World Theatre Exam 1 - Identify / list

Hernani broke the back of what

Neo-classicism

What theatre genre did Hernani establish in France?

Romanticism

What kind of genre of plays did Alexandre Dumas pere write?

Romanticism (ex. Three Musketeers)

What kind of genre of plays did Alexandre Dumas fils write?

Realism (focus on issues in society, thesis plays)

Whose scientific theories influenced the development of Realism in theatre?

Auguste Comte, Charles Darwin, and Sigmund Freud

3 characteristics of Romantic theatre

Male outlier hero (outlaw, rebel)
Rejected all authority
Greatness came from the mysterious process of Inspiration, not rules (genius was an unconscious art)

3 characteristics of Melodrama

Virtuous good hero is hounded by evil villain
Episodic story that unfolds quickly
Ends happily with strict poetic justice with good rewarded and evil punished

Who created the “Well Made Play”?

Eugene Scribe

What did Delsarte think was required for the actor’s movement to be effective?

He believed that all movements need to have psychological motivation (foreshadowing Stanislavski!)

What are the 3 physical tendencies of Delsarte’s technique?

Still and static
Emotions from center out (ex. Happiness, fury)
Emotions that are from out to in (ex. Grief, shyness)

List 3 Gilbert and Sullivan Comic Operas

The Pirates of Penzance, Princess Ida, Trial By Jury

What was the Syndicate and what was its main impact on American theatre?

The Syndicate was an organization that controlled nearly all theatres in America, creating a monopoly control with the mentality of “successful theatre is theatre that brings profit” - we still did not recover from the impact they’ve created

What is blackface and what did it have to do with minstrel shows?

A technique where actors would use shoe polish or burnt cork to darken their faces to create the “look” of African Americans, created with exaggerated lips and a grotesque appearance. It was used in demeaning performances promoting racial prejudice towards African Americans in the Minstrel Shows

List and explain the 3-part structure of a minstrel show

Olio (musical opening)
Variety of acts
Burlesque
Predictable and flexible format to mix comedy, music, and social commentary

3 characteristics of realistic production elements

Detailed sets, historically accurate costumes, natural blocking

two reasons Meiningen Players made such an impact when they toured

Historical accuracy of the productions and ensemble acting (crowd scenes)

What three genres of plays did Henrik Ibsen write in? List the play from each period

verse dramas - The Pretenders
prose dramas - The Wild Duck
symbolism dramas - When We Dead Awaken

List 3 characteristics of traditional “well-made play”

Cause and Effect structure of scene sequencing
Lowest point is just before the highest point for the hero
Resolution is very clear and satisfying for hero/heroine and the audience

List 3 characteristics of realistic plays

Prose dialogue
Heredity’s influence evident in characters
Thesis play (a clear message to the audience)

“But there’s no one who gives up honor for love” “Millions of women have done just that”
Identify speakers, play, and author (figure out the significance of quote within the context of the play’s historical period)

Torvald Helmer and Nora Helmer
“A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen

Title of the literary text on theatre by Zola and 2 main points he makes about the kind of theatre he envisions

“Naturalism in the Theatre” by Emile Zola
- that theatre must shed the previous traditions of theatre speech and dramatization of history
- that playwrights must focus on truth of living rather than creating grand spectacles