What does “theatrical stage” mean? This phrase is often used in the media and literature. It has two interpretations - in the literal and figurative sense. Most often - in figurative. It seems that it will be interesting to consider the two sides of the phrase "theatrical stage" and find out what they were at different times.
What is said in the dictionary?
There are considered two interpretations of the noun "stage":
- Elevation, platform, part of the scaffolding.
- Theatrical term for the stage, stage flooring.
Thus, we can conclude that the “theatrical stage” in the literal sense denotes both the material from which the stage in the theater is made, and the stage itself.
The scene is an ancient Greek word that literally means "tent, tent." Now they call it the key part of the theater, the place where the main theatrical action takes place. It is most often located directly in front of the auditorium, towering above it. But there are theaters where the audience is located around the stage, which is on the same level with them.
Scene device
In the theaters of Ancient Greece, at first it was just a tent, where the actors prepared for performances. And later turned into part of the scenery, which depicted the background. The action itself then took place in the orchestra - on a round, and later a semicircular venue, where actors, a choir, and some of the musicians performed. Then it moved to forgiveness - the wooden facade of the stage. More information about the ancient theatrical stages will be discussed below.
In modern theater, as a rule, they use scenes of a closed type, which are called the "stage-box." Its main sign is the presence of an enclosed space, which is separated by a wall from the auditorium. Such a scene and the hall communicate with each other through the hole located in the front wall of the scene.
The architectural arch, which is formed in this case, is called the "portal of the scene", and the space inside this arch is called the "mirror of the scene."
The stage in horizontal section is divided into three parts:
- The proscenium is the front end.
- The scene is medium.
- Ayerscena - back.
The third part is usually adjacent to the main box in the form of an extension. The scenery is stored in it and quickly replaced with the help of furrows - rolling platforms.
In addition, the scene is divided into the game part, which lies within the visibility of the audience, and backstage side spaces. On the sides there are also extensions, they are called "pockets", they are also equipped with rolling platforms.
Turntable
It is one of the types of additional equipment for the theater. This is part of the tablet of the scene, which is made in the shape of a circle and rotates around a central axis. The purpose of the stage circle is to move performers and sets around the circumference. With it, you can quickly change the volumetric scenery, deploying the action in a modified space, building dynamic staging. All this makes it possible to enhance the emotional impact on the audience.
The turntable was invented in 1758 by a playwright from Japan Namiki Shizo for the Kabuki Theater. And in the 30s. The 19th century, again in Japan, a device was developed with the help of which the scene was double-rotated. This has expanded the possibilities for the embodiment of plays.
On the European stage, the turntable was first used in 1896 in Munich, in the Residence Theater, when staging the opera Don Giovanni. He played an important role in the productions of K. S. Stanislavsky. Today, this device is a necessary attribute of the stage in a drama theater, and in the form of a collapsible installation, it is sometimes used in opera and ballet.
In ancient Greece
All theaters in it were divided into three main parts:
- Orchestra.
- Theatron.
- Skena.
As mentioned above, the orchestra was at first the scene of the actors. The theater is a place for spectators who are located obliquely around the orchestra. Not far from it was a wall, it had a front wall - forgiveness in the form of a colonnade depicting the facade of a palace or temple. The skens at both ends had lateral annexes - paraskenias, in which the theater property was stored.
Complicating Structures
With the development of ancient Greek dramaturgy, the complexity of theatrical constructions was required. Staging equipment began to appear, the skena turned into powerful structures made of wood and used as scenery.
Ekklemly were widespread - the platforms which advanced on low castors. They were taken out of the central passage of the wall, showing the public what was happening indoors. There were also eorems - devices for raising actors into the air. Later they received such a name as "mehane" - "machine".
Subsequently, painted scenery appeared that made it possible to turn the forgiveness into the facade of a building: the palace, the temple, the house, the king’s tent. Painted canvases or boards were placed in the coffin between the columns.
In the period dating back to 4-1 centuries BC. e., Greek theater has changed a lot. Theaters were still built without a roof, open, but they became stone. Therefore, a large number of ruins of such "theatrical stages", photos of which are given below, have reached our time.
Now the action of the plays took place not on the orchestra, but on the forgiveness, on its flat roof. This site was now called the Logeyon. This word comes from the verb "lego", which is translated from ancient Greek as "I say." In depth, the logeyon ranged from 2.5 to 3.5 meters. Behind it was the second floor of the wall, which looked like a wall with doors, in fact, in front of it, a theatrical action took place. Thus, the skena gradually began to resemble a modern theater stage - a stage.
In European theaters
As for other European countries, there were no indoor theaters there until the 16th century. For example, at the end of the 15th century in England, performances were played on platforms that had a canopy of straw only in the rear. They were separated by two side columns from the open part of the stage. The platform itself was trapezoidal, and the base of the trapezoid was advanced into the hall. At its top was a small turret, it was often used as a decoration.
In Italy, theatrical performances were amateurish, they were episodic in nature, so there were no stationary buildings. There were two types of theater - areal and court. In the second case, for the nobles in the gardens they built a temporary stage and arranged an amphitheater for the audience. With the transfer of the theater into the palace at the beginning of the 16th century, its architecture also changes. The backdrop began to be used on the stage, which was painted taking into account the perspective, which made it possible to distribute the scenery in a limited space. From this began not only the application of the new system of scenery, but also the new theater architecture. The scene began to develop in depth, which led to the invention of the front curtain separating the hall and the stage.
Figuratively
The use of the studied expression in its direct meaning was considered above. Over time, it has acquired and figurative. After all, the word "theater" can also be understood in different ways:
- firstly, as a building where performances are shown;
- secondly, as a kind of art that conveys, through the stage actions of actors performing in front of the audience, an artistic design.
If we take the second of the indicated meanings of "theater", then the phrase in question is used in a figurative sense. For example, when they talk about "prima on the stage", they mean not just the leading actress standing on the stage, in the sense of construction. Most likely, consider her place in theatrical art as a whole. In a figurative sense, the expression is also used when it comes to the script for "Theater Scaffolding." Today, such a name, which acquired a poetic flair, is often given to festivals, productions, and competitions.