Pots

• Theatre at Thorikos

  • 525-485BC
  • Thorikos a deme of Athens
  • different shape shows improved acoustics
  • differently shaped orchestra
  • Large capacity in rural area
  • Significance of religion
  • no permanent building acting, skene not always used
  • very deteriorated
  • Only a photo
• Theatre of Dionysus in Athens

  • early 5th century
  • 20m diameter orchestra
  • prohderia with seat in middle for priest
  • altar and religious sanctuary
  • foundation of skene
  • aisle to theatron
  • horse shoe theatron shape
  • capacity of 17000
  • Large orchestra implies big chorus
  • shows social divide
  • importance of religion
  • use of backdrop
  • good acoustics and good accessibility
  • shows hows many can get involved
  • deterioration
  • no evidence of machinery
  • majority of skene not preserved
• Perseus Dance Vase summary

  • 420-410
  • Athens
  • comic chorus on stage with sickle
  • had medusa‘s head in a bag
  • actor dancing
  • two audience members at the foot of the stage
  • sitting on wood chairs called klismoi
• Significance of Perseus Dance Vase

  • shows the use of costume
  • shows wooden raised platform
  • facial hair
  • elite in the prohedria
  • reconstructed features due to damaged vase
  • chorus cannot be seen
  • no orchestra
  • two people undetermined
  • Dionysus and Ariadne or judges or priests or choregos and playwright
• Medea’s escape vase summary

  • c.400
  • southern Italy
  • story of Medea’s escape
  • two son dead on floor
  • chariot being pulled by dragons
  • encircled by sun
  • chariot given by grandfather (sun god)
• Medea’s escape vase significance

  • use of stagecraft
  • Medea suspended above stage
  • Jason bare chested (heroic trait)
  • use of ekkyklema
  • use of props
  • furies not present
  • sons meant to be taken in chariot
• Telephus Vase summary

  • 380-370
  • southern itlay
  • women at the Thesmophoria
  • winskin baby held hostage
• Telephus vase significance

  • elaborate dressing scene
  • props
  • masks
  • bare feet
  • mirror- female vanity
  • no chorus
• Basel Dancers vase summary

  • 500-490
  • athens
  • tragic chorus
  • early years of 5th century
  • figure on altar (ghost, Dionysus)
• Basel Dancers vase significance

  • 3 pairs of young men
  • dancing
  • indecipherable letters coming from mouths (sighing)
  • masks
  • military costume
  • bare feet
  • altar (possibly Dionysus)
• Pronomos vase summary

  • 400
  • Athens
  • actors preparing for satyr play/ tragedy
  • Dionysus & Ariadne
• Pronomos Vase significance

  • chorus members off stage but still in costume
  • masks
  • actors have real names
  • female roles in theatre
  • dionysus
  • use of instruments
  • elaborate costumes
  • no colours
• Tragic actors dressing summary

  • 450
  • Athens
  • two tragic actors or chorus members dressing
  • masks
  • high boots
• Tragic actors dressing vase

  • boots of actors had thin soldiers and turned up toes for movement
  • backstage events
  • costume
  • masks
  • on two actors/chorus members
• Choregoi vase

  • 380
  • southern Italy
  • scene from comedy
  • Aegisthus: major character in Agamemnon
  • comic actors being choregoi
• choregoi vase significance

  • comic. competition between Aegisthus and Pyrrhias
  • comedy vs tragedy
  • direct comparisons between costumes of tragic and comic actors
  • detailed costumes
  • props
  • stage
  • phalluses
  • padding
  • grotesque masks
• Birds wine-jug summary

  • 510-490
  • Athens
  • two chorus members dressed as birds
  • dancing
  • Aulus playing
  • vines link to Dionysus
• Bird wine-jug significance

  • link to Dionysus as god of theatre
  • animal choruses
  • aristophanes‘ Birds (414)
  • not details about the play
  • nothing apart from dancing for chorus
• Cheiron vase summary

  • 380-370
  • southern Italy
  • comic scene
  • Xanthias helps Cheiron up the stairs
• Cheiron vase significance

  • actors dressed
  • masks exaggerated
  • padding
  • phalluses
  • walking sticks
  • stage
  • dont have original play
• Pentheus cup summary

  • c.480
  • Athens
  • Pentheus being torn apart (sparagmos)
  • satyr oversees
  • animal skins
• Pentheus cup significance

  • links to Dionysus
  • 75 years older than Bacchae play and therefore not informed by the play
  • violence
• Oedipus vase summary

  • 330-320
  • Sicily
  • scene from Oedipus Rex
  • messenger informing of Polybus’ death
  • Antigone and Ismene
  • architecture of stage
• Oedipus vase significance

  • elaborate costume
  • stock mask expressions
  • Antigone and ismene not in the scene (heightened emotion)
  • Antigone, Ismene and Jocasta never on stage at the same time
  • artistic licence
• Maenad vase summary

  • 430-420
  • athens
  • women or maenads holding thyrsi and tambourines
  • dancing
  • ladling from two large stamnoi wine into a skyphos
• Maenad vase significance

  • typical worship of Dionysus
  • costume of maenads
  • typical vases
  • what Dionysian idols looked like
  • musical instruments
  • artisti depiction of festival
  • does not show other forms of worship e.g. prayer or art