The History of Theatre – Class 9 Main Lesson

From the Ancient Greek Dionysian Rite through to the 17th Century, this main lesson covered the development of the Dramatic Arts in the West, charting the transition from sacred to secular and profane.

Greek and Roman Drama, Mediæval Drama, Renaissance Theatre, and the Theatre of Elizabethan England were studied in some detail, although it was Greek tragedy that held much of the attention, with a close look at the content and impact of this theatrical form.

In the afternoon workshops that accompanied the main lesson, the class engaged in practical drama activities, and tried their hand at various different theatrical styles through games and sketches. In these lessons the students also worked on the dramatic presentation of a choral piece from ‘Agamemnon’ by Aeschylus; a process which culminated in a most splendid performance.

Nancy Urry

Upper School English and Drama

 
Genius, William Shakespeare by Ben Dickenson Bampton

by Liam Callebout

In 1564, there was born a man, who did not just glorify the art of writing, yet connected it, more purely than has possibly ever been done, to human life. That man was William Shakespeare.

Had you lived in late 16^th century Britain, I assure you, you would have known his name. Everybody did. However, he was uneducated, a simple man from Stratford-upon-Avon, “beautified with the feathers” of more ‘worthy’ playwrights. For that reason, Shakespeare was undeserved; for every other, his skill, his sensitivity, and his striking natural prowess, he was completely justified.

Indeed, Shakespeare had a tendency to simply rake the works of others, and rewrite them in his style. But it was this style that brought them alive. In Elizabethan England, the one thing every actor needed, above all, was a good playwright. Shakespeare, however, was more than that.

by Liam Callebout

With every sentence, every sonnet, and every scene, Shakespeare used his powerful imagery and skilful writing, combined perfectly, to bring his plays to life. Alliterations and assonances gave each actor the instruction on how to express, most accurately, the right emotion onstage, and the freedom to showcase their own acting ability, which, of course, every actor needed. Beautifully conceived metaphors, and similes, differently natured with each character he created, colourfully painted the story for the audience. Exaggerations, also, mixed into the ebb and flow of contrast that made Shakespeare’s plays so real. You only need a single paragraph from the man’s work to examine, and you will find this extraordinary depth. They talk about layering in film and television these days, well Shakespeare did so much more than that.

The truth is, Shakespeare touched on the pure feelings that are common to every human being. His tales are often romantic affairs, or heart-breaking circumstances, that fill us, the audience, with grief. Caused by love, these settings trigger a deep emotional response that unites us, in human compassion, with the characters onstage.

Above all, Shakespeare questioned what it was to be human. This is the reason his plays are timeless. Enact the tragedy of King Lear, and his hanged daughter Cordelia, in any era, be it Ancient Greece or the 21^st century, and every person watching will feel the same terrible sadness. His exceptional writing talent aside, this, truly, is why Shakespeare was a genius.

Such a remarkable playwright, Shakespeare included these essential feelings in all of his plays, even his comedies. Much Ado About Nothing tells of the moment when somebody says something, unknown by us to be false, that throws our world upside down. On informing Claudio that his fiancée, Hero, had been unfaithful, the deceitful Don John had ridiculed Claudio’s entire love-struck perception of her. Tell me you cannot relate to this? Shakespeare knew, with every play he wrote, what the human race felt, deep inside, and knew, equally importantly, how to portray these emotions onstage.

by Liam Callebout

However, his genius didn’t end there. As if unsatisfied with his profound ability and unique sensitivity, Shakespeare continued to take his plays to the edge. By mixing a little comedy into his tragedy, and vice versa, Shakespeare discovered an extra dimension. When the audience was close to tears, what would a little comic irony do? It woke them up, slapped them in the face, light-heartedly mocking them for being so absorbed in what was “but a play”. This contrast was an entirely new concept to theatre, and this complex working of the audience would have baffled many earlier playwrights. It had been set in stone, since way back in Ancient Greece, that there was tragedy, comedy, and, later, history, and the three were not to be mixed. However, Shakespeare broke the mould.

by Liam Callebout

The former King Richard the Third was memorably depicted, by Shakespeare, as an evil schemer, yet shown in a comic light. Onstage, he would share his devilish ideas with the audience, which made them laugh in the face of their fear. In full control of his audience, it is even more startling to remember that this was once the King of England.

Without Shakespeare, theatre probably would have kept its course, and continued to steadily develop. After all, all Shakespeare did was to adapt stories created before him, wasn’t it? Quite clearly, that was not the case. It may be an over-used term nowadays, but Shakespeare was, undoubtedly, a genius.

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”

This quote, for me, typifies Shakespeare. It shows his elegance, his skilful metaphors and dotted intonations of speech, yet above all it questions what it is to be human. We have all asked ourselves the question Shakespeare asks here. What, exactly, is our role in existence? In despair, Macbeth bemoans the endlessness of time, and how small we are in contrast. Shakespeare leaves this lingering question, as always, on a mellow, yet powerful note: It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

William Shakespeare by Liam Callebout