The Pocket Guide to Plays & Playwrights

Billington

Chapter One

Welcome to the World of Plays, Playwrights and Theatre

Introduction

A RATHER famous playwright once wrote:

All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players

As You Like It – William Shakespeare

And he was right too, for we are all a part of one huge play – in many acts and scenes of course – but a huge play nevertheless! Think about it, when you go to the theatre exactly what are you going to see? I’ll tell you what, you are going to see a reflection of real life upon a stage, life which has been trapped and recorded by a playwright for you to watch, for you to enjoy, to criticise and from which you can perhaps learn or be educated – and yes they are two different things. Theatre, you see, is as colourful and as diverse as life itself – because, of course, it is life itself.

Many of us had our initiation into the world of theatre with our involvement in the annual production of the school Nativity play. You remember this don’t you? This was the time when the teacher became the playwright as he/she penned the story of the Nativity to suit the capabilities of her current charges; it was when the mothers became wardrobe mistresses as they furiously sewed together the obligatory tea towel into headdresses for the shepherds; when fathers were drafted in to make the cribs and strange looking donkeys, whilst grandparents attempted to wrap tinsel around the heads of little – and to be honest, anything but angelic – five-year-old angels. The total family and community involvement went on until, finally, the reception class trooped onto the stage, all peering into the audience to catch a glimpse of their family … and then dutifully wave to them! After that followed 10 nerve-wracking minutes as the teachers wondered whether any of the children would remember their lines and, if they did, then whether Sally would actually say the correct words, ‘My eyes are wide open’ as opposed to, ‘My Y’s are eyed open’.

Then of course there was the threat from little Tommy’s mother that Santa wouldn’t visit naughty boys, and the silent prayers from the teachers that this threat would pay off and, on this one occasion, stop Tommy from pulling the head off Baby Jesus and throwing it at the Angel Gabriel – again! All of this was rounded off by an out of tune rendition of ‘Away in a Manger’, the flashing of cameras and the general whisper of ‘Ah, weren’t they wonderful’. Well, frankly no, they probably weren’t wonderful; in fact, the chances are that they were embarrassingly … cute! So, did it ring a bell? I’m sure it did because it is a ritual in which most ‘play a part’ to a lesser or greater degree. And, for some, this is the start of a lifelong love affair with the theatre.

For others the affair begins with the annual trip to the pantomime. You know, that wonderful Christmas tradition where boys play girls and girls play boys, where mice turn into horses and pull along a pumpkin – oops, I mean a coach! Then of course, there is the all-singing, all-dancing cow and the constant audience involvement as they excitedly try to warn the goodie that the baddie is around with cries of: ‘He’s behind you!’ This too can be the springboard for many a child’s future interest in the theatre, particularly when one considers the fact that local dance and theatre schools generally provide a troop of children – traditionally called ‘Babes’ – as singing/dancing chorus members.

And if the Nativity didn’t get you, or the pantomime, then maybe your interest was captured by your involvement in school plays, or watching friends and relatives in the local amateur dramatic society; but whichever, one way or another, many peoples’ interest is captured early on and it becomes a lifelong passion.

But you know what? Interest is good, but knowledge is oh so satisfying, especially when it backs up and supports a hobby or interest. And so I hope that this book will give those of you who ‘love theatre’ in the way that I do, a deeper insight into this fascinating and magical world of make believe – except that it’s not is it, it’s … a reflection of real life upon a stage, life which has been trapped and recorded by a playwright for you to enjoy.

Different types of Theatre

Theatre is as diverse as life itself and as a reflection of life, so it should be, where to begin is as confusing as any theatrical who dunnit because there are so many different types of theatre. There’s …

ACADEMIC THEATRE

This is generally theatre played on a university/college campus by university/college students for a university/college audience and can be one of the springboards to a lifetime of theatre-going. It is quite often idealistic, because it is written and played by the young who still believe that the world can be improved!

ALTERNATIVE THEATRE

Alternative Theatre surfaced in the 1960s as a reaction against mainstream theatre and is often played in alternative venues too, such as: the back rooms of pubs, cellars and converted warehouses and frequently has a young, and thus idealistic, following.

AMATEUR THEATRE

Theatre produced and played by non-professionals for love and not for payment is called Amateur Theatre. Many local Amateur Dramatic Societies will allow anyone who wants to join their society to do so – they might, of course, be damned to a walk-on part forever more, though a genuine love of theatre is generally considered more important than talent. Some societies, however, do audition for new members just as a professional company would.

AUTO SACRAMENTAL

This is a Spanish Morality play (‘Auto Sacramental’ translates as ‘sacramental act’) to accompany the Corpus Christi Day procession, which reached its peak in the Seventeenth Century. The plays were short, in verse and dealt with some aspect of the Holy Eucharist – which the feast of Corpus Christi celebrated.

BROADWAY THEATRE

Broadway is the US equivalent of the West End and where, supposedly, only the best theatre plays. To have a production ‘on’ Broadway or ‘in’ the West End usually means you have ‘made it’, as they say.

BURLESQUE THEATRE

This form of theatre pokes fun at contemporary theatrical practice and the social habits of the upper classes, through the medium of comedy and music; it was a form of theatre popular from the mid-Nineteenth Century to mid-Twentieth Century – it also had a reputation for being somewhat bawdy, with scantily clad women frequently on show.

CHILDREN’S THEATRE

This type of theatre is designed to attract, stimulate and interest the next generation of theatre-goers and so plays a very important part in the world of theatre. It is a specialist form of theatre and, as in the case of the wonderful Polka Theatre in Wimbledon, reaches out beyond the action on the stage itself with the entire building, which has been designed to capture the theatrical imagination of children.

THE COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE

A form of traditionally improvised theatre which was very popular in Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century Italian theatre and in which, over a period of time, ‘stock’ characters and situations developed and the use of masks became commonplace.

COMMEDIA ERUDITA

This was an Italian Renaissance genre of theatre which was distinguished from Commedia dell’Arte by its literary elements and, unlike the latter used actual scripts rather than improvisation techniques. Because the scripts (which were generally in Latin or Italian and included the comedies of Plautus and Terence) were not exactly accessible to the common man, the plays tended to be performed for the nobility.

COMMERCIAL THEATRE

Commercial Theatre is theatre which is produced and performed by working, paid and full-time professional companies for and to make money – for themselves – some say by forfeiting any thought or respect for the art of theatre.

COMMUNITY THEATRE

This is generally site-specific and is played for a certain ‘type’ of person peculiar to that particular place; it is often theatre with a message but can actually be any sort of play or any kind of performance given for the community. Frequently, though not always, Community Theatre is performed in a community-owned venue too.

DIDACTIC THEATRE

Didactic Theatre is a form of drama intent on instructing or teaching the audience rather than entertaining them. The Medieval Mystery and Morality plays were didactic in their telling of the Bible stories and instructions about morality; today the theatre of Brecht, with its political slant, is considered to be didactic theatre.

ELIZABETHAN THEATRE

This is the theatre of the Elizabethan age, when Queen Elizabeth I reigned (1558–1603). The first playhouse was built in 1576 by one James Burbage and was called, quite simply, ‘The Theatre’.

FRINGE THEATRE

Similar to Alternative Theatre in that it is frequently played in smaller venues and is often where new playwrights try out their work for the first time. A city famous for its Fringe Theatre is Edinburgh, home of the world-renowned ‘Edinburgh Fringe Festival’. Theatre lovers from all over the world make an annual theatrical pilgrimage up to Edinburgh each August to see as many new works as possible in a variety of venues, which, in fact, can be as wild and as exciting as any of the new work itself! Many commercially and artistically successful works started their life at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and part of the fun is to see whether you can spot a potential winner or future blockbuster.

GREEK THEATRE

Just as the name implies, this is theatre which was played in ancient Greece and is acknowledged by most as the father of theatre – even though, in fact, the true origins of theatre can be traced way back to primitive man.

GREEN THEATRE

Seventeenth Century Italian gardens were often planted with evergreens and designed for outdoor theatrical entertainment, with various hedges acting as concealed entrances for the actors. The best examples of Green Theatre can be found at the Imperial Hill (Poggio Imperiale) and at the Villa Marlia in Tuscany (near Lucca), Italy, and also Villa Garzoni at Collodi.

KABUKI PLAY

Almost four centuries old, this is traditional Japanese drama where singing and dancing is performed in a stylised manner. Traditionally, during Kabuki Theatre there is constant interplay between the actors and audience – the actors frequently interrupt the play to speak directly to the audience, who, in return, respond with praise or by clapping their hands.

KYÕGEN PLAY

This is another, but less serious, form of Japanese Theatre which consists of more than 200 one act comedies, generally acted out by just two or three actors and with very little practical help in the terms of sets and lighting. The movement is often exaggerated which makes the plays easier to understand.

MORALITY PLAYS

A Morality play is Medieval and a companion to the Mystery plays. Whereas Mystery plays depict biblical stories, Morality plays depict moral lessons.

MUSICAL THEATRE

In this type of theatre, music supports and plays an integral part in the production. It became increasingly popular during the Twentieth Century and in the transition to the Twenty-First Century. It is thought, by some, to have little dramatic depth and to be merely a way of making money from theatre through exorbitant ticket prices.

MYSTERY PLAY

These are a Medieval cycle of plays based on biblical stories and were a popular form of entertainment until the Reformation, when they were banned. In the cities of York and Chester, the Mystery plays were reintroduced in the early 1950s.

NOH THEATRE

This is traditional Japanese Theatre where, rather than acting, the performers tell the story using their appearance and movements. In consequence, little actually ‘happens’ in Noh Theatre, which can also be spelt ‘No’ and means ‘talent’ or ‘skill’.

OUTDOOR THEATRE

As the name would suggest, this is theatre played outside – often in parkland or in the grounds of large houses and is usually called ‘Open Air Theatre’. The most famous example can be found in Regents Park, London where the Open Air Theatre has flourished since 1932. Here too, I must mention the unique and wonderful open air theatre in Scarborough, once the largest in Europe and now left to rot and decay. It was special because the stage was on an island on a lake. Restore it I say!

PROFESSIONAL THEATRE

Professional Theatre is theatre in which the actors are paid to perform in