The Roman Theatre and Its AudienceDrawing on recent archaeological investigations, new scholarship, and the author's own original research and staging experience, this book offers a new and fascinating picture of theatrical performance in the ancient world. Richard Beacham traces the history of the Roman theatre, from its origins in the fourth century B.C. to the demise of formal theatrical activity at the end of antiquity. He characterizes the comedy of Plautus and Terence and the audience to which the Roman playwrights were appealing; describes staging, scenery, costuming, and performance style; and details a variety of theatrical forms, including comedy, tragedy, mime, pantomime, and spectacles. |
Contents
EARLY ROMAN STAGES | 56 |
PERFORMING A PLAY | 86 |
TRAGEDY MIME AND PANTOMIME | 117 |
Copyright | |
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Accius actors aediles ancient Andronicus artists Atellanae auditorium Augustus Aulus Gellius building Caecilius Casina Cassius Dio century BC Chalinus characters Cicero Cleostrata comedy comic culture dance dancer decorated depict discussion doors doorway dramatic earlier early elements emperor Ennius entertainments Epist Etruscan evidence example farce festivals Gellius Greek Hellenistic Hist Horace imperial Italy later Latin literary Livy Ludi Lysidamus Magna Graecia masks mime Myrrhina Naevius Nero notes Olympio Oplontis Oscan Pacuvius panels pantomime particularly performance periaktoi period permanent theatre phlyakes Plautine Plautus plays playwright Pliny plot poet political Polybius Pompey Pompey's popular practice presented prologue Quintilian reference role Roman audience Roman society Roman stage Roman theatre Rome Rome's satyr scaenae frons scene scenery scenic Seneca siparia slave social spectators stage facade structure Suetonius suggest surviving Tacitus taste temporary stages Terence Terence's theatrical tradition tragedy tragic Valerius Maximus Vitruvius wall paintings