What Was the Style of Acting in Greek Theatre?

Greek Theatre|Theater

Greek theatre has been around since the 4th century BCE and it has grown and evolved over the centuries. It has had an enormous influence on art and literature, inspiring the works of playwrights such as Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus. The style of acting in ancient Greek theatre was quite different from what we know today; it was highly stylized with a focus on physicality, gestures, and intonation.

Chorus
The chorus was an integral part of Greek theatre. It consisted of a group of actors who would sing and dance in unison to create a sense of unity between the characters on stage.

The chorus often served as a narrator or commentator on the action taking place onstage, helping to move the story along. They also provided musical accompaniment to scenes and helped to engage the audience in the performance by interacting with them.

Actions
Actors in Greek theatre relied heavily on physicality to convey their emotions and characters. They used exaggerated gestures to emphasize their points or emotions, such as raising their arms or extending their hands towards each other when speaking. They also used masks to help differentiate between characters and add depth to their performances.

Dialogue
The dialogue in ancient Greek theatre was usually composed in poetic form known as iambic trimeter or tetrameter. This poetry was composed with strict rules about meter and rhyme that gave it a distinct sound when spoken aloud. The dialogue was often delivered in an elevated tone that emphasized its poetic nature; this was known as katharevousa (which translates literally as “clean speech”).

Conclusion:
The style of acting in ancient Greek theatre was highly stylized with an emphasis on physicality, gestures, intonation, chorus, mask-wearing and poetic dialogue delivered in an elevated tone known as katharevousa. This style has had a lasting influence on art and literature throughout history, inspiring generations of playwrights around the world.