Spectacle Podcast

Review
Spectacle = sum total of the design choices.

Lighting, sound, set, costumes, props, makeup

Realistic Spectacle:
Literal / historical
Hides the mechanics

Theatrical / Anti-realistic spectacle

Deliberate departure from realism
Focus on mood /metaphor
Reveals the mechanics

Bottom lines regarding ALL spectacle:

What does the text require?
What can the text support?

Relatively Close at Illinois

State: Whats realistic? Whats
theatrical?

Macbeth Round

Macbeth at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Realistic?

Theatrical?

Thinking about
Spectacle
A sliding scale:
Totally
Theatrical

Mixture of
Realistic and
Theatrical

Totally
Realistic

Helpful tip: Break it down by specific design

elements

Spectacle: Minimalist vs. Lavish

Minimalist:

Little reliance on design choices

Emphasis on plot/character over

spectacle

GENERALLY more theatrical, but not

necessarily

Amadeus (minimalist)

Amadeus at the Pacific Coast Theatre

1776: Tone and Style

A Midsummer Nights Dream at Illinois

State

Spectacle: Minimalist vs. Lavish

Lavish

Heavy influence of design choices

Big visual and aural impact

Generally more realistic, but not

necessarily

The Unexpected Guest (Agatha Christie murder

mystery)

Amadeus (lavish)

Amadeus at the New York State Theatre

Institute

Amadeus (lavish)

Einstein on the Beach

Most
movies and
TV

Lavish
Glee

Where would we put the

four shows youve seen
this semester? Break it
down by elements, as
necessary

Theatrical

Realisti
c

Directing
scenes in the
Cave

Minimalist

Spectacle:
Atmosphere

Atmosphere: the feel created by the

choices of spectacle

Relationship between the intention of

the text and the impact of the
spectacle

Our Town: specific

moment

Our Town at Indiana Repertory Theatre

Spectacle:
Metaphor

Metaphor: the central idea, message,

or theme as reflected by spectacle

Often reflected in a central image

Must support the potential of the text

Othello: Central
Image

Salesman: Central
Image

Death of a Salesman at Indiana Repertory

 Eastern vs. Western Philosophy

West: Action, motion, change
East: Insight, stasis, acceptance
Zen Buddhism
Search for enlightenment
Detachment from worldly pleasures and
possessions

Shinto

Worship of kami
Divinity in anything amazing

Deep roots in tradition

Presentational / Stylized / Anti-Realistic

Performance over text

Different handling of change and conflict

Puppets with lifelike detail

Puppeteers are visible, but silent

Musician and narrator are visible offstage

Scenery is elaborate, multiple shifts

Click here for a

link of Bunraku
in action

How is this play different than the western

plays weve read so far this semester?

Poetics elements and importance, especially

spectacle?

Use of performance over text?

Where do you see Japanese religious and

philosophical contexts expressed?

Note: Everything from here on out is

the material on which the Podcast was
based.

Spectacle: Theatrical

Any deliberate departure from realism

Theatricalism in performance?

More about mood, image, metaphor

Reveals / Emphasizes the mechanics of

theatre

Acknowledgement: This is a
performance, not real life

Judged by intention, not result

Aristotle on Spectacle
The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional
attraction of its own, but, of all the parts,
it is the least artistic, and connected least
with the art of poetry. For the power of
Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even
apart from representation and actors.
Besides, the production of spectacular
effects depends more on the art of the
stage machinist than on that of the poet.

Analyzing Spectacle

Spectacle = sum total of the design choices.

Lighting, sound, set, costumes, props, makeup

Primary Stylistic Choices

Realistic vs. Theatrical

Minimalist vs. Lavish
Impact of these on atmosphere and metaphor

Bottom lines regarding spectacle:

What does the text require?

What can the text support?

Spectacle: Realistic

Realistic: Literal depiction of the

physical/visual world of the play

Historically accurate, detailed, specific

Hides the mechanics of theatre

Judged by the intention, not the result