The Audience And Theatre - A Brief History

Since before the invention of the written word

, man has told stories. It is thought that the most prevalent manner of expression for human beings was through actions: miming acts of heroism and mimicking humorous moments to inspire or amuse one's community. A large portion of what we now think of as being fully integrated into theatre as a whole is likely to have roots in tribal religion. This is where the audience's role in events comes into 'play'. We can only speculate what such ceremonies would have been like, but some historians believe that the audience would be called-upon to dance or sing as performances by people of importance in the tribe took place.

Thousands of years later, and audiences would roar and pound their tables in the courts of kings and queens, as royal performers danced, sang and fought. However, it was around this time that the Medieval concept of the 'morality play' (the most well-known of which is the so-called 'Second Shepard' play) developed. Such plays, in a strange, spiritual echo of their primitive origins, were also a kind of religious ceremony in-unto themselves. Though the form in which they were shown would vary, at least a handful of performances took place within places-of-worship, carrying biblical messages, and including local volunteers from choirs.

Carry this forward into the modern day. We are a people used to interactivity in our entertainment; voting on game-shows via television remote, controlling characters in video games and even the ability to garner behind-the-scenes knowledge via DVDs of films (including alternate endings). As media is a reflection of the society which creates it, this postmodern idea is even reflected in our theatre. What was once the staple of pantomime, twenty years ago, has become a completely normal sight to behold in a production. Some of the more experimental plays actively seek to build-upon this principle; with audiences 'dressing-up', voting for one of a number of possible endings (Drood), or even walking from room-to-room, viewing different 'mini-plays' which make up an overall narrative (The Masque of the Red Death).

Regardless, Theatre has always evolved. Quietly and slowly, it is true, but let nobody say that it is an outdated medium. Theatre is as relevant and revolutionary today as it was thousands of years ago, when men sat around fires and gazed in awe at their fellows' stories of great battles and hunts. It is a style which has appeared in almost every single culture around the world, in one form or another, and is, apparently, a constant aspect of human nature.

by: Msmith

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