Restoration Comedy
This literary technique used wit, irony, and exaggeration to expose and ridicule the follies and vices of society, particularly of the upper class.
What is Satire?
In this country, melodrama first emerged as a popular form of theatrical entertainment in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and continued to evolve into a distinct genre with its own conventions and styles.
Where is France?
A sad clown character often portrayed as love-struck and dressed in white, whose origins are in the late seventeenth-century Italian troupe of players performing in Paris.
Who is Pierrot?
The ancient Greek poet credited with inventing the theatrical art form of drama and the first "recorded" actor.
Who is Thespis?
In this traditional Japanese theatre form, a typical performance lasts up to eight hours and features slow and stylized movements, as well as intricate costumes and masks worn by the performers.
What is Noh?
A group of people in the late 17th century who objected to the bawdy content and immorality of Restoration comedies, and sought to shut down the theaters that produced them.
Who are the Puritans?
The classic trope in melodrama in which a virtuous and helpless woman is held captive or otherwise threatened by the villain, forcing the hero to come to her rescue and save her from harm.
What is a "Damsel in distress"?
The character Harlequin is known for frequently carrying this item, which is typically made of wood.
What is a Sword?
The name of the storytelling structure that describes the traditional pattern of a dramatic plot with five stages: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
What is Freytag’s Pyramid?
This Japanese puppeteer manipulates intricate and lifelike puppets, often depicting historical or mythological characters.
Who is a Ningyōtsukai?
A male character who was overly concerned with fashion, appearance, and manners, often to the point of being ridiculous.
What is a "Fop" ?
The prefix "Melo" in the term "melodrama" is derived from the Greek word "melos," which has historical roots in this genre and originated in the 18th century as a form of sentimental theatre that featured this as a prominent element.
What is Music?
A key element of the costumes in Commedia dell'arte performances that helped actors portray different characters, such as the zanni, the doctor, and the Pantalone.
What is a "Mask?"
According to one of the greatest philosophers who ever lived and the first genuine scientist in history, the purpose of Drama is to arouse in the audience feelings of PITY and FEAR, and to purge these emotions (catharsis), thereby making people stronger emotionally.
Who is Aristotle?
These three main types of traditional Japanese theatre, each with its own distinct performance style and theatrical conventions have been popular since the medieval period and continue to be performed today.
What is Noh, Kabuki, Bunraku?
This English King restored the monarchy in 1660 and his reign saw the emergence of the bawdy and witty genre of theatre known as Restoration comedy.
Who is King Charles II?
In melodrama, this term refers to a male character who is charming, but morally corrupt and often engages in womanizing and other vices.
What is a "Rake?"
The main prop used in most every performance that has two pieces of wood tied together to hit someone, not injure them, and produce a sharp sound from the vibrating pieces of wood..
What is "Slapstick?"
This Greek God was honored during the Pythian Games, an ancient Greek festival with athletic and cultural events.
Who was Apollo?
This style of Japanese Theatre has men performing as Women.
What is Kabuki?
One of the notable characters in the history of Restoration comedy, who was known for his seductive ways and was featured prominently in the play "The Country Wife."
Who is "Jack Horner?"
This law was passed by the British Parliament that required all plays to be approved by the Lord Chamberlain before they could be performed publicly.
What is the Licensing Act of 1737?
This Italian word, which means "gag," refers to the hundreds of different comedic routines used in Commedia dell'Arte performances by the various stock characters.
What is "Lazzie?"
Aristotle wrote an analytical treatise on literature and drama around 350 BCE, approximately 100 years after Sophocles' play Antigone was written.
What is "The Poetics?"
A "rough style" style of kabuki acting that uses exaggerated, dynamic "kata" (forms or movements) and speech.
What is "Arogoto?"