So I’ve been away for the last 5 weeks and I have tried to see as much theatre as possible. I saw many shows in London as well as a show in the ancient theatre at Epidaurus in the Peloponnese in Greece. The theatre there was built in the 4th century B.C. and seats nearly 15,000 people. (My dad pointed out that that is 3,000 more seats than Poly Pavilion where the UCLA basketball team plays!) The theatre boasts perfect acoustics – which is a delight to the actor. My sister and I saw Helen Mirren in Phaedre when we were visit the theatre. It was a very interesting and exciting experience. Although they did not have an ATM… a very frustrating experience when you’re coming from New York City. We do get spoiled by an ATM every block… . (because we didn’t have any cash we couldn’t eat from about 3pm until 1am….)
Helen Mirren in PHAEDRA
Well, before the show started we walked around the ancient site. There were temples to different gods, and bath houses for healing as well as a very large stadium. The theatre was set on one side of the city and looked out into the hills sourrounding it. What blew my mind was that the theatre, essentially in the middle of nowhere, sat that many people. And when Helen Mirren whispered the word “Hyppolytus” because she couldn’t find the strength to bring more volume to the name of the man she loved, all of the thousands of us present could hear it perfectly. It was chillingly exciting. And it got me thinking about how we really don’t need all the intricate and fancy modern conveniences that we have grown accustomed to in order to put on great theatre.
Besides these perfect acoustics, there are no perks to the theatre. No plush seats, no cocktail bar, no huge chandelier… no intermission. It was all about the audience coming to hear a story being told by actors. There were 3 chairs on stage and I even thought that that was too much. The simplicity made me think about how we do theatre back home in the states. Glitz and glamour and pleasing th ehigh paying patrons has become such a priority that tickets are over $100 to see a show. Many people are no longer able to afford theatre. And that is a problem.
Theatre was a religious experience for the ancient Greeks. And so they came in droves. Even though not much in contemporary society is religious anymore, theatre can still be a space in time that is magical, uplifting, and unique. And necessary.
I saw All’s Well That Ends Well at the National when I was in London. By no means was it a low budget show, although somehow they did make tickets affordable (the highest ticket price was 30 pounds). There were huge sets and wonderful costumes. But they all meant something. Every single piece of the set served a purpose and helped tell the story.
Since we are, obviously, living in today’s world, and not in the 4th century B.C., our audiences expect an interesting set or costumes or something when they come to a big show. But I hope more and more theatres do what the National did and take a lesson from the fact that theatre is one of the oldest trades in the game. It has been around for thousands of years. And it is because we all want to hear and tell stories. It’s just as simple as that.
icbins
jraemaldonado
lbferrel
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