Introduction to the theatre of the eighteenth century.
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Transcript of Introduction to the theatre of the eighteenth century.
Introduction to the theatre of the eighteenth century
Theatres of the Ancien Regime
One of the most popular and prestigious forms of entertainment
Official theatres: l’Opéra & la Comédie Française
Semi-official theatres: les théâtres de la Foire & les théâtres du boulevard
Private theatres
The public
Annual income of 600 livres to afford going to the theatre
A good manual worker earns at the top end 300 livres
Performances started at 5pm, so before the end of the working day
Théâtres de la foire more accessible
Spatial organisation
ParterreAmphitheatreLogesSeats directly on the stage1759: the stage is completely free of
spectatorsTheatre becomes a visual experience
Tragedy in crisis
Classical tragedy at the apex of literary genresSeventeenth-century theatre: Racine and CorneilleLa règle des trois unités: time, place, action‘Qu’en un lieu, qu’en un jour, un seul fait accompli /
Tienne jusqu’à la fin le théâtre rempli’ (Boileau)La règle de bienséance: no physical intimacy or
violence‘Ce qu’on ne doit point voir, qu’un récit nous
l’expose:/ les yeux en le voyant saisiront mieux la chose;/ Mais il est des objets que l’art judicieux / Doit offrir à l’oreille et reculer des yeux’ (Boileau)
Tragedy in crisis
Discovery of ShakespeareTheatre as a tribune Calls for making the tragedy more suppleVoltaire, Diderot, Mercier
Theatre of the Revolution
Plays linked to the political eventsRegeneration of the nation through theatreBut not a regeneration of theatre itself‘écoles primaires pour adultes’