There have been a lot of artsy things going on recently, and one of the most fun forms of art is the theatre! With so many fun theatre acts going on like The Lion King, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet, most of us would have been or will be going to the theatre at least once this year. So let’s have a quick look at the history of the theatre!

 
In general, it’s thought that theatre arose from mythos and rituals. The telling of myths, legends and cultural stories probably saw the start of the theatre as storytellers began to enact their tales to make them more entertaining.

 
Western Theatre finds its roots in early, early Greek times, from long, long, long ago, although every continent has its own style of theatre, Greece has some of the oldest known existing works that are still fully intact dating from 5th Century BC. Greek plays used to be acted out in amphitheatres; huge open air large central performance spaces that were surrounded by ascending seating. The actors would wear colorful masks, thick padded clothes and shoes with thick soles so that the audience could see them from afar.

 
Greek theatre would slowly give way to Roman theatre as the Greek empire started to decline around the same time the Roman Empire started to rise. The Romans were heavily influenced by the Greeks and had many plays that were Greek in origin that were simply translated into Latin for Roman usage; these were called Fabula Palliata. The other style of Roman theatre was called Fabula Togata; these were native in origin (mostly about wars). Roman plays took place in amphitheatres as well and were usually comedies that lasted about two hours.

Towards the Middle ages, the theatre saw a decline, in some part due to the Catholic Churches intervention. However, things changed during the 15th and 16th Centuries.

 
The Renaissance era has left its changes felt in most forms of art, but not so much in the theatre as during this time Roman plays were mostly revived to be used. But in the late 16th century, William Shakespeare began to write and act in his plays into the early 17th century thus reviving interest in the theatre by the public and by the crown. It was during this time that the public was introduced to romanticism and tragedy in greater detail. Shakespeare also managed to introduce more genres and storylines then there previously were that did not necessarily have religious themes which was the center of most Greek and Catholic Church plays.

 
In the 18th century, plays took a turn and now focused on the regular people instead of fantasy tales or tales of war. The 19th century, the Industrial era, saw the rise of mechanics and technological advancement on stage as people demanded more action and spectacle to draw them away from their dreary lives. The 20th century saw a huge explosion of musicals on the scene. People were now entertained with more music, bright colors, characters and flavors than ever on stage.

 
Since the beginning, the theatre has enjoyed an immense amount of talents; from playwrights to actors, but now these also include sound and backdrop, even stylists and fashion. The theatre has seen a lot of advancement as well as a lot of additions to its repertoire. From Romeo and Juliet, to The Phantom of the Opera, from Oedipus to Chicago, there’s a play out there for everyone.

Got a favorite play you’d like to share? Have you watched the Lion King and want to tell us what you thought of it? Hit our forums and let us know what your favorite play is!