Theatre - Acoustics, Design, Architecture

theatre

Table of Contents

Introduction
Origins of theatre space
Developments in ancient Greece
- Visual and spatial aspects
- Acoustics
Developments in ancient Rome
- Stage design
- Vitruvius’ treatise on architecture
- The odeum
Developments in Asia
- India
- China
- Japan
- Bali
The Middle Ages in Europe
- Church theatre
- Staging conventions
- Courtly diversions
Developments of the Renaissance
- The revival of theatre building in Italy
- Developments in staging
- The 16th and 17th centuries in France
- The Elizabethan stage
- Spain’s Golden Age
Baroque theatres and staging
- Court theatres
- Public theatres
  - The opera house
  - The Restoration playhouse
- Influence of technical achievements
- Scenic design
- Developments in France and Spain
- Developments in northern Europe
- Early Russian staging
Developments in the 19th century
- Theatre in France after the Revolution
- German Romanticism and Naturalism
- Russian imperial theatre
- British theatre and stage design
- Theatre and stage design in America
The evolution of modern theatrical production
- The new Naturalism
- Reactions to Naturalism
- The influence of Appia and Craig
- Other developments in the study of movement
- Development of stage equipment
- The influence of Reinhardt
- British innovations
- Influence of the fine arts
- Production aspects of Expressionist theatre
- The influence of Piscator
- Futurism in Italy
- Developments in Russia and the Soviet Union
  - The great directors
  - Russian Futurism—Suprematism
  - The propagandist theatre
  - Political festivals
- Developments in France
- Developments in the United States
- The influence of Brecht
- Theatre building after World War II
- The rise of alternative theatre spaces
- The influence of Grotowski and the Polish Laboratory Theatre

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Much recent study has centred on the problem of acoustics in the ancient theatre. The difficulty in achieving audibility to an audience of thousands, disposed around three-fifths to two-thirds of a full circular orchestra in the open air, seems to have been insoluble so long as the performer remained in the orchestra. A more direct path between speaker and audience was therefore essential if the unaided voice was to reach a majority of spectators in the auditorium. Some contend that the acoustical problems were to a degree alleviated when the actor was moved behind and above the orchestra onto the ...(100 of 38183 words)

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