Greek Theatre Research Paper

Comparing the theatrical traditions of Greece, Rome, and Japan noh, with particular attention given to their structure and presentation as an article for publication in the Journal of Disparate Venn Diagrams

Theatre has existed for over two millennia and there have been countless theatrical traditions emerge and die throughout that time. Three theatrical traditions that have shaped both theatre and our understanding of it are Greek, Roman, and Japanese noh theatre. Indeed, these theatrical traditions were so strong that they are still being performed to day. While they are three very distinct traditions, there are some similarities between them that form the basis for this article.

Greek theatre got its start as rituals for the god Dionysus.

All Greek plays were musicals, thanks to the chorus, a group of 15 men who sang and danced during the plays. The chorus was paid for and maintained by the choregus, performed in all shows, and underwent extensive training. For a while, the chorus performed alongside the speaking actors, but over time, the chorus and actors separated and essentially alternated, with the chorus performing in between chunks of the play. The final important feature of Greek theatre was masks. The performers were masked, which were carefully constructed to amplify the performer’s voices and to provide information. There were strict conventions regarding color and form that conveyed certain information to the audience. Greece built up a theatrical tradition so strong, that a lot of their plays are still performed today and many of their conventions were adopted and used in later theatrical

For one, Japanese noh drama was often performed in groups, much like they were in Greek competitions. noh dramas were typically produced in units of five, with a shorter comedic piece, called kyogen, to function basically like a satyr play did in Greek theatre (“Noh Theatre”). Another similarity is Japanese noh performers also wore masks. Even in kabuki, a later offshoot of noh drama, performers wear heavy makeup with specific color schemes - red makeup symbolizes a hero while indigo makeup designates a villain. The performers in noh drama were also always male and noh dramas had a chorus that, while not directly interacting with the actors, served to help further the story (“Noh