To theatre or not to theatre
To theatre or not to theatre
The theatre. The beholder of the works of numerous playwrights. The stages upon which their ideas have been unraveled. The auditoriums which have enabled thousands to see these pieces come to life. The theatre.
When referring to said theatre, one’s initial thoughts often resort to the name William Shakespeare and the Globe theatre, in which his most renowned plays were first performed. This, however, occurred over 400 years ago, so why is it that work which is so many centuries old is still making an impact nowadays?
Well, Shakespeare was one of a kind. His apt distortions he made to the English language within his pieces, accompanied with his tendencies of using long-winded words, were highly influential in the shaping of the vocabulary used today. It was discovered that Shakespeare was responsible for the first recorded examples of over 1700 words.
The more predominant reasoning to his ongoing success, however, is due to how relatable it is. His works are truly proof of how the fundamental nature of society remains unchanged- with the underlining message of all of his plays still being understood. He created parallels between the real world and his play-worlds by exploring themes which are timeless.
Regardless of the legacy he left behind, the question as to why people continue going to the theatre remains unanswered. Personally, I think there are (and always have been) two options.
On one hand, people attend as they have a profound passion and interest in the Arts and want to be emotionally and intellectually tested. They want to be more open-minded and gain a greater appreciation of literature. It can also be considered a form of escapism.
Contrastingly, the primary reasoning for appearances in the audience was used by the bourgeois as a means of displaying their wealth and social status to those around them. The increasingly influential upper middle class, along with members of aristocracy were commonly associated with the Arts- despite of their lack of knowledge on what they’re observing. This can still be found nowadays; audiences with no true appreciation of the work attend these plays, in order to depict a false image of the ‘luxurious’ life they live. As a result, over time, a requirement for attire which is to be worn has been introduced- as well as increased prices. The theatre has therefore continued to distance itself further from lower working classes.
The two groups of people I have mentioned are (and were) easily distinguished. Audiences which have a desire to be enlightened are found to be respectful and attentive, whereas the phonies are often found confused. In the case of the Elizabethan era, crowds were typically loud and would interact with the actors on stage.
So overall, the principal idea of the theatre and what it represents still remains. Its major faces and their works continue to live on. But, as expected with time, different social aspects have influenced the means in which these plays are performed.
By Ana Lazic, Year 12