What Are the Conventions of Greek Theatre?

Greek Theatre|Theater

Greek theatre has been around since the late 6th century BCE, and it has evolved over time. Its conventions have been used in many other theatrical forms, including modern theatre. The conventions of Greek theatre refer to the particular style of theatre that developed in ancient Greece and continues to be practiced today.

The main convention of Greek theatre is the use of a chorus. The chorus is a group of actors who sing, dance and move together in unison, usually commenting on the action of the play and providing a bridge between each scene. The chorus also helps to link the main characters and their stories together, as well as to provide commentary on various themes within the play.

Another major convention of Greek theatre is its use of masks. Masks were worn by actors to give them more expressive faces, so they could express a wider range of emotions than an actor without a mask could do.

The masks also allowed for gender-swapping, giving female actors a chance to take on male roles if necessary. In addition, they gave actors the ability to easily change characters during the course of one scene or act.

The third major convention is that all action happened on an open stage with no sets or props. This was done so that audience members could focus solely on what was being said and done by the actors rather than being distracted by scenery or props that weren’t essential to understanding the story being told. As such, all costumes were simple with few accessories or embellishments – they had to convey meaning through their movements rather than through elaborate costume design.

Finally, Greek theatre was often highly symbolic and metaphorical in nature – it often used familiar stories and images which allowed for multiple interpretations from its audience members.

Conclusion:

The conventions of Greek theatre have stood the test of time and are still used today in many forms of modern theatre. These conventions include using a chorus, wearing masks, performing on an open stage with no props or sets, using simple costumes which convey meaning through movement rather than design, and employing symbolism and metaphor in order to allow for multiple interpretations from its audience members.