Differences can be seen in a Modern Theatre Production

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9/2/2006

What Differences can be seen in a Modern Theatre Production

 Compared to a Production of a Play in the City Dionysia?

A production of a play in the Ancient Greek festival, The City Dionysia, would have been quite different from production preformed in a modern theatre. We will consider these differences by looking at a number of techniques and procedures from an Ancient Greek play.

Special affects in a modern theatre are very complicated compared to the sound and visual effects used in an ancient production. For example, in a modern theatre electronic sounds may be used to make thunder effects but in the ancient plays a large stone was simply rolled down a tunnel that ran underneath the theatron. This caused a low rumbling sound which sounded like thunder to the audience above. Another example is the sound imitating horse’s hooves. Two hollow, wooden cups would have been clapped together to create the “clip, clop” noise of horse hooves. A further example is the sound of rain. Pebbles or dried peas were placed into a bowl and were gently rattled around. Other than these very few other props were used. Though these effects were very effective for the time, the people in the audience were expected to have used their Imagination, this is not as necessary in a modern production because of the high quality special effects and props.

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The rules on who could perform have also changed. In ancient time only males were aloud to act. Even the members of the chorus had to be male.  The actors needed to be able to change their voices for different roles, such as the elderly or women. Only 3 actors were involved with the performance. A actor took the main lead role and the other 2 shared the minor parts.

Costumes in a Greek theatre were very different to the costumes worn by actors now. For example, every actor had to wear a mask so roles could easily ...

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