GREEK DRAMA

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 260, 30 July 1937, Page 5

GREEK DRAMA

Work of Successive Famous Authors FEATURES DESCRIBED Continuing his course of M .E.A. 1“* lures on classic art and architecture, Dr. ■I. Nicol diseuwwd Greek drama on Tuesday night at the Trades Hull, Wellington,

Tlie subject arifc-e from dances arm songs aso-ocialcd with the worship of Dionysus, the god of wine. Prize drama live contests wore included among the celebrations at the festival of the Gieat er Dionysia, these being presented m open-air theatres, able to accoiuodale immense crowds of people. Im- eemr.ii feature of a Greek theatre was the circular orchestra, where the chorus pcrlormwl its evolutions, and behind the vreliestiu were tile stage buildings, which at first were of the simplest: nature but in later times became elaborate. According to ancient tradition, an actor or interpreter outside tlie ranks of the ehorus was mtrodueei’ by Thespis about 535 8.L.. dialogue between the ehorus leader and this actor then becoming a regular feature ol dramatic spectacles. Early in the next century Aeschylus added a second aclor, and shortly afterward a third was introduced. The classical drama then reached its full development.

Plays were often presented in groups of four by tlie same author, the first three of a group forming a consecutive series tracing the development of a single theme or legend; the fourth play, a satyric drama, being of a much lighter nature. Only one consecutive series of plays by any of the great tragedians—Hie Oresteia of .VesehyluH—had survived intact until modern times, but this group represented its author's work at the maturity of his powers. “Aeschylus was really the creator of Attic tragedy as we know it, and his best works combine great lyrical and poetic skill with mastery over dialogue and the capacity to concentrate the dramatic interest on one or two central tragic figures,” said Dr. Nicol. “Sophocles, his great successor, perfected plot and characterisation, and Euripides brought in new elements of emotion, pathos, humour and human interest.” Dr. Nicol outlined the theme treated by Aeschylus in his trilogy of the Oresteia, explaining the structure of a typical play and the devices by which limitations of time and space were overcome. The continued presence of the chorus in the orchestra necessitated coufiing tbe actiou of the play to the period of a single’ day, and so use was made of tbe prologue and the Messenger’s Speech to relate events which could not be enacted on the stage. In this way a very substantial measure of real freedom was obtained. Although the number of actors iu normal cases was only three, the “doubling of parts” was common, and the number of mute persons wbo could appear on the stage was limited only by considerations of s’. 1 . 110 * 5 - Lantern slides illustrating tlie internal arrangements of Greek theatres, remains of stage buildings and auditoria, the dress of tragic actors, and particular features such as tlie altar of Dionysus (in the centres of the orchestra), scats for privileged persons, and admission tokens were shown, followed by an analysis of and readings from the ‘‘Electra” of Euripides and a brief outline of Greek comedy.

Next Tuesday’s lecture in the series will be on the subject “Greek and Rqjnan Architecture.”