Greek Theatre Development in Ancient Times

Dionysus Festival Performances Evolved Into Theatrical Drama

Aug 17, 2009 Kathleen Airdrie

In ancient Greece, drama developed out of the dithyramb which was an impassioned choral hymn and story originally performed to honor the wine and fertility god Dionysus.

As exact origins of tragedy and comedy were unknown to the ancient Greeks, several theories have been proposed and developed. According to one tradition, the poet/playwright Arion developed the dithyramb from primitive festival songs and ritual dances.

The chorus was divided into two bands one of which was the ‘leader’ and the other the ‘answerer’. Each band sang and danced in turn.

First Greek Drama by Thespis

Aristotle claimed that drama was first produced in Athens by the poet and choral leader Thespis of Icaria in the 6th century B.C. According to legend, he was the first playwright to introduce an actor (himself) to deliver episodic recitations and to exchange dramatic dialogue with the chorus leader. The word thespian (actor) is derived from his name.

According to Aristotle, the playwright Aeschylus added a second actor to allow conflict between two characters rather than one character and the chorus.

Ancient Playwrights Sophocles and Phrynicus

The playwright Sophocles reduced the chorus’ importance even more by adding a third actor. He also introduced painted scenery. The leading character actors, who were always men, were originally called ‘hypocrits’.

“The honor of introducing tragedy in its later acceptation was reserved for (Phrynicus) a scholar of Thespis in 511 B.C. He dropped the light and ludicrous cast of the original drama …formed his plays from the more grave and elevated events recorded in mythology and history of his country”, stated P. W. Buckham in Theatre of the Greeks.

The tradition of writing only to honor Dionysus eventually gave way to plots and stories that did not refer to the god.

Comedy and Tragedy Masks

In his early performances, Thespis is said to have smeared his face with vermilion, then with a pigment prepared from the herb purslane. He later wore a kind of rude mask made of linen.

The theatrical mask became an essential part of the disguise that transformed performers. Illustrations show helmet-like masks that covered the entire face and head. There were holes for the eyes, small openings for the mouth, and integrated wigs made of human or animal hair. It is likely that they were made of light-weight organic materials.

In the large open-air theatres, the masks worked to the benefit of the audience. They had over-exaggerated facial features and various expressions. Audience members were able to see the age, sex, social status, and feelings of the characters. A sense of unity and uniformity was created when chorus members wore masks.

Little is known about the costumes except for those depicted on ancient pottery. When playing females, the actors padded their bodies to show the female figure. In the style of the period, the actors wore long robes (chitons) made of linen or silk which had vertical stripes. These allowed the audience to determine the gender or social status of the characters.

To promote cultural identity, Athens exported the performances to its colonies and to allies. The original dramas had significant effect, and became the foundation of theatrical development in the western world.

Sources:

The Theatre of the Greeks by Philip Wentworth Buckham, Published by W. P. Grant 1827
Ancient Greek Theatre

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