“Popular” and “Highbrow” in the theatre. Cultural interaction and osmosis between the genres

Abstract – ITLe categorie di “teatro popolare” e “teatro d'arte” si riferiscono a due ambiti culturali differenti, distinti non soltanto da caratteristiche estetiche di base, ma anche dai loro ruoli e dalle ricadute sociali. Ciascuno comporta specifici riferimenti e tecniche, contesti di spazio e di tempo deputati, strategie di comunicazione sia tra gli artisti, sia tra questi stessi e il pubblico. Ciononostante, malgrado la storica competizione tra cultura bassa e alta, il loro rapporto è sempre stato osmotico e complementare; reciproche influenze hanno costituito un equilibrio in perenne slittamento, nel teatro (e nella cultura) occidentale sin dalle origini rituali. L'autore presenta alcuni esempi, per convalidare tale approccio come prospettiva metodologica negli studi storiografici. Abstract – ENCategories such “popular” and “artistic” theatre refer to two different cultural fields, which are distinguished not only by their primary aesthetical features, but also by their social roles as well as consequences. Each one of them involves peculiar techniques and references, setting in space and time and strategies of communication, both among the artists and between them and the audience. Nevertheless, despite an historical competition involving low and highbrow culture, the relationship between these two fields is valued as osmotic and complementary; mutual influences have been constituing an ever-shifing balance in Western theatre (and culture) since its ritual origins. The author eventually exposes some examples in order to validate such approach as a methodologic perspective in Western historical Theatre Studies

Theatricality before the theatre. The beginning of theatrical expression.

ABSTRACT - IT

Menandre sur scene. L’experience neo-hellenique

La primera representación de una obra de Menandro en Grecia remonta al año 1907, cuando el catedrático de Filología Clásica de la Universidad de Atenas Yorgos Sotiriadis puso en escena, con una compañía semiprofesional, un pasaje del segundo acto del Arbitraje. A partir de ese momento el mundo del teatro comenzó a interesarse por presentar las obras de Menandro al público griego y extranjero que acudía a los festivales de verano (Epidauro, Arenas, Dodoni, Filipos). En 1960 el Teatro nacional produjo el Díscolo, con puesta en escena de Alexis Solomós. Posteriormente Spyros Evangelatos produjo, con su Anfi-Teatro, el Arbitraje, con una puesta en escena emblemática. El director que ha impreso su huella en la representación de las obras de Menandro es el chipriota Veis Gavrilidis, que ha combinado con éxito el espíritu de la Comedia Nueva con el género de teatro cómico moderno conocido como «Кωμειδλλιο». La Samia y El Arbitraje son espectáculos famosos en la historia de la puesta en escena de la comedia griega antigua en la Grecia contemporánea.La première mise en scène de Ménandre en Grèce moderne remonte à 1907, lorsque le professeur de Lettres Classiques à l’ Université d’ Athènes Georges Sotiriades et un troupe sémi-professionel a donné une partie du deuxieme acte de L’ Arbitrage. A partir delà, commence l’ intérêt des hommes du théâtre de présenter les pièces de Ménandre au public grec et étranger qui fréquente les festivals d’ éte (Epidaure, Athènes, Dodoni, Philippi). En 1960 le Théâtre National donne L’ Atrabilaire dans une mise en scène de Alexis Solomos et ensuite aux années ’80 Spyros Evangelatos avec son Amphi-Théâtre donne L’ Arbitrage dans une mise en scène emblématique. Le Directeur qui a mis sa signature à la mise en scène des pièces de Ménandre, est le cypriote Veis Gavriilides qui a combiné avec succès l’ esprit de la Nouvelle Comédie et le genre du théâtre comique moderne nommé « Кωμειδίλλιο ». La Samienne et L’ Arbitrage, sont des spectacles fameux dans l’ histoire de la mise en scène de la comédie antique en Grèce contemporain

Greek Society During the Period of Crisis: the Role of History as a Mechanism of Repelling the Present

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Greece is found deep into a crisis, both economic and social. In an effort to deal with its devastating effects, many contemporary playwrights attempt, just like their predecessors who found themselves in similar circumstances, a risky “return to the past.” They resort to subjects already exhausted and venture a style revival, hoping to revitalize the past and also inform the present. In more ways than one we could claim that History in their plays turns into an alibi for confronting a reality that appears to be both threatening and incomprehensible

The Reception of Ancient Greek Tragedy in Late Modernity: From the Citizen Viewer of the City-State to the Consumer Viewer of the Global Cosmopolis

Ancient Drama constitutes a unique cultural synthesis of elements focusing on the Athenian democracy of the fifth century BC. Its recipient, the Citizen-Spectator of the City-State, was receiving and interpreting the stage spectacle against a back­ground of relatively homogeneous state narratives. Today, however, this relative consensus is very much weakened. The contemporary recipient is more of a Spec­tator-Consumer, rather than a traditional "spectator." S/he is a consumer with to­tally different world philosophy and sociopolitical background and certainly a dif­ferent memory bank, a bank now enriched by numerous spectacles of ancient drama throughout the world, which, altogether have created dissimilar expectations and demands. And it is at this point that the role of the director gains additional impor­tance and becomes an indispensable mediator between the contemporary spectator and the revisited classical text

Social Class

Discussion of class structure in fifth-century Athens, historical constitution of theater audiences, and the changes in the comic representation of class antagonism from Aristophanes to Menander