Introduction: Seeing the Ancient Stage

Welcome! In this section, we are moving away from the scripts of the plays and looking at the physical evidence left behind: archaeological sites and painted vases. Because we don't have videos of ancient performances, these sources are our "eyes" into the past. They tell us what the theatres looked like, how actors dressed, and how the audience reacted. Don't worry if the names of the vases seem long or complicated at first. The key is to focus on what each one reveals about the theatre experience.

The Physical Theatres

The syllabus focuses on two specific locations. They show us that while there was a "standard" Greek theatre, there was also variety.

1. The Theatre of Dionysus at Athens

This is the "home" of Greek drama, located on the south slope of the Acropolis.
  • Why it matters: It was the main venue for the City Dionysia. Most of the famous plays we study were first performed here.
  • Key features: It had a large orchestra (the circular dancing floor for the chorus) and a theatron (the seating area) that could hold thousands. Behind the orchestra was the skene (the stage building).

2. The Theatre of Thorikos

Thorikos was a coastal deme (a local district/village) of Attica.
  • The "Odd" Shape: Unlike the perfectly circular theatres we often imagine, Thorikos is more oblong or rectangular with curved ends.
  • Takeaway: This shows us that early or regional theatres didn't always follow a strict circular plan. It highlights the local nature of theatre outside the main city center.

The Prescribed Vases: Tragic and Comic Evidence

The vases are divided into those that show actual performances, those that show "backstage" moments, and those that reflect the myths found in the plays.

The "Backstage" and Professional Life

The Pronomos Vase (Volute Krater): This is perhaps the most important vase for theatre students. It shows a team of actors and the chorus celebrating.
  • Look for: The aulos player (Pronomos), the playwright, and Dionysus himself.
  • Why it matters: It shows masks being held by actors, giving us a clear look at the "professional" side of theatre, including costumes and the blurred line between the actor and the character.
Pelike by the Phiale Painter: This shows two tragic actors dressing.
  • The Detail: One actor is pulling on his buskins (boots).
  • Why it matters: It provides a rare look at the practicalities of being an actor and the specific footwear used in tragedy.

The Chorus and Performance

The "Basel Dancers" (Column Krater): This vase shows a group of six identical men dancing towards an altar.
  • The Movement: They are in a synchronized, stiff-legged pose.
  • Why it matters: It’s an excellent piece of evidence for how the chorus moved together as a single unit.
Black-figure Chous (Bird Chorus): This depicts two chorus members dressed as birds, with an aulos player.
  • The Date: Around 480 BC.
  • Why it matters: It shows that animal choruses were popular in Old Comedy long before Aristophanes wrote his famous play The Birds.

Comedy and Parody

The McDaniel Painter ("Cheiron Vase"): A bell krater showing a scene from a comedy.
  • The Scene: A parody of the myth of Cheiron the Centaur being healed. It shows a comic stage with stairs and actors in padded costumes and grotesque masks.
  • Why it matters: It shows how comedy used physical humor and "low-brow" parodies of serious myths.
The "Choregos Vase" or "Comic Angels": This features Aegisthus (a tragic character) alongside comic characters called choregoi and Pyrrhias.
  • Why it matters: It highlights the visual contrast between tragedy and comedy. The tragic figure is elegant, while the comic figures are distorted and ridiculous.
The Schiller Painter (Thesmophoriazusae Vase): A scene from Aristophanes’ play where a man disguised as a woman holds a "baby" that is actually a wine-skin.
  • Why it matters: This is a rare instance where a vase directly illustrates a specific scene from a surviving play (Aristophanes' Women at the Thesmophoria).

Tragic Myths on Vases

The Capodarso Painter (Oedipus Fragment): A fragment showing Jocasta and Oedipus.
  • The Emotion: Jocasta is shown in a gesture of distress, while Oedipus looks puzzled.
  • Why it matters: It helps us understand how the peripeteia (reversal of fortune) in Oedipus the King was visualized by ancient artists.
The Death of Pentheus (Douris Kylix): This shows Pentheus being torn apart by Maenads.
  • Connection: It links directly to the themes of Euripides' Bacchae.
  • Why it matters: It highlights the sparagmos (ritual tearing apart) and the horror of the Dionysiac cult.
Medea’s Escape (Calyx Krater): Shows Medea flying away in a chariot drawn by dragons.
  • Stage Craft: It reflects the use of the mechane (the crane) to lift actors into the air.

Quick Summary Table

Topic: Staging and Practicality
Key Source: Pronomos Vase; Phiale Painter Pelike; Medea Vase.

Topic: The Chorus
Key Source: Basel Dancers; Bird Chous.

Topic: Comedy vs. Tragedy
Key Source: Choregos Vase; Cheiron Vase; Schiller Painter Vase.

Topic: Religious/Mythic Context
Key Source: Dinos Painter Stamnos (Maenads); Douris Kylix.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Don't assume vases are "photographs": Remember that vase painters often used artistic license. A vase might show a myth as it happened in the story, rather than exactly how it looked on a wooden stage.
  • Confusing the Krater types: You don't need to be an expert in pottery, but knowing that a krater was used for mixing wine (often at symposia where theatre was discussed) adds great AO1 depth!
  • Mixing up the Theatres: Remember: Dionysus = Athens/Mainstream, Thorikos = Local/Rectangular.
Note: For more information on the specific plots mentioned here (like Pentheus or Oedipus), please see the separate notes on the set plays.