Theatre and Cinema

The history of theatre charts the development of theatre over the past 2,500 years. While performative elements are present in every society, it is customary to acknowledge a distinction between theatre as an art form[->1] and entertainment and theatrical or performative elements in other activities. The history of theatre is primarily concerned with the origin and subsequent development of the theatre as an autonomous activity. Since classical Athens] in the 6th century BCE, vibrant traditions of theatre have flourished in cultures across the world
Theatre probably arose as a performance of ritual activities that did not require initiation on the part of the spectator. This similarity of early theatre to ritual is negatively attested by Aristotle[->3], who in his Poetics defined theatre in contrast to the performances of sacred mysteries, theatre did not require the spectator to fast, drink the kykeon], or march in a procession; however theatre did resemble the sacred mysteries in the sense that it brought purification and healing to the spectator by means of a vision, the theama. The physical location of such performances was accordingly named theatron
According to the historians Oscar Brockett and Franklin Hildy, rituals typically include elements that entertain or give pleasure, such as costumes and masks as well as skilled performers. As societies grew more complex, these spectacular elements began to be acted out under non-ritualistic conditions. As this occurred, the first steps towards theatre as an autonomous activity were being taken.
The theatre is a spiritual and social X-ray of its time
Stella Adler
The truth, the absolute truth, is that the chief beauty for the theatre consists in fine bodily proportions
Sarah Bernhardt

[->0] - /wiki/Theatre
[->1] - /wiki/Art_form
[->2] - /wiki/Classical_Athens
[->3] - /wiki/Aristotle
[->4] - /wiki/Sacred_mysteries
[->5] - /wiki/Kykeon
[->6] - /wiki/Costumes
[->7] - /wiki/Masks
[->8] -