The proskenion was an integral part of Ancient Greek theatre and was a raised platform at the back of the orchestra. It was used as a backdrop for action and dialogue and could be reached via stairs at either side.
Its original purpose was to provide a place for actors to appear from when they weren’t in the orchestra, and also served as a projection surface for scenes that took place offstage. In this way, it allowed the audience to follow the action without having to visualise it in their heads.
The proskenion often featured statues or other decorations that were thought to be appropriate to the play being performed. This could include figures of gods, goddesses or mythical creatures, or even props that were needed to help tell the story. For example, if a play involved characters travelling through space and time, then there may have been some kind of star-shaped object on the proskenion.
The size of the proskenion varied from theatre to theatre and depended on how large or small it needed to be for each particular production. In some cases it was so large that it became part of the scenery itself, creating an illusion of depth on stage.
In later years, when actors began performing on raised platforms rather than in the orchestra itself, more elaborate sets were built on top of the proskenion. These could include walls, pillars and balconies which gave more options for scenery changes as well as providing actors with different levels upon which they could perform their scenes.
In conclusion, The proskenion was an essential part of Ancient Greek theatre which allowed actors to appear from offstage and also provided a projection surface for scenes set away from the main stage. It could be decorated with statues or other props depending on what was needed for each production and its size would vary depending on what kind of show was being performed. Later developments saw more elaborate sets being built on top of this platform which gave rise to more options when it came to creating realistic scenery.
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