Why Are Masks Important In Greek Theatre

Masks are objects which are worn on someone’s face, and are very popular during theatrical performances. Masks have a very long history, as they have been used for centuries and were popular amongst many of the famous ancient civilisations. Greek theatre is a huge part of masks’ history, because many of the Greek performances included masks. For starters, masks were were a main component of worship for Dionysus, and after every performance the masks were burned as a dedication and offering to Dionysus. Also, the Greeks used masks because many plays only had one to three main actors, so the use of masks would allow them to play multiple characters. If the actors played multiple characters without masks, it would make the story confusing and difficult for everyone in the audience to

This is because the mask is covering the actor’s face when worn, so the audience isn’t able to see the actor’s facial expressions. This is why it is extremely important for actors who are wearing masks to use body language and really emphasise their movements, because that is what will allow the audience to understand what emotion the actor is portraying. Physicality affects movement quite a bit as well. This is because the more that an actor articulates their physicality and uses body language, hand gestures, and miming, the more likely that the audience will understand the actor, because the actor is also moving and acting out what they are saying, using their body. In other words, the more physical an actor is, the more movement they will create, and the better their performance and understanding from the audience will