Greek Theatre

• Key Features of Theatre at Thorikos?

  - Capacity; 3000

  - Used for Rural Dionysia, as it was in a Deme

  - Predates TAD

  - Middle is straight-facing, w/ curved corners for acoustics

  - Temple and altar at each end of performance area

  
• Useful features of the Theatre at Thorikos?

  - The inscribed honours on the bottom row of seats tells us that the theatre still used the hierarchal system, w/ most important getting best seats.

  - Curved seating shows how theatres were developed to enhance acoustics so everybody could see/hear.

  - Temple/altar proves importance of religion in theatre.

  - Diff shape/size to TOD; circular orchestra vs rectangular and 3000 vs 17,000 shows how theatres developed over time.

  - No permanent stage building implies didn't always use skene.

  
• Limitations of Theatre at Thorikos?

  - Romans may have modified it slightly when they came to rule, so hard to tell what parts are actually Greek.

  - Smaller than Theatre of Dionysus; capacity of 3000 vs 17,000.

  - No structure to seperate buildings from performance areas such as Orchestras.

  - Ruins of theatre can't tell us about the atmosphere or how the plays were performed (unlike Dionysus with its Street of Tripods).

  
• Key Features of Theatre of Dionysus?

  - OG; had wooden seats + was smaller, until became Lycurgan Theatre in 320BC.

  - Curved shape trapped sound.

  - On South of Acropolis; protected from wind.

  - Theatre was horizontal half way up to give visitors access.

  - Street of Tripods where bronze tripods set up by victors.

  - 17,000 Capacity

  - Altar to Dionysus in Orchestra

  
• Useful features of Theatre of DIonysus?

  - Theatron in 13 wedges (10 tribes and 3 non-Athenians). Front row 'prohedria' w/ central seat for Priest of Dionysus shows how societal hierarchy was maintained even at the theatre.- Altar represents Dionysus watching over proving theatre was part of religion; was an act of worship to Dionysus.- Between agora and Acropolis; intertwined areas of society (religion, business and entertainment).- 17,000 capacity = theatre's popularity- Lycurgus' renovations (e.g. Stone seating) shows how wealthy Athenians wanted to get their name out there.- Street of Tripods w/ winners' bronze tripods as monument of victory as a way for them to be'immortal'.- Different Orchestra shape (among other changes) than Thorikos telling us there was no set shape and their evolution over time.

  
• Useful features of Perseus Dance vase?

  - Playing Perseus in costume nakedness + holding a sickle and bag for Medusa's head showing different characters in Comedies, inc. use of costume phallus' in comedic effect = what it was like at a comedic performance.

  - VIPs sat in prohedria (priests etc) showing how seats were for VIPs + how important societal hierarchy was.

  - Only surviving piece of pottery that shows a stage and with an audience - shows us theatre layout in detail.

  - Audience w/ unidentifiable expressions tell us this play wasn't actually comedic, or could have even been choregos and playwright unamused at actors rehearsal, telling us the way plays were prepared.

  
• Limitations of Perseus Dance Vase?

  - Artists interpretation; not exact vase, so maybe not true.

  - Don't know who the androgynous figures in audience are, so hard to presume anything about this play.

  - Broken vase, so areas of theatre (e.g. Orchestra) may be missing.

  
• Useful features of Medea's Escape Vase?

  - Medea on Helios' chariot, higher than others in performance giving insight into how crane used in'deus ex machina'.- Furies surround her gives us view on their role from Tartarus, and what justice they serve to people who harm family.- Eye contact between Jason and Medea shows how powerful their relationship was; love or tension?- Medea surrounded by Helios' sun, emphasising her power and acts as a reference to her hereditary magic.- Medea in stock costume of foreigners, + Jason in heroic nakedness giving insights into costume choices depending on character type.- Found in South Italy showing the widespread influence of plays.

  
• Limiting features of Medea's Escape Vase?

  - Made 30yrs after Medea written by Euripides + doesn't follow exact story, so can't trust it to be alike to story (e.g. No dragons pulling chariot in play).However - could be representing another version of the myth.
• Useful features of Telephus vase?


  - Only one scene w/ clear imagery meaning its instantly relatable to the play.

  - Slapstick scene references to scene in Euripides plays proving how dedicated Greek audiences were to plays and how recognisable they were.

  - Shows costumes women wore in plays (e.g. Headbands, masks, long dresses) = insights into how different characters were displayed in Tragedies, and how masks used.

  - Found in South Italy, telling us that Romans were also aware of play proving the widespread influence these plays held.

  
• Limiting features of the Telephus Vase?

  - If in South Italy, may not be same interpretation as in Greece.

  - Static; no sense of atmosphere of play, only this scene with only two characters.

  
• Useful feature of Basel Dancers Vase?

  Chorus members with same masks, costumes and dance moves in lines tells us how the chorus worked as equal, indistinguishable individuals.

  
• Limiting features of Basel Dancers Vase?

  - Don't know what play it is; can't recognise figure on the altar (is it Dionysus, or ghost from Persians/similar play?)

  - Static; no sense of the actual atmosphere of play, only one scene with one dance move and a limited amount of characters.

  
• Useful features of the Pronomos Vase?

  - Many elaborate costumes (e.g. Satyrs with large phalluses) w/ simple masks - lots of money/prep and shows how different characters were displayed in Satyrs, inc. how costume phallus' used for comedic effect, giving sense of a satirical performance.

  - Famous figures; e.g. Aulos player is Pronomos + Demetrios the playwright shows who was important at that time.

  - Aulos + music references shows importance of music in plays.

  - Dionysus and Ariadne oversee the performance shows theatre was part of religion; was an act of worship to Dionysus.

  
• Limiting features of Pronomos Vase?

  - Static; no sense of the actual atmosphere of play, only what happens offstage before Satyr.

  - Lots of actors/chorus members makes it hard to distinguish between different participants.

  - Nothing about how plays are performed onstage - only shows what happens offstage.

  - Limited colour usage; red figures w/ some yellow doesn't show what costumes were like colour-wise.

  
• Useful features of Oedipus Vase?


  - Different costumes; e.g. Oedipus wears trimmed toga proving his power, old messenger w/ staff and travellers' clothing, and Jocasta is paler (like all women on pots) showing how different characters were displayed in tragedies, giving us insights into characters.

  - Jocasta in shock, and Oedipus looks deep in thought giving insights into stock poses for different emotions; e.g. Jocasta's pose for worry/grief, Oedipus is thoughtful or even puzzled expression.

  - Shows us all characters involved in play - gives us more insight into how characters interacted with one another. Use of three-(speaking) actor rule by Sophocles.

  - Basic background of pillars behind actors shows use of skene in plays, rather than an actual palace.

  - In Sicily, not Greece proving the influence these plays held, and how they were seen from.

  
• Limiting features of Oedipus Vase?


  - Broken vase, so other areas of theatre (e.g. Theatron) may be missing.- Parts of play don't correlate w/ Sophocles' play - i.e. His daughters (Antigone and Iphigenia) are present, unlike in play.BUT - could be there for just tragedy reasons; proves the innocence of the kids and the impact it will have on them.- Static; no sense of atmosphere of play, only this scene, and can't even distinguish what line is said here.• Limited colour usage; red figures w/ some yellow doesn't show us what costumes were like colour-wise (E.g. Oedipus could be wearing purple, but we don't know).- Found in South Italy, so may not be the same interpretation as one held in Greece.

  
• Useful features of Maenad Vase?

  - Depicts Maenads performing rituals for Dionysus using tambourines and getting into a state of ecstasy = insights into who Dionysus' followers were and what they did for him.

  - Various symbols of Dionysus are included; Thyrsus, Vines, wine in vases, reminding us of Dionysus' role in the world and what he is relevant to.

  - Maenads have their hair down, which wouldn't have been appropriate to other Greeks; Maenads were seperate to others in Greek society due to their cult-likeness, meaning societal rules didn't really apply to them.

  - Statue of Dionysus on a pole potentially used during the parade in festivals such as the Great Dionysia.

  - Wearing animal skins as its part of their rituals and also similar to what Dionysus wears himself - shows how Dionysus was seen by his followers at that time.

  - Depicted in an exotic-way, unlike to other Greeks, showing how Dionysus was seen by Greeks at the time (i.e. Exotic as well) and how foreigners seen by Greeks.

  
• Limiting features of Maenad Vase?

  - Doesn't show what Maenads do when in their state of madness.

  - Doesn't show any of their other rituals (e.g. Dancing).

  - Don't know what they're actually celebrating; festival or private event?

  
• Key features of Pentheus Vase?

  - Graphic details such as Pentheus getting ripped apart, with them all holding his body parts: shows how violent the scene was for audiences at the time.

  - Dressed in Animal skins to link back to Dionysus' powers.

  - Satyr present in background to indicate Dionysus is present.

  - Visualised source unlike the Messenger speech in the Bacchae; seeing it visually brings it to life.

  
• Limiting features of Pentheus Vase?


  - Years older than the actual play itself, so may not actually be associated with Pentheus himself - Euripides may have even been inspired of this.

  - No signs of areas of the stage, so doesn't give us any information about how it was performed on stage.

  - Women look calm (i.e. Hair up, not foaming at mouth) unlike in the play - don't seem to be mad.

  
• Key Features of Choregoi Vase?

  - Found in Ancient Rome showing that Comic ideas spread far too.

  - Showcases various parts of stage; skene, and stairs to audience proving how stage set up + used in Comedies.

  - Tragic character (Aegisthius) wearing longer tunic, laced boots named Kothornoi and has a more serious/realistic face, whereas comic actors are less realistic, wearing leather phalluses and padding showing differences in how Tragic + Comic characters played.

  - Annotations depicting Aegisthius, Phyrrias and the Choregos giving insight into what's happening (Tragic vs Comic contest?) + that Choregoi still used to fund Comic choruses.

  - The younger Choregos is supporting the Comic character, whereas the older Choregos actually supporting the Tragic character showing different types of people like different types of plays.

  
• Limiting Features of Choregoi vase?

  - Static; can't get a sense of the actual atmosphere of the whole play, or even what play this is.

  - Limited colour usage; black figures with some yellow doesn't show us what costumes were actually like colour-wise.

  - Comes from Italy, so may be a different interpretation of the play of what actually occurred /misjudgement if the creator hadn't been to Greece to see plays.

  
• Key Features of Birds-Wine Jug?

  - Chorus of Birds proving that choruses weren't always humans.- Dancing accompanied by a Aulos player as backing music showing how music was used in comedies and that dances were in unison.- Bird costumes include feathers, padded bottoms/legs to look more like bird showing how detailed comic costumes could be.- Vines and actors in religious ecstasy.- Dates from 480BC, preceding Aristophanes'"Birds"from 414BC, showing that Old Comedies even used non-human choruses.

  
• Limiting Features of Birds Wine-Jug?

  - Static; can't get a sense of the actual atmosphere of the whole play, or even what play this is.

  - Limited colour usage; black figures with some yellow doesn't show us what costumes were actually like colour-wise.

  - Doesn't show other actors or other types of choruses; only birds means limited in telling us the types of actors.

  - Undistinguishable what play this is - predates even Aristophanes' 'Birds' (414BC), so can't tell us much.

  
• Key features of Chiron Vase?

  - Found in Ancient Rome showing that Comic influence spread far.

  - Depicts Chiron being led up to Temple of Apollo after being hit by Heracles' arrow, as well as potentially nymphs (as Achilles' mother, Thetis was one) and Achilles himself in corner showing that comedies made parodies of myths.

  - Chiron has white hair and a walking stick showing that stock costume in comedies for older people was this.

  - Depicts stage and stairs giving insights into layout of Comic stage.

  - Unrealistic, gross masks with both phalluses and padding used in costumes showing how costumes used for comic effect.

  - Back of Chiron's body has face popping up showing how physicality used for comic effect.

  
• Limiting Features of Chiron Vase?

  - Static; can't get a sense of the actual atmosphere of the whole play, or even what play this is.

  - Limited colour usage; black figures with some yellow doesn't show us what costumes were actually like colour-wise.

  - Comes from Italy, so may be a different interpretation of the play of what actually occurred /misjudgement if the creator hadn't been to Greece to see plays.

  - Too many figures - hard to distinguish anything about this scene.