Ancient Greek Theatre

Ancient Greek Theatre

The three main genres of theatre; comedy, tragedy and satyr also emerged in Athens, paving the way for theatre to come. Western theatre originated from this fascinating city and top London shows still incorporate the theatrical ideas of Greek Theatre.
A fabulous art form, many still flock to London to enjoy theatre breaks which includes tickets to one of the many fantastic London shows on offer. The ever-increasing range of technological devises mean that theatre is quite different from what it used to be, however, many of the fundamental ideas connected to theatre are the same.
The centre point of a Greek theatre was a semi-circular space called the orchestra and this would be where the action took place. It was often built at the bottom of a hill so that the audience could see the show from a range of inclines. Theatres constructed in London are also built on different levels, so that many people can fit into a small space and enjoy London shows with ease.
A trip to the theatre wouldn't be fun if you could not hear what was going on, so mathematics and design were crucial in creating the perfect acoustics in Greek theatre. Apparently the acoustics of ancient Greek theatres rival those in the UK today which would have been important, as they did not have the technology to amplify sound. London shows today use microphones and great sound effects, so do not have to rely on the natural acoustics of a building to be top notch. If you book a London theatre break to Sister Act or Mamma Mia! you won't leave upset that you could not hear the songs.
In ancient Greece, the audience used to sit on the ground, before wooden seats were introduced. Eventually they began inlaying stone blocks into the hill which were called prohedria reserved for priests and respected members of the community. I guess these are the same as the boxes you see in London theatres, where people enjoy London theatre breaks in luxury.
Ancient Greek theatre used to also include a backdrop or a scenic wall. It was common for death scenes to take place behind this screen, as it was seen inappropriate to perform a death in front of the audience. Actors also used to pop behind the screen to change their costumes. A backdrop is still used in London shows today and often changes a number of times. With all the blood and guts on TV today, however, audiences would not be offended by a re-enactment of a death on stage.
The actors and chorus used to enter through a parodoi and exit through the eisodoi. Although knowing where to enter and exit the stage is not exactly brain surgery, it is a simple and necessary technique which is often used today. They even used to used trapdoors - a theatrical technique still incorporated into many shows.
The Ancient Greeks were also very much into masks, known in Greek as personas. The chorus - who help the audience know what a character is thinking - often wore elaborate masks to represent a character. Masks are still used in theatre today, however, they are not as common in the West End.
You may have heard of the phrase "sock and buskin". This originated from Ancient Greece when actors with tragic roles wore boots that elevated them above other actors and actors with comedic roles wore thin soled shoes called socks. Comedy and tragedy were very distinguished genres, along with satyr shows. Today, different styles of shows are represented in a whole range of ways.
Theatre has been a form of entertainment for many years and is still entertaining audiences in the West End and across the world. Book a theatre break to London today to enjoy the excitement of Theatreland.