The History Of European Theatre

Episode 76:A discussion of a sample of the plays by Lope de VegaThe Gardener's Dog: A Comedy The meaning of the title, a plot summary, the major themes.Punishment Without Vengeance: A Tragedy. A plot summary, it's debt to Seneca, the ironic triangle of anti-heroes, the question of incest, and the violence of the honour culture. The historical context of the play.Realism in the plays.The plays of intrigueThe role of the leading female character, the 'Dama'Sheep Well. The plot Summary. The communist reading of the play. Countryside Vs the city. The satisfaction of honour.The lasting influence of Lope de VegaSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpwww.patreon.com/thoetpThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special bonus episode to celebrate the second anniversary of the podcast. We step out of the timeline of the renaissance theatre as I tell the story of the venue that was the home to my first theatrical experiences - The Castle Theatre, FarnhamFor much of the information in this episode I am indebted to Matthew Lloyd for the use of material. For information about many UK theatres and music halls go to: http://www.arthurlloyd.co.ukFor further information about Waverley Abbey go to: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/waverley-abbey/For further information about Farnham Castle go to: https://www.farnhamcastle.comFor further information about Farnham and it's history go to: https://farnhamsociety.org.ukSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpwww.patreon.com/thoetpThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 75:The Life of Lope de Vega, greatest dramatist of the Spanish Renaissance Theatre. He had a very full life which was not just confined to writing plays, but his output was prolific on a scale that has not been matched before or since. This is his story.Then a short overview of what was special about his plays, his attitude to Aristotle and his prescriptions on the use of poetry.A word on the inevitable comparison with Shakespeare.Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpwww.patreon.com/thoetpThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special bonus episode to celebrate the Birthday of William Shakespeare which looks at the way he used and created the English Language. Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpwww.patreon.com/thoetpThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 74: The development of Spanish theatre buildings, including the original, the Corral de la Olivera in Valencia.Alberto Ganassa and the influence of his Comedia Dell Arte troupe.The first theatre in Madrid the Corral de Pachea   The main points of the layout and characteristics of the Spanish playhouse.The way plays changed to suit the playhouse, including the breaking of Aristotle’s rules.The financial structures that were used to generate charitable income from the theatre and the impact that had.The role of the theatre manager and changes as more permanent theatres were built in Spanish cities.The use of music and dance to augment the theatrical entertainments.How the acting troupes worked in the framework of the playhouse and its manager.Women performing on stage and the reaction by the Church and State.The impact of costumes on stage and the attempts to curtail excessive costume changes and expenses.The actor’s life in Spain, which may have been a little more secure than elsewhere in Europe.The establishment of the Actors Guild in 1631.The continuation of court theatre.Changes to the position of the dramatist during the period.Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpwww.patreon.com/thoetpThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 73Continuing the story of the development of theatre through the early Spanish renaissance via the life and works of the playwrights. With apologies for the slightly raspy 'post-covid' throat at the time of recording. I hope it does not spoil your enjoyment of the episode.Gil Vicente, the only Portuguese playwright of the period, but one who worked across the Spanish peninsular and produced influential works.Lope de Rueda took theatre to the masses and produced the first truly commercial theatre of the period.Alonso de la Vega, an acting pulp of Rueda who advanced the mixing of secular and religious themes.The role of the 'Auto Sacramental' in the development of tragedy from religious plays and the continuing influence of religious drama.How tragedy in Spain developed through copying of classical models and Italian versions of Roman tragedy.How tragedy developed with the introduction of local legends and myths into Spanish thetareCristobal de Virues and the development of the three act tragedy.Juan de la Cueva advancing political and social messages through his tragendies and his contribution to the expansion of language on the Spanish stage.Miguel de Cervantes and his place as the last of the playwrights before the advent of the Comedy in the Spanish Golden Age. His 'Don Quixote' invented the modern novel and changed the literary world. His impact on theatre was not quite so significant.Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpwww.patreon.com/thoetpThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 72The Situation in Spain prior to the Renaissance period with a summary of developments in the Roman and Medieval periods in Spain.The merging of religious and secular theatre at the end of the medieval period.The ‘autos’ and how it developed out of liturgical drama and the only surviving example ‘The Play of the Three Kings’.From the 12th Century ‘Pamphylus in Love’.The Spanish version of the cycle play.The poetic dialogue and its influence on theatre.The religious plays of Juan RuizThe use of rustic language for comedy in 15th century plays.The beginning of the Spanish renaissance with the plays of Gomez Manrique.Inigo de Mendoza spanning the medieval and the renaissance.Fernando de Rojas and the influential play ‘Celestina’.Juan del Encina and his three-stage career, which ended by producing some of the earliest plays of the renaissance in Spain.The religious and pastoral plays of Lucas Fernandez. Bartolome de Torres Naharro who mixed Plautus with his real-life experiences as a soldier and churchman in his comic and satiric plays.Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropentheatre.comwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpwww.patreon.com/thoetpThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 71The continuation of the story of Renaissance theatre in France.The rise of the two theatres in Paris as travelling players were at last allowed to perform in the city.Antoine de Montchrestien and his version of Greek tragedy.The three farceurs Henri Legrand, Robert Guerin, and Hugues Gueru who made the Theatre du Bourgogne the venue in Paris for comedy.The development of the Theatre du Bourgogne under the management of Valeran le Conte and the establishment of ‘Comediens Du Roi’.The emergence of Alexandre Hardy and his prolific life as a playwright.A life in the theatre for the actors of the timeTheophile Viaud and Jean Mairet - champions of the Aristotelian stageJean du Rotrou the last French renaissance playwrightSupport the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropentheatre.comwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpwww.patreon.com/thoetpThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 70Catherine De Medici, her arrival in Paris for marriage to Henry, second son of Francis 1st.  Her cultural influence and role as wife of the King, and mother to three successive French rulers.The Hotel De Bourgogne, the only playhouse in ParisMellin de Saint-Gelais the royal librarian who penned adaptations of Italian tragedyEtienne Jodelle was hailed as the new Sophocles after his first play, but quickly fell out of favour after his second and some intemperate praise.The strong adherence to Aristotelian rules of theatreJean de La Taille continues in Jodelle’s footsteps with Greek inspired tragedy and lighter pieces.Jean Antoine de Baif gets concerned about playwrights straying from AristotleRobert Garnier’s influential plays, including an adaptation of Ariosto.  Including an example of how Thomas Kyd was inspired by his work.How the monopoly on theatrical performance of the Confraternity of the Passion was broken and a description of their playhouse, the Hotel De Bourgogne.  The arrival of the second playhouse and the first professional actress of the Parisian stage.Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 69The Renaissance met the Reformation in the Germanic States of Northern Europe so we start with a word on Martin Luther and his love of music and qualified approval of theatre.Latin drama of Jacob Wimpheling and Thomas Naogeorgus.The history of Hanswurst and Brandt's 'Ship of Fools''Students' by Christoph Stumble gets it's second mention on the podcast.The versatility of Johannes ReuchlinGerman biblical playsThe German plays of Henrich Julius von Braunschweig, Duke of BrunswickThe extraordinary life of Nicodemus Frischlin and his comedy 'Julius Redivivus’ The impact of the thirty years war.Support the Podcast at:www .thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.