More on development of ideas.

So, having decided that I'm going to transform into a puppy, I analysed my dog when he is hyper. Murphy is a Labrador puppy, therefore when hyper he tends to:
- Bark excessively
- Go to me or my parents and go onto our laps and put his paws out
- Jump up on people (this would be a little bit more difficult as we have decided to have the audience sitting on chairs) however, going onto their knees would be an idea.
- The paws then tend to scratch us repeatedly to show the need of wanting something.

By copying these things, it will enable my character to almost become a dog. Murphy only tends to do this when he wants something which as we are trying to show the need of wanting drugs this would come across..

Artaud

Background
Artaud is similar to Butoh in that the moves you make are very unrealistic. However, it is different because you can use reality and storylines to create an Artaud piece. Antonin Artaud was born in Marseille, September 4 1896. in regards to physical theatre, he was a Frenchplaywright, theatre director and actor, but he was also a poet. He's best known for his theories, which created a lot of controversy at the time.

However, Artuad is more about what the audience feels, how the audience is supposed to feel during the performance, and therefore gain a sense of Catharsis. A way of doing this was for actors to become animals. This then helped the audience understand the supernatural element and therefore feel the emotions more powerfully. We could use this into our performance by becoming animals and in doing helping the audience feel the need for the drugs that the characters are doing so.

What did we do during the Artaud lessons?
Well, I wasn't here for a few of the lessons. But one of the lessons we understood how to incorporate the audience into feelings the emotions we were trying to get across. The emotion our group used was 'Happy' and we were using breathing techniques as we were not allowed to speak by sighing a lot in happiness and using facial expressions. By using facial expressions we are able to get the audience to feel a lot more what the actors are feeling. We decided to act within the audience, and sit next to some of the audience and get some of the selective ones to stand up and join in almost. However, most of the audience felt freaked out rather than happy by the performance which has helped us understand that negative emotions come across better during performances in Artaud.

Also, we had a lesson where we were in groups and we had to portray a fairytale scene and use Artaud's techniques. We decided to go for the Lion King where Scar kills Mufasa. We then had a person play 'the tree' which was also dying like Mufasa was killed slowly. This incorporated some of Butoh's ideas of nature being played by actors. We also had Simba coming from the audience when he finds out that Mufasa is killed.

What is Artaud like?
- Jacque Le Coq - As we are going into the subconscious mind, however, a lot of what you do is improvised in movements. However, you don't need to use masks to go into the subconscious as you do it yourself.
- Butoh - as said previously, however, you don't use breathing techniques in Butoh but you do in Artaud to explain theories.
- Mime, in that you are improvising a lot in performances.

+ here we have.. more research!

Someone asked on Wiki what the subplot of the play metamophisis is, and someone provided these answers

1) Gregor's isolation from his family [talk about how his relations are severed. use all examples of him and his dad, then him and his mum, then him n greta.]

2) family values [their basic moral values towards their own flesh and blood not to mention the sole provider for their 'luxe' life]

3) priorities [how money and luxuries are imp. for mr.samsa then how basic necessities are imp. to the mother and then how gregor is imp. for greta]

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_subplot_of_the_play_metamorphosis

In the sense of number one, we have developed a new idea to go along with, whilst incorporating the idea of the beetle. This idea is having characters that are in the desperation for drugs, and being able to do anything for them. When one is high, one thinks that he/she is able to do anything, as portrayed in recent adverts by the NHS. We could then use Artaud's ideas by then becoming an animal who the character is high thinks he/she is, therefore showing the vulnerability of the character. We learn an animal characteristic, but as everyone reacts differently when being high, different people can become different characters, whilst showing the desperation to the audience.

Their isolation could happen through their suffering for how much they need the drugs. We could show this to the audience by actually asking them whether they had anything on them to give to us, how much we are alone, and therefore not working in unison with the other people acting, but working on our own to the audience, almost like selling something.

research on our ideas

We decided that we wanted to go into the Beetle idea, given to us by the stimuli of Metamorphisis.. A play in which the main character 'Gregor' becomes a beetle.
We want to create the beetle crawl and make the audience feel it, perhaps getting the idea of a beetle crawling up the audiences legs or hands or palms.. such as this photo. Hopefully we will be able to achieve this by making the audience feel it, by closing their eyes (losing one of the 5 senses, making the others stronger which is what Artaud liked using. Artaud liked using the five senses, and also getting the audience involved in the performance, therefore the fourth wall is removed). By doing this, we hope to get across to the audience that is it creepy, beetles are creepy.

Meyerhold

Background

Vsevolod Meyerhold is considered one of the most 20th Century's greatest theatres innovators. He was born in Russia and studied law for two terms at Moscow Uni. He had a wife and three daughters. He became an actor at Moscow Art School Theatre between 1898 and 1902, and was in a few of their performances.

He then became a stage director and was very successful as he was a stage director for 37 years. He earliest work was a lot to do with the realism that had started to become successful. In 1905 he changed completely from realism and had a completely unique style of performing. He was the first Russian to develop a symbolist style of theatre representation. Many of his plays went completely in the opposite direction of realism.

Meyerhold started to use Commedia Dell'Lartes work, and then adapt it into the symbolistic approach therefore it is similar to Commedia Dell'Larte. He also started combining art with theatre, having artists such as Alexander Golovin and Leon Bakst create striking sets for his productions. Meyerhold also started to direct opera's, he developed new nd distinctive ideas for masterpieces such as Wagner and Gluck.

In 1912 he also produced in Paris, therefore going outside Russia. 

He was arrested in Russia because of his so called 'anti-government political activities' and was executed.

Meyhold believed in, 'every reaction had a reaction'.

What is Meyerhold like?

Meyerhold is like commedia because of the big gestures, there is also hardly any props... Like mime..
Meyhold is also like mutuality as it is like reaction and action... You have to know your partner really well for this to work. 

Meyerhold is also similar to Mime as you are basically creating a mime except you are reacting to each other, rather than props, and yourself. Therefore lots of facial expressions is used in Meyerhold, again similar to Mime.

What did we do during the lessons?
- 

we worked with sticks, one of meyerholds techniques, so that we could understand the concept of reacting to every action. For the lesson I was in, we used a story given to us by. Andy, with four characters, and we had to react to the actor who was acting in an exaggerated way.. I found the first lesson really difficult because the concept of acting to every action was very difficult for me to get my head around.

- in another lesson of meyerhold we learnt some of his techniques including the shake, the slap and the tap dance. In these excersizes we worked in partners and I worked with Hayley. By learning these techniques we got to understand meyerholds ideas and get to grasp with them... I found that they were very choreographic and so the people who had natural rhythm understood it more... 

- in another lesson we got given our meyerhold stimuli, and andy told us we had to act using meyerholds techniques scene 2... This scene was about the main character being given money, we focused on the different money rather than the types of reaction to the main character reacting, again. I found this lesson really tough to get my head around the concept of meyerholds ideas.

- the final lesson of meyerhold we again went through the different techniques of Meyerhold, then went into groups and this time we got to choose which scene we were going to perform and choose how we were going to do it. We decided to do the scene were the main character gets drunk, and we included lots if reacting with the acting of the main character. This was the first lesson I felt that I understood meyerholds techniques and why he used them. However, in some circumstances, I felt that this could be used in other dramas, but this type of drama wasn't for me. 

Bibliography

http://www.meyerhold.org/

Mirrors developing

We decided to use the idea of the angel and devil.
The idea of the good against evil inside yourself and then the main person deciding to be good.
We felt that we should do this because it would work effectively as there are three people.

We decided to make this a mime piece. We decided to make the piece a more literal mime than a slapstick style mime, as originated from the Bohemian acrobatic family member Jean Gaspard Batiste Deburau. We decided that it would be easier and more effective to tell the story of the character having to do what is good for her, and being tempted by the devil.

We decided that the angel will want the character to do a dance piece, this was influenced by the idea that some teenagers want to dance, and the video we watched to 'Man in the Mirror' Mime. We want to make this related as much as we can to teenagers, as this is who we are performing it to.

The devil is also going to be influenced by mime, using movements that are very sharp to show this. also, we have decided to use the technique of the character being pulled by string to the devil. We decided to do this because we felt that it would look really affective on the audience. Also, the devil was going to tempt (adam and eve being tempted by the snake) into drinking and smoking, as we wanted to get across that it is wrong to drink and smoke. We made this look very literal as well inspired by the change of mime into the modern century.

We then decided to use the track 'Disturbia' by Rhianna, as well it it being a song that the audience will be able to relate to, it is also able to get across the craziness of the character when drunk.

By mixing 'man in the mirror' with 'disturbia' it has got across to the audience that many different people can still unite and be one.

Throughout the piece, contact improvisation was used, this was to incorporate different aspects of what we have learnt so far throughout this module. We decided to have the character picking up the angel, to make the character look against the world, so that when the main character is tempted, it is a shock to the audience. We also decided that the devil should climb over the character, to show that the devil was in control of the situation, although he was appearing like he wasn't.

We used actions for the main 'chorus' mime as you would do getting ready to go out. This is because the audience we were aiming this at would do these actions, and therefore be able to relate to this. Such as the 'brushing the hair' movement, every person does this usually.

Butoh

Background
Butoh originated in 1959 in Japan. This is post WW2. Influences are from the Japanese living after WW2, they wanted to get out of the stereotypical view of Japan. Also there are influences from Western countries.  It is contemporary and avant-garde. It is not meant to be taken apart, as its about the gut instinct, therefore not about the thinking behind it and the reason why. Lots of improvisation is used, the main sole of it is improvisation and what you act at the time. This means that we do not repeat the same performance, as every performance should be slightly different. Dance is also incorporated, especially German Expressionist Dance (Neue Tanz) and it created a controversial yet universal expression. It is highly unique to itself. It is now an international art form and groups around the world perform and teach it. New Zealand, East and South Asia, Europe, North and South America and Hawii are the main continents/countries that perform/teach this. Butoh has survived mainly due to Western Practitioners.


Butoh is designed to express the shadow within ourselves; the repressed side of ones self. Also, it uses Stock characters (like Commedia) to improvise from. However, these stock characters include, the wise old man, trickster, the devil and the great mother. These characters have influenced many things today, 'mother nature' could be the great mother. The Devil is a character that has always been around, but the wise old man could have been influenced by such characters like 'Winnie the Pooh''s Wise old Owl possibly. That is down to interpretation.


What did we do during the lessons?
Japanese believe in 'Out of death comes new light' showing the the cycle of life is important to the Japanese and therefore Butoh. Often in Butoh performances, the circle of life is the storyline, becoming nature and animals also help express this storyline that continues throughout most performances.
To start with the process of Butoh was quite difficult to grasp as you were out of control yourself, you go into a different mind set which was a mind set that I had never been into before (except during Le Coq)


In the lesson we used Hiroshima imagery to show the violent imagery that was first used and still used today in Butoh. I find the imagery used in Butoh possibly quite scary in some circumstances.


In the lesson I took part in, we were forces of nature. Andy put on some music to get ourselves into the mind set. I really love the music because its so different compared to the mainstream music I listen to and its all very dramatic. We were told to imagine that we were flowers who wilted  and died, then came back to life. I found it a very surreal experience because you were on your own in your head, there was no-one to act with and be supported by. In the end I really loved it although it was very surreal.


Is it like any other topics we have studied?
I believe it is like Jacque Le Coq because you go into the subconscious when you perform. You also perform on instinct, which is like Jacque Le Coq. However, Jacque Le Coq is improvised a lot of the time like Kazuo Ohno techniques. Tatsumi Hijikata used movement vocab which differs from Jacque Le Coq but this praticsioner decided to do this so that although none of the performances where the same, some where similar.
It also uses stock characters like Commedia Dell'Larte. Commedia Dell'Larte although did use a storyline, was also often improvised as to when to include a Lazzi sketch. This is like Tatsumi Hijikata style as he also used stock movements.


Bibliography
http://www.butohuk.com/
http://www.butoh.net/butoh/Home.html
http://artsbymalia.com/j15/images/yootheme/yoogallery/portfolio/In%202002-2003%20I%20Lived%20In%20Osaka%20For%20A%20Year%20Teaching%20English%20And%20Studying%20Butoh%20Dance.%20Photo%20By%20Kanae%20Terachi.jpg

mirrors responding

After we were learnt practitioners (more will come in later blogs) Andy told us that we have to create a piece using one of the practitioners to create a piece of drama. Our stimuli for this was the word Mirror.

We were first set the task to write down our responses to the word Mirror, words, songs, feelings etc.

• One of the first things I thought of were fairytales, with reference to snow white. 'Mirror Mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all' being the catch phrase with the bad guy throughout that particular fairytale. The idea of good verses evil could be shown throughout the performance. You could perform about a bad person wanting to put on a mask to show that actually he/she is a good person. Using conventions such as thought track and freeze frame to change the character. Going into the fantasy land would be essential. You could go into a performance of mime using abstract mime, like in Alice in Wonderland. Where there is no storyline, but you go into the characters thoughts and feelings and the portrayal of the character. This could also be shown through Commedia, having a complete spin, and almost turning it into a Pantomime, using exaggerated movements and the Pantilone walk could show the evilness of the character saying these lines.
• Shows the inside of yourself, the person who you are compared to the image you put on.

• Reflection..

- where... in water? in the mirror? in yourself? in others?

- so many questions.

- This photo (Taken by Sian Drew of Beccy Drew) could represent black and white culture, and how someone's personality is 'black and white' yet they are trying to break through becoming themselves as human beings. You could portray this through a mime, having two people play the same person. It could be an abstract mime, just showing clear viewpoints of how each part of that person is feeling. It could also be very improvised, and having contact improvisation to show that they are one person working in view points, but its completely different characteristics. This could show mutuality. For example, the black and white person could be quite sad and depressed and the happy person be very happy and full of life. This person is also reflecting themselves through a mirror.

- who are you reflecting to? and why? could be to the audience, or to yourself? are you reflecting your true colours? why are you reflecting? do you need to? do you need to make a decision?

- the person you become, is it a reflection. are you inside yourself

- what do you see in the reflection? anger, hunger, the angel/devil. conscience. influencing decisions in life?
- You could have a storyline of butoh, having the angel and devil influencing you constantly and you don't know where you are going.

• Eating disorders
• Disorders in general

• Man in the mirror - Michael Jackson

The chorus:

'I'm starting with the Man in the Mirror

I'm asking him to change his ways

And no message, could have been any clearer

if you wanna make the world a better place take a look at yourself and make that change'

I feel these lyrics say a lot about mirrors, and how people look inside themselves. This song could be a great backing track to a piece of mime about mirrors. as seen in video. (http://abbiphysicaltheatre.blogspot.com/2010/11/video.html). You can really use the lyrics to create a mime from 'Message' 'Clearer' 'World'. Creating a clear picture to the audience of the storyline.

• Paparazzi
• Depression
• Erised - to get what you need, not what you want.
• Twins

This is one of many photo's I could have chosen to represent 'Twins' (taken by Rebecca Brown: http://www.flickr.com/photos/beckie0/)

This could mean anything, it could represent the idea of how two people could not want to be a like any more, and they have completely different personalities. This could be shown by mime, and in parts the actors are mirroring each other, yet at other parts they are reaching out, doing completely different things to show that they are still individual, even though they look the same. They could be arguing with each other. also, contact improvisation could be used as twins know each other very well therefore they could use it affectively.

• “Every beautiful girl sees a monster in the mirror.”

I felt that this was a really really beautiful photo (unknown photographer). It says a lot about how mirrors can have an affect on people. With the quote, I believe that EVERY girl sees a monster in the mirror. I also thought the hand being on the mouth although lipstick is being put on, its quite significant and I would like to put it into the performance. I also like the idea of it being out in the public, as the setting is public toilets I believe.
You could go into a Butoh performance using this picture by having the monster become you as the storyline. You are trying not to become the monster but in the end the monster wins. You could use a mixture of solid, sharp movements and flowy movements to get this idea across to the audience.

Video

This mime I felt was really clever.

- The costume was great, it really worked with the piece as its black and white, hiding the true mime person. Obviously the person of mime, but the mask hiding the person was significant. And breaking into the mirror and becoming someone else also showed the confusion of personality, happening a lot in teenage girls. Using normal things that happen in life (reading the newspaper) to get the idea of normality across would be something to consider putting into the performance. I feel that I would only want the chorus of the song though to have Michael Jackson singing, the rest to be the background, because it could distract from the performance.

Simalarities and Differences between Jacque Lecoq and Commedia Dell'Larte

Similarities

•  They both use masks
•  Exaggerated movement is necessary.
• The work is a lot improvised.

Differences

• Jacque lecoq uses this technique as a training method. Whereas Commedia is a performance..
• Jacque Lecoq uses masks to create neutrality, therefore they have no personality. Their personalities are not already known. There is also hardly any speech used. Jacque Lecoq uses masks to create characters with already known characteristics and personality.
• Jacque Lecoq uses facial expressions for their character masks and not their neutral masks.
• Commedia Dell'Larte uses the facial expressions to create teh characters.
• Commedia Dell'Larte masks are used to create the already known stock characters.

Jacque Lecoq

Background
The theatre practisioner Jacque Lecoq was born in Paris, December 15, 1921.
He was most famous for his method on physical theatre, movement and mime taught at l'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq since 1956.  He founded the school.
He first began to learn the art of Commedia Dell'Larte as he lived in Italy for 8 years. Whilst in Italy, he met up with a sculptor Amleto Sartori to which then they created the neutral mask.
When he came back to France, he opened a school of mime. He did also do some television work, but his school was such a big success he focused all his time on teaching. During when he was alive, he developed a teaching programme, and he also founded the stage design department of the school, making the name l'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. Jacque Lecoq died in January 19th 1999 but he was known to have been teaching a few days before. His wife now continues his successfull school and continues to teach students his techniques.

His main focus is to create the neutral mask, using techniques, his students learn to become neautral, adopt neutral features. This is to help the students become neutral, so then they can adopt other styles.

What did we do in the lesson to understand Jacque Lecoq

We were given a mask to help others become neutral. We were told to make our facial expressions fill the mask, to help us with the neuteal character we were becoming. Personally, this part was difficult because I had a full mask on, other did have half masks therefore they were able to complete this. Then, we had to let the mask become ourselves, by picking out an object we coudl create a character. We watched others perform and performed ourselves with the object. We then took the masks off and then explained how we felt. I felt really exhilarated from it. Then we went into partners, and one of the partners put on the mask whilst the other looked after them. The person wearing the mask let themselves go in a sense. Then, we had to think of a word that the character we have on the spot, and one that suited our character. My character's 'chosen' word was 'hair'. Joe was asking questions then I had to reply with the word hair. I felt this lesson I totally became out myself, and although this happened. I throughorly enjoyed the lesson because it made me think about how I act and how it signifies me, aswell as others characteristics signify them.

Similarities and Differences between Greek Theatre and Commedia Dell'Larte

Simalarities
- They both use exaggerated movements to create comedy to the audience
- Comedy is the key element or one of the key elements
- They both have a need of grabbing the audience's attention.

Differences
- performed at different places and different times
- Chorus is used in greek theatre and Commedia Dell'Larte uses stock characters
- Chorus in Greek Theatre used as narrator.

Commedia Dell'Arte

Background

Commedia Dell'Arte is italian comedy. Ironically it means Comedy of Proffession or Comedy of Art. It also stands for improvised or unwritten drama. It is still used today, with many actors specialising in it. It was around for probably 400 years but was most well known in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuary. Performers played in temporary stages, such as city streets or court venues. Better troupes such as Gelosi, Confidenti performed in palaces. They also became internationally famous once they travelled abroad. They used dance, music and witty dialogue to create the comedy effect. When performed abroad, the language didn't change to the country's language, as some of the characters already used dilect of the country.

Performing in the streets was an advantage for Commedia, as it removes the 'fourth wall' and relates to the audience much more. This is also significant as the characters relate to the audience a lot.

Characters:
 'Regardless of region, il Capitano would have spoken in Spanish, il Dottore in Bolognese, and l'Arlecchino in utter gibberish.' il Capitano, il Dottore and l'Arlecchino are stock characters. The focus is on the physicality rather than the spoken words.

'Arlecchino was the most famous. He was an acrobat and a wit, childlike and amorous. He wore a cat–like mask and motley colored clothes and carried a bat or wooden sword.

Brighella, Arlecchino's crony, was more roguish and sophisticated, a cowardly villain who would do anything for money.

Il Capitano (the captain) was a caricature of the professional soldier—bold, swaggering, and cowardly.

Il Dottore (the doctor) was a caricature of learning—pompous and fraudulent.

Pantalone was a caricature of the Venetian merchant, rich and retired, mean and miserly, with a young wife or an adventurous daughter.

Pedrolino was a white–faced, moon–struck dreamer and the forerunner of today's clown.

Pulcinella, as seen in the English Punch and Judy shows, was a dwarfish humpback with a crooked nose, the cruel bachelor who chased pretty girls. This shows that the character has influenced shows that happened hundreds of years later..

Scarramuccia, dressed in black and carrying a pointed sword, was the Robin Hood of his day.

The handsome Inamorato (the lover) went by many names. He wore no mask and had to be eloquent in order to speak the love declamations.

The Inamorata was his female counterpart; Isabella Andreini was the most famous. Her servant, usually called Columbina, was the beloved of Harlequin. Witty, bright, and given to intrigue, she developed into such characters as Harlequine and Pierrette.

La Ruffiana was an old woman, either the mother or a village gossip, who thwarted the lovers.

Cantarina and Ballerina often took part in the comedy, but for the most part their job was to sing, dance, or play music.'

Lazzis
Lazzi's are used in commedia Dell'Larte. It means 'Joke' in Italian. It was used as a rehearsed comedy. It was used to make time up or ensure a certain amounts of laughs in a performance. Lazzi's would be passed down generations. In a performance, any Lazzi could be used at any point, whether be used as a catch phrase or not. Once one character started the Lazzi, the other characters would fall into place, therefore teamwork is heavily required on the company. Harlequin or Zanni would have the most Lazzi's in a performance at their disposal.

What happened in the lesson?
We were put into groups and then got given a character to understand the characteristics of the character. We got given Pantalone and so we focused on how vain the character was. We imagined a mirror in front of us and performed what type of looks he would do in the mirror, as he was a fellow. I found this lesson a little confusing as I didn't understand totally the article we were given at the beginning.

In another lesson of studying this we were given the task to devise a performance. I was in a group with James and Hayley and we decided to use the scenerio given by Andy of 'The Rotten Tooth' and we decided that over exaggeration would make it comedic. We also used movements and then stuck in them, and used speech to tell the audience (our peers) what is going on. I learn that simple but over exagerrated movements is what makes the audience laugh. I really enoyed this lesson because I felt me, James and Hayley worked really well together and everyone was laughing at each others performances which shows that they all worked. The only thing that we didn't do was to use the stock characters of Commedia Dell'Larte which was the point of the lesson but the lesson was learnt that we shouldn't get carried away.

Bibliography
http://www.theatrehistory.com/italian/commedia_dell_arte_001.html
http://italian.about.com/library/weekly/aa110800a.htm
http://italian.about.com/library/weekly/aa110800b.htm
http://www.ask.com/wiki/Lazzi

Greek Theatre

Background

The Greek Theatre were around from 550-220 BC and this is where it is first heard of plays and theatre. There were two types of Greek Plays, comedy and tragedy. This has affected views on plays in many ways. The theatres were built on mountain sides. As you can see from the picture the audience was higher than the stage, this was so that the audience could see every part of what was going on. However, the problem with this was that the people at the back had difficulty hearing what was going on, therefore over exaggerated movements were used a lot. The theatron was shaped like a speaker so that everyone in the audience could hear what the actors were saying, as obviously microphones are not in existence. Also speaking in exaggeration could help communicate with the audience.

Chorus
Also there were chorus used. The chorus told the story and acted as narrators. They also indicated the start and end of the performance. They wore linen slippers, tunics and flesh tights. This showed that they were apart from the performance and the costume could be seen as neutral.

During this lesson where we learnt about chorus, we were put into threes and then given a stanza to use physical theatre to make the piece to come to life. Like what the chorus members did. I found it really difficult at first as it was hard to let go of myself quickly to the group. I learnt how to apply brand new techniques and it helped with my understanding of Greek Chorus.

Slapstick Comedy
Greek Theatre also uses a lot of slapstick comedy and this has inspired lots of other people, commedia d'larte or even the chuckle brothers for examples. Slapstick comedy was used so that the audience could see what was going on.

The next lesson we went into pairs and performed an extract given by Andy and learnt how to make the script comedy using words and movement. I worked with Joe and we first cut a lot of the words out so that we could work on more movement than words. We then used exaggerated movements to make the audience (the btec group) laugh. I enjoyed doing this because it was about less words and more action.

Masks
Masks were used a lot in Greek theatre. A reason why they were used was because only Men were allowed to act as it deemed at the time that Women shouldn't act, therefore when Men were portraying women, they had to wear masks to get this idea across to the audience.'Thespis was the first writer, who used a mask.' Members of the chorus used masks that were usually similar to each other but completely different to the main cast to differentiate them. The masks were usually made of leather, wood or linen. A marble or stone face would be used as a mould to create the masks. Human or animal hair was also used to create the masks and make them look effective on stage,