In Juliet Rufford’s book, the introduction makes some valid points but, also some interesting points too that show the progression of architecture through the different periods of drama: early Greek theatre, the Restoration period and the modern era of theatres and the architectures influence over theatre.
Rufford notes that the change in architecture of theatres had a link to the change in the audience, which could ultimately change what happens on the stage. This can be seen from ‘the huge size of the ancient Greek amphitheatre [that] demanded large gestural acting.’ (Rufford, 2015, 3) In this period of time, the audiences would be huge and they attended open aired theatres, therefore the actors had to project much more, this is also the reason for the larger gestures on stage. However, Elizabethan theatres, by way of contrast, were much smaller, and from the Globe theatre to the Theatre Drury Lane, there were changes that included going from open aired theatres to indoor theatres, mostly stood to everyone being sat and natural lighting to artificial lighting.
From open aired theatres to the indoor theatres, the architecture of the theatre influences the acting and theatricality because the actors didn’t have to project their voices as much, because their voices aren’t disappearing into the open air. Therefore, the newer architecture of the indoor theatres forced the audience to listen, even if in the Restoration period the audience openly criticised the actors on stage during the performance, but this gave way to the parameters of the contemporary theatres we expect to see today.
‘But perhaps the most significant change of all was that the auditorium lights were turned down… [and]…in the dark, the sights and sounds of the auditorium were stilled.’ (Rufford, 2015, 6) This change in 1876 by Richard Wagner for his Bayreuther Festspielhaus was a game changer in how architecture influenced the way people acted at the theatre. In the Restoration period, the stage and audience were lit in equal lighting because of a lack of technology, although it was cutting edge for its era. Despite the fact no one in the audience would have known to be quiet when the lights went down, it seemed as though it was a natural thing to do, and this was a clear paving stone for what we now expect to see and be a part of in a theatre surrounding.
The technology and the change in design of the theatres have shown how the change in architecture has had a major influence on the expectations from what happens on the stage and the whole theatre experience.
Rufford, J. (2015) Theatre & Architecture. London: Palgrave.
Andrew Brooks