meaning "to view."
● The Japanese word for theatre, "shibai," means "to be on the grass."
● → These terms suggest that theatre focuses on the audience rather than the
performance. SO Theatre was the audience, etymologically speaking
1.1 Myth and rituals as a prototype of theatres?
Rituals (repetition)
● A community notices things that seem to affect their food and well-being.
● They don't understand the natural reasons behind these events, so they think
supernatural forces are at play.
● They see links between their actions and the results they want.
● Because of this, they repeat these actions and turn them into fixed ceremonies or
rituals.
1.2. Warning!
Cultural darwinism
● = They thought theatre developed from simple to complex forms.
● These scholars viewed Western theatre, which distanced itself from rituals, as
superior to non-Western art forms.
○ They believed "less-advanced" societies would eventually reach the level of
European culture through evolution.
1.3. Storytelling as a prototype of theatres?
● Relating to a story = necessary
● Fantasy
○ Struggles in your life → fantasise about more beautiful realities
● Imitation
○ = it’s in our nature to imitate the things around us
○ Mimesis (Aristoteles)
1.4. How rituals and storytelling become theatres
Comic vision
● detachment from certain serious events to ridicule them
● This detachment allows people to analyse social issues.
● Deviations from norm = funny not serious threats
Aesthetic sense
● Some early societies abandoned essential rites but kept their oral traditions for their
artistic value.
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
● Putting together performance elements into great theatrical experiences was key to
developing theatre.
Audience
● It's vital for a society to recognize theatre as an autonomous and artistic activity.
● If people don't appreciate the beauty and enjoyment of performances, rituals and
storytelling remain purely functional instead of artistic.
1.5 pre-Greek passion plays
● Egyptians
● Abydos passion plays
○ Reenactment of life or death of Osiris
■ who was killed by his brother Set, with his body parts buried in
different places in Egypt
● likely performed between 2500 B.C.E. and 550 B.C.E. in Ancient Egypt
● Why don't we focus on Egypt as the founders of theatre?
○ Theatre has to be a new creation
■ = Construction of white history through erasure of African and Asian
culture
2. Greek tragedy
History
● Origin of western theatre → 5th century b.c.e. Athens
● Playwriting, acting, theatre production
● 3 basic dramatic forms: comedy, tragedy, satyr
Venues
● Open air theatre
Plot:
● Inspired by greek mythologies
● Violence = not permitted on stage
○ Death was never on stage, just heard
Religion:
● Worship of gods, led by Zeus
Origin:
● Before the 5th century B.C.E., ceremonies honoured Dionysus, the god of wine and
fertility
● Greek drama likely evolved from dithyrambic choruses performed in Dionysus'
honour.
2.1. Dithyramb
● Long hymn
○ Sung, danced
○ 50 men = like a modern choir
■ Sung popular refrain
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, Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
○ Leader of chorus improvised
● thought to be the beginning of Greek dramas
2.2 Democracy and greek theatre
● Birthplace of democracy (510 B.C.E)
○ Only males, no females, slaves, or non-Athenians
■ It is believed that these excluded groups were not allowed to attend or
participate in theatre. Men played female roles, using masks.
● Theatre was a space for direct democracy
○ citizens discussed issues during performances
2.3. The Greek playwrights
● Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.E.)
○ Drama a into form separate of singing, dancing or storytelling
○ Founder of greek drama and western drama
○ About noble families and lofty themes
○ Before him there was always 1 actor who interacted with the chorus he added
a second character
● Sophocles (c. 496-406 B.C.E.)
○ Superb plot construction
■ Swift build-up to climax
○ 120 plays, only 7 survived in complete form:
■ Ajax, Antigone, Women of Trachis, Oedipus Rex (or, Oedipus the
King), Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus.
○ almost 50 years = most celebrated playwright
■ Competed in 30 festivals of Dionysia and won 24, never judged lower
than 2nd place
● Euripedes (c. 480-406 B.C.E.)
○ Most tragic and modern
○ Inner lives motivated by the
○ Gods and humans are treated equally and they both have faults
○ Woman protagonists → Andromeda, Medea, Electra (played by men though)
● Festival of Dionysus
○ Various plays
■ Tragedies, satyr plays, comedies
2.4 Chorus
● 12/15 men accompanied by an aulete, dancing
● Choral trainer (chorodidaskalos) = also director
● Chorus provided background info, commented, interacted with characters, described
offstage events
○ In tragedies, the chorus often represented the common people of the
city-state ruled by the tragic hero.
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Theatre histories
Why theatre histories?
● → multiple regions, cultures, etc.
Grading:
● Reading quiz = 15% week 6 (14 november)
○ → On Greek Theatre, Sanskrit Drama and Classical Japanese Theatre
● Final exam = 85%
○ → on computer
○ → multiple choice (150-words long)
○ → long insight questions (500 words-long) about a specific play
Reading
● → Reading assignments = mandatory
● → Optional reading is handy to read
Lesson 1: Greek theatre........................................................................................................ 7
1. What is theatre?............................................................................................................. 7
1.1 Myth and rituals as a prototype of theatres?.......................................................... 7
1.2. Warning!................................................................................................................ 7
1.3. Storytelling as a prototype of theatres?.................................................................8
1.4. How rituals and storytelling become theatres........................................................8
1.5 pre-Greek passion plays........................................................................................ 8
2. Greek tragedy.................................................................................................................8
2.1. Dithyramb.............................................................................................................. 9
2.2 Democracy and greek theatre................................................................................ 9
2.3. The Greek playwrights.......................................................................................... 9
2.4 Chorus.................................................................................................................. 10
3. Greek comedy.............................................................................................................. 10
3.1. Historical background.......................................................................................... 10
3.2. Difference between comedy and satire............................................................... 10
3.3. Structure of comedy.............................................................................................11
3.4. Two principles of ancient comedy........................................................................11
3.5. Parabasis (scene)................................................................................................11
3.6. Aristophanes........................................................................................................11
3.7. Lysistrata............................................................................................................. 11
3.8. Characters of Aristophanes' Lysistrata................................................................ 12
4. Antigone by Sophocles.................................................................................................12
Les 2: Romeins theater........................................................................................................12
1. Romeinse cultuur......................................................................................................... 12
1
,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
1.1. Het Romeinse rijk................................................................................................ 12
1.2 Romeinse entertainmentcultuur........................................................................... 13
1.3. Invloeden op Romeins theater............................................................................ 13
1.3.2. Wat typeert Romeins theater?..........................................................................13
1.4. Leven en werken als theateracteur in Rome.......................................................13
2. Romeinse komedie.......................................................................................................14
2.1. Griekse komedie in een nieuw jasje....................................................................14
2.2. De toneelschrijvers.............................................................................................. 14
3. Romeinse tragedie....................................................................................................... 14
3.1. In een notendop.................................................................................................. 14
3.2. De toneelschrijvers.............................................................................................. 15
4. Romeine theaterarchitectuur........................................................................................ 15
4.1. Termen................................................................................................................ 15
4.2. Theatrum Pompeii in Rome.................................................................................16
5. Romeins theater en theorie.......................................................................................... 16
5.1. Horatius en Ars Poetica.......................................................................................16
Lesson 3: Sanskrit Drama and Indian Performances....................................................... 17
1. Basics of Sanskrit drama..............................................................................................17
1.1. Historical background.......................................................................................... 17
1.2. Kailasa Temple (in Ellora caves, India)............................................................... 17
1.3. Mahabharata....................................................................................................... 17
1.4. Dharma................................................................................................................18
1.5. The Caste system............................................................................................... 18
1.6. Rasa in Sanskrit Drama...................................................................................... 18
1.7. Basic Elements of Rasa...................................................................................... 19
1.8. Expression, deities and colours of Rasa............................................................. 19
1.9. Peter Brook's The Mahabharata..........................................................................19
2. Nāțyaśāstra (science of Dramaturgy)...........................................................................20
2.1. Nāțyaśāstra......................................................................................................... 20
2.2. Basics of Nāțya (drama) according to Bharata....................................................20
2.3. Gender and Democracy in Nāțyaśāstra.............................................................. 20
2.4. 10 types of plays in Nāțyaśāstra......................................................................... 20
2.5. Abhinaya (traditional techniques)........................................................................ 21
3. Contemporary Indian Performances............................................................................ 21
3.1.Kuttiyattam........................................................................................................... 21
3.2. Yakshaganam......................................................................................................22
3.3. Kathakali..............................................................................................................22
Lesson 4: Classical Japanese Performances and Theatre.............................................. 23
1. Origins of Japanese theatre......................................................................................... 23
1.1 The origin of Japanese theatre and performance................................................ 23
1.2 Gigaku and Gagaku............................................................................................. 23
1.3 Kagura.................................................................................................................. 23
1.4. SPACE: Where performances happened............................................................ 23
2. Performance.................................................................................................................24
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
2.1 Introduction to Nō................................................................................................. 24
2.2 What is Nō............................................................................................................ 24
2.3. Spatial and temporal Structure of Nō Stage........................................................25
2.4. Five genres of Nō plays.......................................................................................25
2.5. What is Mugen Nō (dream/fantasy nō)................................................................26
2.6. Comparison between the Greek Theatre and Nō................................................26
3. Bunraku Puppets..........................................................................................................26
3.1 What is Bunraku.................................................................................................. 26
4. Kabuki theatre.............................................................................................................. 27
4.1. The origin of Kabuki............................................................................................ 27
4.2. What is Kabuki?.................................................................................................. 27
4.3. Typical Characters of Kabuki...............................................................................28
4.4. Kata (acting roles)............................................................................................... 28
4.5. Kumadori (face painting)..................................................................................... 29
4.6. Feudalism in Kabuki............................................................................................ 29
Les 5: Middeleeuws theater................................................................................................ 29
1. De middeleeuwen als tijdvak: achtergrond voor theater.............................................. 29
1.1. Disclaimer over de ‘tusseneeuwen’.....................................................................29
1.2. Het Oost-Romeinse Rijk...................................................................................... 30
1.3. De middeleeuwen in West-Europa...................................................................... 30
2. Liturgisch drama: theater in en rond de kerk................................................................31
2.1. Kerk en theater.................................................................................................... 31
2.2 Quem Quaeritis?.................................................................................................. 31
2.3. Liturgisch drama.................................................................................................. 31
2.4. De volgend fase: thater in de kerk.......................................................................32
3. Volkstalig geestelijk toneel: theater buiten de kerk.......................................................32
3.1. Een natuurlijke evolutie....................................................................................... 32
3.2. Soorten volkstalig geestelijk toneel..................................................................... 33
3.3 Het mysteriespel...................................................................................................33
3.5 De moraliteit......................................................................................................... 35
4. Seculier theater: theater zonder kerk........................................................................... 36
4.1. Wat is seculier theater tijdens de middeleeuwen............................................... 36
4.2. Soorten seculier theater...................................................................................... 36
5. Einde van een tijdperk: theater voorbij de middeleeuwen............................................36
5.1. Breuklijn voor middeleeuws religieus theater...................................................... 36
Lesson 6: Italian renaissance and French neoclassicism............................................... 37
1. Theatre and Italian renaissance: rise of humanism, individualism, and economy....... 37
1.1. Background: The renaissance in Italy................................................................. 37
1.2. Theatres of the early Italian renaissance............................................................ 37
1.3. Renewed interest in Greek and Roman classics.................................................38
1.4. Pastorals............................................................................................................. 38
1.5. Intermezzi............................................................................................................ 38
1.6. Operas.................................................................................................................38
2. Theatre architecture..................................................................................................... 39
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
2.1. The oldest surviving theatre: Teatro Olimpico..................................................... 39
2.2 The proscenium arch............................................................................................39
3. Commedia dell’arte...................................................................................................... 39
3.1. Prehistory of commedia dell’arte: how it came about..........................................39
3.2. The essence of commedia dell’arte.....................................................................40
3.3. Masks.................................................................................................................. 40
3.4. Language............................................................................................................ 41
3.5. Body Gestures.....................................................................................................41
4. Stock characters...........................................................................................................42
4.1. The masters: Magnifico....................................................................................... 42
4.2. The masters: Pantalone...................................................................................... 42
4.3. The masters: Il Dottore........................................................................................ 43
4.4. The masters: Il Capitano..................................................................................... 43
4.5. The lovers: Innamorati.........................................................................................43
4.6. The servants: Arlecchino..................................................................................... 43
4.7. The servants: Brighella........................................................................................43
4.8. The servants: Colombina.................................................................................... 44
5. French renaissance and theatre: historical context......................................................44
5.1. Background: religious civil war............................................................................ 44
5.2. Italian influence................................................................................................... 44
5.3. Alexandrine verse................................................................................................45
5.4. Italian neoclassicism........................................................................................... 45
5.5. Five neoclassical ideals.......................................................................................46
5.6. Verisimilitude....................................................................................................... 46
5.7. Decorum.............................................................................................................. 47
5.8. Unities................................................................................................................. 47
6. Racine, Corneille, and Molière: masters and revolts of neoclassical ideals.................47
6.1. Who is Jean Racine?.......................................................................................... 47
6.2. Racine’s Phèdre (1677).......................................................................................48
6.3. Who is Pierre Corneille?......................................................................................48
6.4. Le Cid (1636) and the Violation of neoclassical ideals........................................ 49
6.5. l’Académie Française.......................................................................................... 49
6.6. Who is Molière?...................................................................................................50
6.7. Comedie Française............................................................................................. 50
6.8. Molière’s Tartuffe................................................................................................. 50
Lesson 7: Shakespearean plays.........................................................................................52
1. The English reformation: before and during the Elizabethan period............................ 52
1.1. Background: the English reformation.................................................................. 52
1.2. Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen Scots..................................................................... 52
1.3. The English renaissance or the Elizabethan era.................................................53
1.4. The English renaissance theatres....................................................................... 53
1.5. James Burbage (1531-1597) and richard Burbage (1567-1619)........................ 53
1.6. The structure of public theatre.............................................................................53
1.7. Lord Chamberlain’s men and The Globe.............................................................54
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
2. Shakespeare’s language..............................................................................................54
2.1. Who is Shakespeare?......................................................................................... 54
2.2. Types of plays..................................................................................................... 55
2.3. Poetry and Prose.................................................................................................57
2.4. Iambic pentameter...............................................................................................57
2.5. Shakespeare’s sonnets....................................................................................... 57
2.6. Vocabulary...........................................................................................................58
2.7. Soliloquy.............................................................................................................. 58
3. King Lear...................................................................................................................... 58
3.1. Plot...................................................................................................................... 58
3.2. Characters........................................................................................................... 59
3.3. Themes............................................................................................................... 60
Lesson 8: Realism and Naturalism: dramas: Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll House....................60
1. French Renaissance and theatre: historical context.................................................... 60
2. Racine, Corneille, and Molière: masters and revolts of neoclassical ideals.................60
3. After neoclassicism
3.1. Key movements in the 18th century.......................................................................... 60
3.2. Denis Diderot: The forerunner of the modern theatre......................................... 61
3.3. Denis Diderot: The Paradox of Acting................................................................. 61
3.4. Romanticism........................................................................................................62
3.5. Traits of romanticism........................................................................................... 62
3.6. Romantic art forms.............................................................................................. 62
3.7. Transition in theatre from the 18th to the 19th century........................................63
4. Beginning of Realism................................................................................................... 63
4.1. Key movements in the 19th century.................................................................... 63
4.2. Victor Hugo, ‘Preface to Cromwell’ (1827).......................................................... 63
4.3. Major principles of realism...................................................................................63
4.4. Alexandre Dumas Fils (1824-1895).....................................................................64
4.5. The Meiningen Ensemble (or, Players)............................................................... 64
4.6. Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906)....................................................................................65
4.7. Konstantin Stanislavsky and The Moscow Art Theatre....................................... 65
4.8. Stanislavsky method........................................................................................... 66
5. Naturalism.................................................................................................................... 66
5.1. Major principles of naturalism..............................................................................66
5.2. Émile Zola........................................................................................................... 67
6. Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House...................................................................................... 67
6.1. Summary............................................................................................................. 67
6.2. Themes............................................................................................................... 68
6.3. Questions............................................................................................................ 68
Lesson 9: War and Politics: Theatres of Bertolt Brechte and Antonin Artaud.............. 69
Key terms and Important Figures............................................................................... 69
Historical Background................................................................................................ 69
1. Discovery of the East................................................................................................... 69
1.1 Discovery of the East by the West........................................................................69
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
1.2. Movement against realism in theatre.................................................................. 70
1.3. Edouard Manet, Vincent Van Gogh and Japanese Ukiyo-é (woodblock print)
painting....................................................................................................................... 70
1.4. Influence of Kabuki..............................................................................................70
1.5. Chinese Peking opera and Mei Lang Fang......................................................... 71
1.6. Influence of nō: William Butler Yeats................................................................... 71
1.7. Characters and costumes from Yeats’ At The Hawk's Well.................................72
2. Who is Brecht............................................................................................................... 72
2.1. Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956).................................................................................. 72
2.2. The socialist political principles of Brecht............................................................72
2.3. What is epic theatre?...........................................................................................73
2.4. Key strategies for epic theatre.............................................................................73
2.5. Dramatic theatre and epic theatre....................................................................... 74
2.6. Alienation of effects in chinese acting (1935)...................................................... 74
2.7. Gestus................................................................................................................. 74
3. Who is Artaud?.............................................................................................................75
3.1. Antonin Artaud (1896-1948)................................................................................ 75
3.2. Influence of Balinese dance................................................................................ 75
3.3. Theatre of Cruelty................................................................................................75
3.4. Theatre as virtual reality...................................................................................... 76
4. Bertolt Brecht: The Good Woman of Setzuan.............................................................. 76
4.1. Preliminary information of the play...................................................................... 76
4.2. Characters........................................................................................................... 76
4.3. The pursuit of goodness......................................................................................77
4.4. Historical materialism.......................................................................................... 77
4.5. Patriarchal capitalism and corruption.................................................................. 78
4.6. Women and dual identities.................................................................................. 78
4.7. Humanity versus the divine................................................................................. 78
4.8. Questions............................................................................................................ 79
Lesson 10: Theatre of the absurd and structuralism: Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for
Godot (1953)......................................................................................................................... 79
Key terms for Samuel Becket..................................................................................... 79
1. Historical context.......................................................................................................... 79
1.1. WWII....................................................................................................................79
1.2. Existentialism...................................................................................................... 80
1.3. Human desire to escape from freedom............................................................... 80
1.4. Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980).............................................................................80
1.5. Albert Camus (1913-1960).................................................................................. 81
1.6. Philosophy of absurdism: “A Sisyphean Toil (task)”............................................ 81
2. Semiotics in structuralism.............................................................................................81
2.1. What is semiotics?.............................................................................................. 81
2.2. Basic sausurean semiology.................................................................................81
2.3. The arbitrariness of significant and signifié......................................................... 81
2.4. Can semiology be used in theatres?................................................................... 81
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
2.5. Semiotics: icon; index; symbol; and involuntary sign.......................................... 81
2.6. All signs on stage are “signs put on pedestals”...................................................81
2.7. Structuralist/semiotic analysis of Godot.............................................................. 81
3. Samuel Beckett: Waiting for Godot (1953)................................................................... 81
3.1. Characters........................................................................................................... 81
3.2. Waiting for Godot in Sarajevo (1993) initiated by Susan Sontag........................ 81
3.3. Structuralist/semiotic analysis of “waiting”...........................................................81
3.4. Martin Esslin’s interpretation of “waiting”.............................................................81
3.5. Structuralist/semiotic analysis of “rope”...............................................................81
3.6. Common mistake: it is not a nihilist play............................................................. 81
3.7. A play depicting a condition not action................................................................ 81
3.8. Condition: prisoners of time.................................................................................81
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
Lesson 1: Greek theatre
1. What is theatre?
Greek theatre = the father of theatre
→ double reality in Greek = you look at the theatre and also at the city because of how the
amphitheatre is constructed
Western theatre erased all the natural elements of outside theatre
→ Why? The plague
● The word "theatron" in ancient Greek means "a place to see."
● "Spectacle" comes from the Old French word "spectare," meaning "to view."
● The Japanese word for theatre, "shibai," means "to be on the grass."
● → These terms suggest that theatre focuses on the audience rather than the
performance. SO Theatre was the audience, etymologically speaking
1.1 Myth and rituals as a prototype of theatres?
Rituals (repetition)
● A community notices things that seem to affect their food and well-being.
● They don't understand the natural reasons behind these events, so they think
supernatural forces are at play.
● They see links between their actions and the results they want.
● Because of this, they repeat these actions and turn them into fixed ceremonies or
rituals.
1.2. Warning!
Cultural darwinism
● = They thought theatre developed from simple to complex forms.
● These scholars viewed Western theatre, which distanced itself from rituals, as
superior to non-Western art forms.
○ They believed "less-advanced" societies would eventually reach the level of
European culture through evolution.
1.3. Storytelling as a prototype of theatres?
● Relating to a story = necessary
● Fantasy
○ Struggles in your life → fantasise about more beautiful realities
● Imitation
○ = it’s in our nature to imitate the things around us
○ Mimesis (Aristoteles)
1.4. How rituals and storytelling become theatres
Comic vision
● detachment from certain serious events to ridicule them
● This detachment allows people to analyse social issues.
● Deviations from norm = funny not serious threats
Aesthetic sense
● Some early societies abandoned essential rites but kept their oral traditions for their
artistic value.
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,Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
● Putting together performance elements into great theatrical experiences was key to
developing theatre.
Audience
● It's vital for a society to recognize theatre as an autonomous and artistic activity.
● If people don't appreciate the beauty and enjoyment of performances, rituals and
storytelling remain purely functional instead of artistic.
1.5 pre-Greek passion plays
● Egyptians
● Abydos passion plays
○ Reenactment of life or death of Osiris
■ who was killed by his brother Set, with his body parts buried in
different places in Egypt
● likely performed between 2500 B.C.E. and 550 B.C.E. in Ancient Egypt
● Why don't we focus on Egypt as the founders of theatre?
○ Theatre has to be a new creation
■ = Construction of white history through erasure of African and Asian
culture
2. Greek tragedy
History
● Origin of western theatre → 5th century b.c.e. Athens
● Playwriting, acting, theatre production
● 3 basic dramatic forms: comedy, tragedy, satyr
Venues
● Open air theatre
Plot:
● Inspired by greek mythologies
● Violence = not permitted on stage
○ Death was never on stage, just heard
Religion:
● Worship of gods, led by Zeus
Origin:
● Before the 5th century B.C.E., ceremonies honoured Dionysus, the god of wine and
fertility
● Greek drama likely evolved from dithyrambic choruses performed in Dionysus'
honour.
2.1. Dithyramb
● Long hymn
○ Sung, danced
○ 50 men = like a modern choir
■ Sung popular refrain
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, Elise Rosa Cornelis 2024-2025
○ Leader of chorus improvised
● thought to be the beginning of Greek dramas
2.2 Democracy and greek theatre
● Birthplace of democracy (510 B.C.E)
○ Only males, no females, slaves, or non-Athenians
■ It is believed that these excluded groups were not allowed to attend or
participate in theatre. Men played female roles, using masks.
● Theatre was a space for direct democracy
○ citizens discussed issues during performances
2.3. The Greek playwrights
● Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.E.)
○ Drama a into form separate of singing, dancing or storytelling
○ Founder of greek drama and western drama
○ About noble families and lofty themes
○ Before him there was always 1 actor who interacted with the chorus he added
a second character
● Sophocles (c. 496-406 B.C.E.)
○ Superb plot construction
■ Swift build-up to climax
○ 120 plays, only 7 survived in complete form:
■ Ajax, Antigone, Women of Trachis, Oedipus Rex (or, Oedipus the
King), Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus.
○ almost 50 years = most celebrated playwright
■ Competed in 30 festivals of Dionysia and won 24, never judged lower
than 2nd place
● Euripedes (c. 480-406 B.C.E.)
○ Most tragic and modern
○ Inner lives motivated by the
○ Gods and humans are treated equally and they both have faults
○ Woman protagonists → Andromeda, Medea, Electra (played by men though)
● Festival of Dionysus
○ Various plays
■ Tragedies, satyr plays, comedies
2.4 Chorus
● 12/15 men accompanied by an aulete, dancing
● Choral trainer (chorodidaskalos) = also director
● Chorus provided background info, commented, interacted with characters, described
offstage events
○ In tragedies, the chorus often represented the common people of the
city-state ruled by the tragic hero.
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