Renaissance Theatre-Acting and Staging
Renaissance Theatre: Acting and Staging
ADA4M
Italy
Italian Staging of the Renaissance
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Although Italians were strict about dramatic content, they were more flexible regarding the staging of their dramatic works. Italian staging of the Renaissance built not only on traditions established in Ancient Greece and Rome, but also scientific and artistic discoveries of the time.
Influences on Italian Staging
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In 1486, Vitruvius’ work The Ten Books on Architecture (De Architectura) was republished – this featured a chapter on theatre buildings. In art, the ancient concept of perspective was rediscovered and popularized. In the 1540s, Sabastiano Serlio interpreted and revised some of Vitruvius’ ideas in his treatise on architecture – this set some parameters for theatre buildings and design, blending outdoor theatre traditions with indoor ones, also incorporating perspective. 1580-85 – Teatro Olimpico – an enclosed theatre, built in Vincenza, Italy. In the early 1600s, Nicola Sabbatini created a manual wherein he pioneered and invented designs for
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Teatros Olimpico and Farnese Teatro Olimpico was designed by Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. Teatro Olimpico was created in an existing disused fortress and became the design benchmark for other Renaissance theatres in Italy. Teatro Olimpico’s design incorporated perspective in its creation of built-in scenery that gave the illusion of long streets receding into a horizon. Teatro Farnese built in Parma
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Italian Renaissance Staging
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Incorporated single-point perspective. Framed by one or more proscenium arches to create a border around the performance area. Scenery was conveyed through wings and flats and was used behind the proscenium arch as a backdrop for performance. Stages themselves were often raked – higher upstage slanting downstage (see diagram right). Overhead rigging and machinery
Lighting
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Since
ADA4M
Italy
Italian Staging of the Renaissance
●
●
Although Italians were strict about dramatic content, they were more flexible regarding the staging of their dramatic works. Italian staging of the Renaissance built not only on traditions established in Ancient Greece and Rome, but also scientific and artistic discoveries of the time.
Influences on Italian Staging
● ● ●
● ●
In 1486, Vitruvius’ work The Ten Books on Architecture (De Architectura) was republished – this featured a chapter on theatre buildings. In art, the ancient concept of perspective was rediscovered and popularized. In the 1540s, Sabastiano Serlio interpreted and revised some of Vitruvius’ ideas in his treatise on architecture – this set some parameters for theatre buildings and design, blending outdoor theatre traditions with indoor ones, also incorporating perspective. 1580-85 – Teatro Olimpico – an enclosed theatre, built in Vincenza, Italy. In the early 1600s, Nicola Sabbatini created a manual wherein he pioneered and invented designs for
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Teatros Olimpico and Farnese Teatro Olimpico was designed by Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. Teatro Olimpico was created in an existing disused fortress and became the design benchmark for other Renaissance theatres in Italy. Teatro Olimpico’s design incorporated perspective in its creation of built-in scenery that gave the illusion of long streets receding into a horizon. Teatro Farnese built in Parma
●
●
●
Italian Renaissance Staging
● ●
●
●
●
Incorporated single-point perspective. Framed by one or more proscenium arches to create a border around the performance area. Scenery was conveyed through wings and flats and was used behind the proscenium arch as a backdrop for performance. Stages themselves were often raked – higher upstage slanting downstage (see diagram right). Overhead rigging and machinery
Lighting
● ● ● ●
Since
References: ● Klaus, K, & Gilbert, M. (1991). Stages of Drama. New York: St. Martin 's Press. Larque, Thomas. (2001). “A Lecture on Elizabethan Theatre”. Shakespeare and His Critics webpage. http://shakespearean.org. uk/elizthea1.htm [accessed July 15 2011]. Wilson, E, & Goldfarb, A. (2006). Theater: The Lively Art. New York: McGraw-Hill Humanities-Social Sciences-Languages. ● ●