In the United States, the general impression of theatre seems to be one of two portrayals. That of actors reciting Shakespearian lines, dressed in stuffy costumes, and that of the tremendous musical performances given on the stages of Broadway. Neither interpretation incorporates the nuances of theatre, or of the uses of the art. Theater is not only a form of popular entertainment, but a vehicle of social change, a demonstration of what a playwright or artist might take issue with in a society, or a method of bringing together a community.
One such work is Give Us Our Money Back, a play written by No’man Ashur, aimed at criticizing the state of the Egyptian cinema in the 1950s. No’Man Ashur, who was known for his leftist, communist sympathetic ideas, bemoaned the “mercantilistic and artistically debilitated condition of Egyptian cinema” (Lozy 8) and supported the idea of nationalization of the film industry as a means to combat this condition.
Ashur himself was an employee in the Ministry of Culture, and was in charge of cinema and theatre censorship. His experiences there led him to believe that the film industry was “the greatest danger to…cultural life” (Lozy 8). He reviled the ‘merchants of culture’ that capitalized off of the system, and catered to the public with commercial films that promoted neither artistry or specific themes.
The play itself contains several colorful characters, including a movie director who finds his artistic licenses halted by the state of the
Notions surrounding the “death of cinema” have been infiltrating cinema discourses for many years now. As we move away from cinema in its ‘purist’ form, we have almost completely transitioned into the digital age, and with this transition, ideas and opinions on the ultimate fate of cinema have become more popular and important. Many contribute technological advances in film as the driving force behind the dissolution of cinema’s distinctive art form. Yet this involuntary “transformation” of cinema is but one “death” in a group of discourses. As Michael Witt (1999) summarizes in his article The death(s) of cinema according to Godard, cinema has suffered not a single death, but “a series of deaths”. Jean-Luc Godard has for many decades been at the forefront of the discussion surrounding the death of Cinema.
In “A Century of Cinema”, Susan Sontag explains how cinema was cherished by those who enjoyed what cinema offered. Cinema was unlike anything else, it was entertainment that had the audience feeling apart of the film. However, as the years went by, the special feeling regarding cinema went away as those who admired cinema wanted to help expand the experience.
I’ve adored theatre for as long as I can remember. From writing plays throughout elementary school, to being involved in Drama Club in middle school, to performing in community theatre in high school, and to visiting the theatre as often as I could from the very beginning, theatre has always been a part of my life. Every aspect of it engages me: the directors working to bring their vision of the show’s scenes, choreography, or music to life, the actors transforming into different characters through their expression of dialogue, song, or dance, the costumers and set-builders transporting the audience into the setting and time period with their artistry, the backstage tech and crew working quickly and precisely to keep the show flowing to curtain call, and the orchestra bringing the show to life through music. There is nothing like the experience of live theatre, both as a member of the audience and as a member of the cast and crew.
Above all, I wouldn’t be where I am today without theatre. Without the chance to perform throughout my life, I would be disconnected from the wide array of communities and histories that’s been imbedded in my daily routine. Unfortunately, it’s speculated that the theatre is a dying art form, because of the expanding popularities of movies (“Is”), but I think that it’ll remain a well renowned part of expressing imagination and interpreting history as years pass; it only takes cooperation with school faculty and young students that go above and beyond to change their
Article Three – Author: David Bordwell / Title of Article: The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film
Ever since I can remember I have loved theatre. It’s been a constant presence, and an important touchstone, in my life. However, for as long as I’ve loved theatre, I have also been ridiculed for my enjoyment of it. As a child, my interest was tolerated as something precious, something I was bound to grow out of. My parents and teachers would sit in the audience, clapping and cheering me on, all the while thinking to themselves “I bet she’ll make a great lawyer one day.” They thought, like most of society, theatre was an unnecessary luxury; a pastime for the rich and powerful, for those who didn’t have to worry about putting food on the table, or clothes on their children’s backs. Certainly not
Movies are constantly created by producers and writers to convey a particular meaning to their audience they are reaching out too. The meaning can be interpreted in several ways. For example, one can understand the meaning that was intended by the creators, or it could be an individual’s own understanding of a storyline in the movie. As a movie can be viewed through different perspectives, a dominant male named Louis Althusser created the theory of Interpellation and the Role of ISAs and RSAs to help further understand movies. Althusser’s theory explains that people in power will remain in power and others will be controlled by those in power (Hartt-Fournier, Lecture 2). Furthermore, the role of ISA, known as the Ideological State
Culture, the way of life of a group of people is a very important aspect of human existence. Indeed the culture of a certain people is extremely significant to them that they strive as much as possible to prevent its extinction by passing it down from one generation to another. Over the centuries, oral telling , art making and subsequently writing have been methods of passing and preserving culture and then recently film making. The film and the media have proven to be an extremely strong factor when it comes to portrayal, proclamation and even preservation as a result of the numerous numbers of people the media has access to. For the purpose of this essay, I would be visiting the history of film in Australia, its cultural importance and significance and its distinct examples in modern day film.
Movies, being an influential factor in our society, make a great impact on our outlook on foreign and
“Theatre makes us think about power and the way our society works and it does this with a clear purpose, to make a change.”
In the words of Gay McAuley, “for an activity to be regarded as a performance, it must involve the live presence of the performers and those witnessing it…” (McAuley, 2009, cited in Schechner, 2013, pp.38). This statement recognises the importance of both the actor and the audience for something to truly function as a performance. In addition, Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones highlights the significance of the theatrical space and how it can influence an audience stating that “on entering a theatre of any kind, a spectator walks into a specific space, one that is designed to produce a certain reaction or series of responses” (Llewellyn-Jones, 2002, pp.3). The relationship between actor, audience and theatrical space is no less important today than it was at the time of theatre during the Spanish Golden Age and the creation of Commedia dell’arte in Italy. Despite being very close geographically with theatre thriving for both in the same era, sources that explore the social, cultural and historical context of these countries and the theatre styles will bring to light the similarities and differences. This essay will analyse the staging, the behaviour of the audience as well as the challenges the actors faced, and how this directly influenced the relationship between actor, audience and theatrical space.
The above example illustrates not only how the theatrical performance affects the audience, but also how the audience influences its dynamics, development and the characters within it. The actors feel a certain level of acceptance from the viewer, who demands a certain way of depicting the character. Theatre is not just entertainment, itís something much more than that ñ itís education. Theatre should always represent things, rather than
The romantic idea of the auteur is described by film theoretician, André Bazin, observing the film form as an idealistic phenomenon. Through the personal factor in artistic creation as a standard reference, Bazin primarily refers to an essential literary and romantic conception of the artist as central. He considers the relationship between film aesthetics and reality more important than the director itself and places cinema above paintings. He described paintings as a similar ethical creation to film stating a director ‘can be valued according to its measurements and the celebrity of the signature, the objective quality of the work itself was formerly held in much higher esteem.’ (Bazin, 1967: 250). Bazin contemplates the historical and social aspects that indeed hinder a director’s retribution to their own personalised film, thus en-companying their own ideological judgement upon the world ‘more so in cinema where the sociological and historical cross-currents are countless.’ (Bazin, 1967: 256)
The history of theatre in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries is one of the increasing commercialization of the art, accompanied by technological innovations, the introduction of serious critical review, expansion of the subject matters portrayed to include ordinary people, and an emphasis on more natural forms of acting. Theatre, which had been dominated by the church for centuries, and then by the tastes of monarchs for more than 200 years, became accessible to merchants, industrialists, and the less privileged and then the masses.
In today's busy world, people usually struggle to find time for fun and a way of relaxation but when it happens, they often spend it on entertainment. One of those forms of entertainment is watching stage or film productions. Theatre and film have lots of aspects in common and depend on each other, however, they involve differences. People choose between theater and film based on factors and their own preferences. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast between those two forms of art.