Theater (building)

A room of theater is a Theater where is played of the Théâtre.

Étymologiquement, the word theater comes from the Greek “Theatron” who indicated the steps, the place where one sees.

The ancient theater

The two great models of ancient theater are those of Greek type and Roman type. They are subdivided in:

  • traditional Greek theater with koilon with rectilinear steps (Thorikos type), without building of stone scene built;
  • Eastern theater hellenistic with building of scene with proskènion and face of scene with bays and with koilon with gradinsen exceeded half-circles (standard Épidaure, Oropos or Priène);
  • Western theater hellenistic with building of scene with proskènion and face of scene with doors decorated of superimposed committed natures and with koilon semicircular (type Ségeste or Tyndaris);
  • imperial theater of micrasiatic type with face of scene with five doors and koilon in exceeded half-circle (standard Hiérapolis, Pergé or Sidé);
  • imperial theater with face of scene with three doors and cavea in half-circle welded with the building of scene. In this category, one will distinguish the leant caveae caveae built on hollow structures and the various faces of scenes according to whether they are rectilinear (type Philippopolis or Aspendos), equipped with an arched median niche and two rectangular side niches (type Orange or Mérida), of a rectangular median niche and two arched side niches (standard Bénévent or Taormine) or of three arched niches (standard Lepcis Magna, Sabratha or Bosra);
  • Gallo-Roman theater (standard Sanxay, Holy Marcel or Drevant);
  • theater with face of scene and arena envisaged as of the design to receive huntings and combat of gladiators (type Stobi or Héraclée de Lyncestide).

The Greek theater

The buildings with steps of Minoan Crete put aside, theatrical architecture seems to appear in Greece in the current of the Life. front S.J. - C., at the time where the program of religious big competitions and the rules of their tests are instituted. In same time were undoubtedly created three monumental types to receive the three types of tests distinguished by the Greeks. The horse tests took seat in the hippodrome, the gymnic tests in the stage and the tests known as “musical”, because they had dependant part with the Muses, in the theater. The buildings of spectacle of the Life S. accommodated the spectators on wood steps, assembled on scaffolding. They are known by texts and representations on vases. The oldest vestiges of found theaters go back to Ve S. and are distributed in the Hellenic peninsula between Béotie and the North-East of the Peloponnese while passing by the Attic. All the theaters of Greece have certain characteristics in common. Their let us koilons are leant with the natural eminences, cut or arranged for the occasion and if necessary supplemented by embankments which can contain of the retaining walls. The stone steps, when they exist, take the form of simple degrees, with a former face and a higher bed plans. In several buildings, only the first rank is occupied by thrones behind which a sloping ground accommodated the spectators sitting by ground or on wood benches. The central part of the koilon is always made up of rectilinear steps. Sometimes, it is supplemented by two wings of steps which, towards their former ends, divergent compared to the axis of the monument. No koilon is divided by horizontal circulations. Orchestrated is of lengthened, trapezoidal or rectangular form. It is accessible laterally by broad parodos, which never is not sealed by doors. Nowhere was not found of wall of a possible building of scene, but the preserved dramatic texts do not let doubt that there were some at least in Attic, built with perishable materials. Among the buildings which go back to Ve S. best preserved is that of Thorikos (Attic, Greece), but most important in comparison with the architectural and literary history is that of the sanctuary of Dionysos Éleuthéreus in Athens.

A series of rectilinear steps, cut in the rock, was found in Syracuse and was dated from Ve S. by comparison with the devices of Greece, although one misses arguments to justify a so high dating. At the time traditional the various types of spectacles assembled in the theaters of Greece were known in Sicily and Large Greece, but there did not exist in Occident of big competitions of music, dance and drama. In the absence of vestiges of buildings which could receive these various spectacles, one supposes that the representations were given in transitory construction industries, comparable with those represented on the “phlyaques” vases known as, produced in Italy of the south between the beginning and the third quarter of IVe front S.J. - C. Those indeed carry the representation of scenes of comedies attics in which the actors play on temporary wood estrades. The recourse to such a equipment invites to believe that it was not at that time of stone building ready to receive the representations.

It built of them several starting from second half of IVe S. and throughout the hellenistic time in Southern Italy, in Locres and Métaponte, but more still in Sicily, in Akrai, Héracléa Minoa, Iaitas, Morgantina, Ségeste, Solonte, Syracuse or Tyndaris, to quote only the theaters whose vestiges are best preserved. With their let us koilons with arched steps and their buildings of high scene with estrade, they are not without pointing out their contemporaries of Greece. In detail, however, the differences are not negligible. Let us koilons in half-circle, but are seldom exceeded. Generally the former retaining walls are parallel to the face of the building of scene. Orchestrated semicircular have relatively reduced surfaces. The parodos are narrow, because the buildings of scene are generally close to koilons. Proskènions are heights comparable with those of Greece, but their faces are sometimes walled and decorated with telamones or caryatids. Their depth is in several buildings relatively important, reaching 4,50 m and exceeding sometimes the 6 Mr. the face of the stage of the skènès giving on the cover of the proskènion is not bored broad bays, but of three doors which the artists reach by staircases located inside the skènè. In several buildings, it is decorated engaged doric columns and is surmounted by a kind of attic blind, to him also decorated pilasters or semi-columns. On both sides of the proskènion, the skènè presents in several monuments of the fore-parts on floors.

Such morphological differences with the theaters of Greece induce a type of use of the scenic buildings in Italy of the south and Sicily distinct from that recognized in the Hellenic peninsula and Cyclades. In Occident, the actors usually played on the proskènion and not in orchestrated. The monumental models developped at the point in Greece at the beginning of the hellenistic time probably had an influence on Western theatrical architecture, but they were not simply exported in these areas. They were it on the other hand in the East or, at least, in the large cities of the Western coast of minor Asia, where were built, starting from the end of IVe front S.J. - C., of the narrowly related buildings to those of Greece.

The whole of the Greek theatrical building comprised, in addition to the hemicycle for the public (Theatron) which can contain to fifteen thousand spectators.

  • the paradoi, way enters the theatron and the proskenion for the passage of the chorus and part of the actors.
  • thymélée, furnace bridge of Dionysos
  • the orchestra, adventure playground of 20m of diameter
  • the proscénium (Proskénion) where also the actors
  • played the scene (Skéné) which was used as slides and to store the elements of decorations.

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Roman theater

The Roman theater appears in Italy (Tusculum, Pompéi), at the beginning of Ier front S.J. - C., by taking model on the Greek, with some notorious differences. The theaters are built downtown instead of using natural hills to form the steps of the public. The orchestra becomes semicircular, and accommodates some privileged spectators; the actors play then more on the proscenium which is widened to leave them more place.

These theaters are characterized by buildings of deep scene with estrade (pulpitum) bordered by a face of scene bored of three doors and decorated columns which are drawn up on podiums and are detached from the head wall. These characteristics are present in the theater of the “Roman” type whose gestation finds its term in Rome with the theater of Pumped, in 55 av. J. - C., and that of Marcellus, inaugurated in the years 20 av. J. - C. the theater then becomes a building unit and independent of the natural relief. The semicircular conch of the steps is carried by surmounted radiant walls of vaults, whose control of the opus caementicium facilitates the realization. In this structure digs are spared roofed passageways which serve the various zones of the cavea. The steps and sometimes of the platforms reserved to the organizers of the spectacles cover the parodos. The cavea is joint with the building of scene, the length of this one being assimilated to the diameter of that one. In certain buildings a gantry crowns the steps. Little developed, orchestrated it is paved and receives the mobile armchairs of the dignitaries. All the spectacle is held henceforth on deep the estrade building of scene. A curtain, which drops to the beginning of the spectacles, can temporarily hide it with the eyes of the spectators. Behind him draws up the face of scene, a wall whose top reigns with that of the cavea and who, at his ends, fact return towards orchestrated, thus defining the sides of the estrade. It is decorated marble platings, statues contained in niches and of one or several superimposed levels of released columns. Behind the wall of scene generally cloakrooms and hearths are. The theaters best preserved Roman world, those of Orange (France), Aspendos (Turkey) and Bosra (Syria), carry the trace of hoods which covered the face of scene and the estrade. In several monuments the steps were shaded by calved, fabric parts assembled on cords, themselves fixed at masts.

From one area to another of the Empire and inside the same province, theaters of appreciably different forms coexisted. The majority of the cities which had buildings former to Ier front S.J. - C. them preserved or modified only of it the building of scene. In minor Asia, where the hellenistic traditions were strongly enracinées, the koilon leant in exceeded half-circle and the building of scene with estrade a height equivalent to that of a proskènion remain frequent. The face of scene is generally bored there of five doors whereas it comprises only three in Occident of them. It is decorated columns parallel to established a wall of rectilinear scene, while in the remainder of the Empire of the provisions more varied with one or more incurvations of the wall and the colonnade are adopted as of Ier S. In the provinces of Aquitaine, Lyons and Belgium, the theater known as of Gallo-Roman type associates a leant cavea, often exceeding in half-circle and sometimes furnished with wood steps, with a building of scene which is reduced to deep a estrade installed in orchestrated and with a wall of scene masking the slide.

Appeared to be used as framework with contests and more generally with musical productions, orchestic and dramatic, the theater was also useful, during its history, with other meetings, of which some required transformations of the building. In the cities of the Greek East it received political assemblies. It was also useful, at the time imperial, for huntings and combat of gladiators as well as a Gaulle as in the East or Africa. The steps were then separated from orchestrated by strong unevennesses, low walls or grids and nets, while refuges were arranged for the hunters. Some theaters were even designed as of their construction for the spectacles of the arena. Some orchestrated were transformed into basins to receive watery mimes, who seem to be snuffed in IVe S.

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  • Roman Theater
  • ancient Theater of Fourvière (Lyon)
  • ancient Theater of Orange

European theaters

Theater élisabéthain

Built on the model of the inns, the theater élisabéthain is a construction in round and out of wood (“wooden O” known as Shakespeare), the sitted scene and places are protected by a roof, while the floor is with open sky.

The actor plays at the same time on the balcony which is above the scene and where the musicians are (this gallery can symbolize a rampart, a tower, or balcony of Romeo and Juliette celebrates it), the advanced scene makes it possible the actor to draw up a direct link with the public which surrounds it by three sides: the proximity makes that the dramatic action proceeds almost in the middle of the spectators.

The access was opened to all, but the places were different according to the social category of the spectator: richest seats, with the shelter and located slightly in height had; poorest were upright with the floor exposed to the bad weather, but to more close to the scene; the Lords had their cabins beside the musicians, they thus attended the spectacle by rather seeing the actors of back but themselves were seen of all the remainder of the public…

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Spanish theater

The theaters of the Century of Spanish gold, called “ corrales of comedias ”, resemble the theaters élisabéthains, from their construction, their organization and their scenic provision.

The corral of comedias is arranged in closed, rectangular space and with open sky of the central court of a group of houses. The scene is laid out at an end; cabins and galleries on several stages occupy the three other sides. The scene and the galleries are protected by a roof in overhang. Central court, or Patio, form a floor with open sky.

The placement of the spectators depended on their social position, but also on their sex. The men of the people were held upright in the patio. The women were to sit down in the “ cazuela ”, a kind of cabin in height, vis-a-vis the scene. The latticed windows and the balconies in stage of the buildings contiguous were used as cabins reserved to the richest families. Seats in steps laid out along the walls, under these cabins, got places of intermediate category.

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Theater with Italian

The principle of this type of theater appeared in Italy at the beginning of the 17th century.

In the structure “with Italian”, the room and the Scène are answered, separated by the curtain of apron and the framework of scene.

The room is made up of a floor and of bath-tubs (kinds of separate cabins from/to each other by a low partition), there are also balconies including of the cabins on several stages. These balconies are laid out on three sides of the room and form a horseshoe. The places of the public are conceived to see and be considering, because the spectators are divided according to a hierarchy economic… and thus social. There existed however also the possibility of having a fitted latticework on cabin, which then made it possible to be able to go to the spectacle incognito.

On the other side of the curtain, is the cage of scene, the plate and the machinery which must remain invisible of the public. The scene with Italian the , conceived according to the principles of the Italian Rebirth, is perceived like a table, is composed according to the eye of the prince, i.e. in order to be seen of face, with dioramas and slides painted in prospect, the floor of scene is inclined (low with the framework of scene and highest at the bottom of scene).

External bonds

The association of the theaters to Italian the

  • http://www.theatreromain.com More than 500 photographs of the Greek and Roman theaters.

The Asian theater

Japanese theater

The scene of the Théâtre No proceeds of the Chinese device: an about naked quadrilateral (except the kagami-ita, painting of a pine at the bottom of the scene) open on 3 sides between the pilasters of cedar which mark the angles of them. The wall on the right of the scene is called kagami-ita, table-mirror. A small door is spared there to allow the entry of the musicians and the chorus. The scene, raised, is always surmounted by a roof, even in interior, and is surrounded on the level of the ground of white gravel in which are planted small pines with the foot of the pillars. Under the scene a system of ceramics earthenware jar is amplifying the sounds at the time of the dances. The details of this system are the prerogative of the families of manufacturers of scenes of No.

The access to the scene is done for the actors by the hashigakari, footbridge narrow on the left of the scene, device adapted then to the Kabuki in Way of the flowers (hanamichi). Regarded as integral part of the scene, this way is closed side slides by a curtain with five colors. The rate/rhythm and the speed of opening of this curtain give to the public indications on the environment of the scene. The length of the hashigakari imposes spectacular entries. This element as well as the properties of resonance of the scene oblige the actors to use a particular step slipped, without shock of the feet on the ground and the very low hips.

Because of broad opening of the scene, the public is practically laid out on three sides. So the actor must pay an special attention to his placement. The Mask S severely limiting his field of view, the actor uses the pillar before left of the scene to position.

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See too

  • Circus

  • Puppet theater
  • List of theaters

Nds-nl: Theater (gebouw)

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