Italian Renaissance and Tudor Drama Overview

Sebastiano Serlio

He designed sets for Tragic, comic, and pastoral scenes

Desevanes

Highest row of boxes

Tudor Drama

English Renaissance (1485-1603) Began: Henry Tudor VII won War of Roses in 1485 -. Tudor Dynasty established

Comedy Setting

Modest, everyday buildings, Mix of medieval and classical styles, Center of town

Tragedy Setting

Grand Buildings, Only Classical style

Pastorale Setting

Nature/Wild setting, Less structure

Periaktoi

Triangular revolving sets used to change between different designs

Teatro Olimpico

First indoor theater, built with wood and plaster to resemble stone, magically not burned down

Commedia Dell'arte

An Improvised Performance Style which was most widespread during the Italian Renaissance

Stock Characters in Commedia Dell'arte

Three types: The Masters (Vecchio-old men) masked, The Lovers (Inamorati) unmasked, The Servants (Zanni) masked

Formula for Commedia Dell'arte

The Masters (Vecchio) = Pantalone, Dotorre, Il Capitano (can be played as Vecchio or Zanni), Stock Characters + Lazzi Physical comedy gages + Scenarios Rough plots with no dialogue = Comedia del Arte!

Commedia Dell'arte scenarios

Provides a basic plot with beginning key eps and ends. No Dialogue with room for comedic bits. There was approx 800 Scenarios survive, Examp 'Two Crazy People'

Rejas

Windows where outside spectators would watch through

Allegory of the cave

We are people chained in a dark cave looking at shadows of what is real but we think that those shadows are reality.

Autos Sacramentales

Resemble morality plays; mingled human & allegorical characters

Taming of A Shrew vs Taming of the Shrew

Both likely inspired by ballad "A merry jest of a shrewde and cursed wyfe"
Similar story of man taming shrewish wife, but much more brutal
In Taming of A Shrew Kate's ending speech was about how women are inferior because God made them
Taming of the Shrew Kate's speech women submit to husbands because of a reciprocal relationship. More fair view of women

Italian Renaissance Design

Rebirth of Greco-Roman design

Lazzi

Well-rehearsed bit/gag. Ex: Latter Lazzi.

Spanish Theatre Design

Carros - moving stage wagons; two stories; has equipment for flying actors

Difference between Corral & Carros stages?

Corrales/Corral = Golden Age Spain stage, courtyard stage, fancier than carro stages
Carro = a wagon stage

Patio

Large central area in front of stage; standing; NO women

Gradas

Stepped seatings on side of patio

Aposentos

Boxes above rejas; rented out for season; woman can sit here with family

Life is a Dream

Written by Calderon de la Barca in 1636, Secular plays, 3 Act structure, In verse

Famous Playwrights

Lope Felix de Vega Carpio (wrote more sonnets than shakespeare) & Pedro Calderon de la Barca (wrote Life is a Dream)

Theatre Restrictions

Theatres banned from central London (puritan movement) → moved across the Thames river & travelling troupes of actors illegal under Elizabeth I

Lord Chamberlain's Men

Famous troupe associated with Richard Burbage, ran democratically, family-like, 48 years

Tudor Theatre

First Permanent Theatre, Literally called -> The Theatre

The Taming of the Shrew

Plot: Lucentio arrives in Padua for his studies, but spots the beautiful Bianca. They wish to marry, however they cannot unless Bianca's ill-tempered sister Katherine marries first. At party, men make a bet to see whose wife will come to them first. All surprised when Katherine not only immediately obeys, but gives speech to the other women about obeying their husbands. They live "happily" ever after.

Katherine's final speech interpretations

1.Kate is in love and it's romantic, 2.Kate's spirit is broken and she's defeated, 3.Kate and Petruchio have made a deal in order to win the bet, 4. Kate delivers the speech sarcastically

The Taming of the Shrew themes

gender roles, love, family and social class