Greek theatre offers nothing in the way of reality, being performed in the open air, without scenery, curtain or lights. The actors themselves were unreal, wearing masks – from that distance facial expression would have been unable to be discerned. There were only three actors, men, dividing the parts in the play between them. Masks changed with the characters. The plays continued non-stop all day, but it is not known in what order- possibly three tragedies, followed by three satyr plays, with comedies performed in the afternoon. It was the custom of the writers of tragedies to write a satyr play to complement it, as a relief from the harrowing tragedies.
The festival was a competition (the same Greek word is used for the Olympic Games ‘agon’). The competitors submitted their plays to the chief magistrate, who chose three playwrights, each of whom wrote three tragedies and one satyr play. The judges were selected to avoid bribery or favouritism – by lot from an urn brought into the theatre. (Aeschylus came first thirteen times; Sophocles eighteen, Euripides, five –Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex came second!) The winning poet was crowned with ivory, a glorious reward, and names were set up in tablets in the theatre area. The playwright then won a producer and a flautist (there was no orchestra, just a flute). The producer gave financial backing. Because it was basically religious, everything in Greek drama was traditionally fixed. The poets selected their own chorus, which led to a ‘dance’ – mimetic, singing, speaking and gesture were important. (‘Orchestra’, from ‘ochre’ to dance – the ‘dance’ took place in a pit of hard floor, set in a natural hill.)
Unity: Tragedy tries to keep within one revolution of the sun – 24 hours limit. Unity of mood, plot: ‘Plot is the soul of tragedy’ (Aristotle).
The actors changed parts and wore elaborate costumes, a traditional costume associated with religious rites and the costume and mask depicted the characters. The actors wore a buskin boot; the chorus wore lighter shoes to enable them to dance. Voice training was important – the actors were men and had to have a wide range of voice. The chorus occasionally spoke, but usually sang when an emotional pitch was reached. It is thought that drama began when the leaders of the dithyramb, the chorus, broke off to form the main actors. By the 4th century the chorus was becoming less used – there were no great tragedies after 399.
The chorus occupied a large part of the plays and was on the whole passive although connected with the play. The chorus represented, usually, old Theban citizens who would put forward their views, always on the side of justice. The chorus would come on chanting, in between dialogues, take their places and sing odes that separated the pieces of dialogue. They took up the position of an oblong, which they rotated about in 45° - strophe, a turn; antistrophe, a turn in the opposite direction.
Dances were mimetic, to suit the acts; actors and dancers always entered from particular entrances. Even dialogue was formalised.
The messenger speech: because the tragic act was never shown on stage, the tragedy was described in extraordinarily vivid speeches by the messenger, a highlight of the plays.
The formal aspect was contributed to by the subject matter. The subject must come from the Epic Cycle (a collection of epic poems recording events leading up to and including the Trojan War). The myths centre on a few families, such as the House of Atreus.
‘Tragodia’ – ‘tragos’, a goat; ‘odia’, a song. The theory is that the original chorus were goat satyrs, who sang to win the goat as a prize.
Drama: ‘dram’, to do.
