The Neoclassical Age
Theatre 101: Introduction to Theatre
Time Frame
  1. From the end of the English Renaissance to the beheading of Louis XVI
  2. Roughly 1642 – 1793
Popular Theatre Before Neoclassicism in France
  1. Liturgical Drama
  2. Commedia dell’arte
Neoclassical Theatrical Conventions
  1. Neoclassical = new classical, looking back to Greek and Roman
  2. Verisimilitude – the appearance of truth
    1. Reality: Unities of Time, Space, and Action
      1. 24 hour time frame, one location, logical action
    2. Morality: Plays must uphold the morals and ethics of the French court, academy, and church.
    3. Generality: Characters must be identifiable as good and proper French citizens
  3. Plays were either Comedy or Tragedy
  4. Decorum
    1. No character could be unduly punished without a fair trial
    2. All characters must have good and bad traits
  5. Five act structure
  6. Plays must have an instructive purpose
Moliere (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin 1622-1673)
  1. Comedies
    1. Domestic Settings
    2. Ridicule Human Behavior
    3. People don’t change
    4. Deus ex Machina
  2. Headed his own acting company by 1660
Acting Companies
  1. Sharing plan
    1. Profit shares
  2. 8 – 12 members
  3. Men and Women
  4. Governmental support
The Palais Cardinal
  1. Erected by Cardinal Richelieu
    1. Renamed the Palais Royal after his death
  2. 1st proscenium arch in France
Salles des Machines
  1. Translates literally to “Hall of Machines”
  2. Built in 1660 by Gaspare Vigarani, an Italian stage master
    1. Rarely used after 1670
  3. 52 feet wide X 232 feet long
    1. 140 feet used for backstage area
    2. 92 feet for audience seating
  4. Royal flying apparatus
    1. 100+ people
    2. “Flown” into the space above the stage
  5. Bad acoustics
  6. Very expensive to use
Comedie Francaise
  1. State supported theatre
    1. Founded by Louis XIV
  2. A converted tennis court
  3. Europe’s first national theatre
  4. Monopoly on spoken drama
  5. Began in 1680 to merge Moliere’s company with the other major companies in France
  6. Unique Architecture
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