South African theatre originated in the rich and really old oral tradition of innate, ancient South Africans. It basically started with the folk tales around the fires, with their drama, and an audience ranging from the children to the elders.
Performances on stage came much later.
White South African theatre was influenced the most by 20th-century missionaries. They introduced drama in education which made an important contribution to the tradition of theatre. Their themes were biblical teachings, but also educational plays located in South Africa. The production of comedies and the dramatised versions of Zulu narratives were heavily encouraged by Father Barnard Hess, one of the missionaries.
Traditional South African theatre is derived from the original version of “theatre” in South Africa which refers to the performances of our ancestors (mostly black people). For example the Zulus had dancing, singing and stories they would tell around the fire. The villagers would watch and it was their form of entertainment and culture. The elements of this type of theatre, such as the style of dance and music are still used in modern South African theatre. The facets of traditional theatre still play a large role in the evolution of South African theatre.
Western theatre in South Africa was introduced by Huguenot settlers that brought the influence of Calvinism which lead the whites to thinking that theatre was wicked or evil. Personally I understand why they could have thought of it as wicked because it was fear of the unknown really, because it wasn’t of their specific religion and so they saw it as opposing their religion. It was only a bit later that theatre in education was brought about by missionaries and it changed their views on...
... middle of paper ...
...re people were getting tired of the political and economic state of the country.
Protest theatre is still used in South Africa and all over the world. I would like to think it is an effective form of protest. It is used now mostly to speak up against issues such as being gay, war, genocide, and social media even, to raise awareness and fight against social unrest. It has not faded or disappeared, it is still a relevant and effective type of theatre.
This assignment made me realise how much I love theatre and the arts. South African theatre has a certain originality that makes me proud to be South African. It has come a long way and in all honesty, if it wasn’t for Apartheid, I don’t think it would be as great as it is now. Not that I’m saying it was good, not at all, it just brought a rare art culture unique to South Africa.
Kenrick, John. Musical Theatre A History. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group, 2008. Print.
Theorists and scholars have often examined when the art of theatre first came into existence. There is a great amount of emphasis on the idea that the act of mimesis or an imitating impulse first came to be in a ritual setting dating way back to the beginning of mankind. However, the first civilization that shows evidence of a fully formed and functional theater is found during the ancient Greek civilization.
Devised theatre began when playwrights such as Peter Brook and Jerzy Grotowski were experimenting with the idea of the performer as the creative artist in their own right, which was a somewhat radical idea, considering that theatre has been centered around what the director wants since the origins of theatre as an art form. This theatre form was one of the first forms that allowed the actor to be an active part of the creation of their art. ...
Over the course of approximately one-hundred years there has been a discernible metamorphosis within the realm of African-American cinema. African-Americans have overcome the heavy weight of oppression in forms such as of politics, citizenship and most importantly equal human rights. One of the most evident forms that were withheld from African-Americans came in the structure of the performing arts; specifically film. The common population did not allow blacks to drink from the same water fountain let alone share the same television waves or stage. But over time the strength of the expectant black actors and actresses overwhelmed the majority force to stop blacks from appearing on film. For the longest time the performing arts were the only way for African-Americans to express the deep pain that the white population placed in front of them. Singing, dancing and acting took many African-Americans to a place that no oppressor could reach; considering the exploitation of their character during the 1930's-1960's acting' was an essential technique to African American survival.
It is human nature to tell stories and to appreciate and participate in theatre traditions in every society. Every culture expresses theatre and may have their own traditions that have helped pave the way for how they are today. The involvement of African-Americans has increased tremendously in theatre since the nineteenth century and continues to increase as time goes on. African-Americans have overcome many obstacles with getting their rights and the participation and involvement of Theatre was something also worth fighting for. American history has played an important role with the participation of African-Americans in theatre. Slavery occurrence in America made it difficult for blacks in America to be taken seriously and to take on the characters of more serious roles. With many obstacles in the way African-Americans fought for their rights and also for the freedom that they deserved in America. As the participation of African-Americans involvement within the theatre increase so do the movements in which help make this possible. It is the determination of these leaders, groups, and Theaters that helped increase the participation and created the success that African-Americans received throughout history in American Theatre.
Russell Brown, J. 1995. The Oxford Illustrated History of the Theatre. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Throughout the history of the theatre its technology has helped to convey the story, amaze the audience, and to, at times, make the theatrical performance possible. Over the ages we have seen the growth of theatre shown in its technology, namely its staging, costumes, scenery, and lighting. We will trace the development and growth of these technologies from Ancient Greece through the end of the eighteenth-century.
Theatre-In-Education The theatre education industry/movement has seen some rapid changes since its initial developments and establishment in the 1960’s. However its origins mainly lie in the early years of the last century. It was the initial establishment of companies such as Bertha Waddell’s in Scotland and Esme Church’s in the north of England that thoroughly established the main roots of TIE.
A mere mention of the term theatre acts as a relief to many people. It is in this place that a m...
Many cultural enthusiasts, archaeologists, and architects have a common interest in theatre and its origins. People from a few decades back have located the remaining of the oldest theatres in Greece, England, France and some parts of minor Asia. Theatre was a part of people’s lives as it was one of the few sources of entertainment, and it was originated from when people collectively sit in a gathering and listen to a storyteller. There were performances done by different people present at that moment. Later on, this activity kept improving and innovating, and in the result, many theaters for entertaining purposes were built by emperors who ruled the countries or kingdom in those days. The design of these theatres
"Drama and Theater in the Ancient World." Encyclopedia of Society and Culture in the Ancient World. Facts On File, 2007. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Web. 10 Nov. 2015. In the early ancient time people preformed without scripts or line. Bogucki states “The nature of these performances was often dictated by geography.” They were very spontaneous. Their performances occurred to celebrate victory in battle, births marriages, and also as well to mourn the dead, or fertility. When it comes to theater it was based off religious elements. The performance where made to honor or appease a God. In India the earliest performances where based off sacred texts. Dramatic presentations became common in Ancient India, Japan, and China. They often used makeup, mask, costumes, and other conventions. Most performances where done outside. The theaters resembled modern time. According to Bogucki “The development of theater as the word is understood in modern times began with the ancient Greeks and Roman.” A lot of the plays performed by the ancient Greeks where Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. The Greeks distinguish tragedies and comedies with comic play. The Ancient Romans continued the Greeks tradition. The Romans as well performed the Greeks play, but produced their own
For as long as humankind exists, theatre will always take on an important function within its cultures. Through theatre, a culture expresses itself, reflects its society, and displays its individuality. It invites people to experience other cultures.
The evolution of theatre conventions began with highly presentational Greek productions and changed through the Medieval and Elizabethan ages to the current conventions. Greek conventions included performances done on a mostly bare stage, the use of internal stage directions to indicate location, episodic play structure, and a chorus that served multiple functions including setting the overall mood, commenting on or explaining the action, and creating reflection intervals. Other conventions included an all-male cast, the “Three Actor Rule,” the presence of a tragic hero, and the plays typically served the purpose of teaching the public or making a political statement. Many of these conventions evolved to adapt to the time period of the performances.
For thousands of years, people have been arguing that theatre is a dying art form. Many people think theatre is all just cheesy singing and dancing or just boring old Shakespeare, but there is much more to theatre than those two extremes. Theatre is important to our society because it teaches us more about real life than recorded media. Theatre has been around for thousands of years and began as a religious ceremony that evolved into an art form that teaches about the true essence of life. Theatre can incorporate profound, and provocative, observations of the human condition that can transcend time; lessons found in Greek plays can still be relevant to the modern world. People argue that the very essence of theatre is being snuffed out by modern
theater was a way to express certain beliefs and values. Yarn bombing or Kniffiti is another form where paint or chalk on trees and light poles is