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The Theatre at Pompeii (Scenery, props & costume (Scaenae frons…
The Theatre at Pompeii
Scenery, props & costume
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Easily recognisable characters were a staple of Roman plays as it was often difficult to hear actors
Especially prevalent in comedies, e.g. those of Plautus
Actors wore masks made of linen, covered with plaster & paint
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Over time, masks used in comedies became grotesquely exaggerated
Costumes worn varied with type of play, but were also used to identify type of character
Combination of clothing worn & its colour often indicated social status of character & their age - instantly recognisable to audience
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Over time, outfits became more realistic
Old male character = straight, white undergarment with long, doubled sleeves & sometimes carried a staff
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Parasite = long, black/grey garment with long, doubled sleeves
Actors
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In Pompeii, graffiti listing popular actors & busts of some actors (including Sorex, a comic actor) were found
All actors were male, although slave girls later played female roles
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Had an 'ambivalent status' - successful & popular, but were under condition called infamia (had no social status) & were often slaves
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Plays
Pantomines
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Orchestra typically consisted of lyre, double pipes, trumpets & castanets
Comedies
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Varied from short, often vulgar farces to longer, more elaborate works (around 2 hours long)
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Often used same characters as farces, but were longer, with more complicated plots & witty dialogue
Example plot: love story of young man from respectable family who falls for pretty slave-girl, helped in concealing this & other escapades from his father by cunning slave, until discovered girl was freeborn & not a slave, therefore able to marry her
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Characters
Adulescens (young man) - Had father who he feared & had to hide various escapades from. Sometimes aided by slave who often drove plot & revealed truth at end.
Servi (slaves) - Identified by tendency to use alliteration & meter in their speech. Took up about half of cast. Often had the most monologues.
Senex (old man) - Could be hero's father. Often passionately in love with same woman as his son. Never got the girl & was often dragged off by his angry wife. Sometimes was a friend of the family who helped the young man. Often a miser.
Miles gloriosus (boastful soldier) - Self-centered & loves himself more than anything else. Sees himself as handsome & brave. In reality, he is very stupid, cowardly & gullible.
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Ancilla (maid/nurse of no particular age) - Minor character used to move plot by presenting imformation or helping develop another character. Tool of her mistress & used as a messenger.
Matrona (mother), Mulier (woman) or Uxor (wife) - Sharp-witted & loved her children, but temperamental towards her husband. Didn't have to be a devoted wife.
Virgo (young maiden) - Love interested of the young men. Didn't get much stage time. Beautiful & virtuous with little personality. Treated as a prize.
There were also tragedies - most famous being those written by Seneca, e.g. Phaedra
Many plays (including those written by Seneca, Plautus & Terrence) were based on earlier Greek plays
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During such intermission, a flute-player entertained the audience
Pompeii
Small theatre
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Used for more personal performances, e.g. concerts, recitals & mimes
Commisioned by two duovirs (town councillors), Caius Quinctius Valgus & Marcus Porcius, who both commissioned the building of the amphitheatre
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Large theatre
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Not permanently covered, although did have a velum
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Inscription to Holconius found, honouring one of Pompeii's most important families
Gladiator barracks
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Originally built to provide shelter to those in theatre & also as a place where audience could gather in intervals
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Roman theatre
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Plays sponsored by wealthy citizens who would provide actors, costumes & scenery
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Structure
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Greek theatres were oftened carved out of hills to allow tiers of seating to be placed going up hill
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Semi-circular, with audience sitting along crescent & stage along flat edge
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At back of orchestra & stage was the scaenae frons - high back wall supported by columns, forming backdrop of drama on stage
2 doors led from wings onto stage - 1 to the left of spectators for entrance of foreigners & 1 to the right for ordinary citizens - doors in between led into the various residences of characters in play
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Best seats reserved for important citizens & town councillors - had tokens indicating which door to enter through & which seat was theirs
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Bisellium (double-seat) - lower steps were largest as they held two-seated benches for important/high status citizens (also pictured on tombs of wealthy Pomepians)
Summa cavea - at top were women, slaves, latecomers & foreigners
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Other methods of cooling down included hats, sunshades & attendants sprinkling perfumed water in intervals
