First theater in London. Theatre, opera and ballet in Britain Famous theaters in the UK
The main theaters in London: drama, musical, puppet, ballet, opera, satire. Phones, official sites, addresses of theaters in London.
- Hot tours to the UK
- Tours for the New Year Worldwide
Any museum card UNESCO
The world of the London theater is large, diverse and covers all genres that exist in nature. Well, since this is London, here (if you know how) you can even find those genres that have not yet been fully born: the whole world will talk about them in a year or two or three, but so far almost no one knows about them.
In London, respectively, there are many theaters, very different in terms of quality of productions, repertoire and price. There are magnificent classical troupes with guest opera stars in leading roles, there are productions modern dramaturgy(mostly, of course, British), there is experimental theaters, and there are a lot of commercial theaters in which Broadway (and not only) musicals are continuously played. Some of them are just good, some are historical and very old, and some are completely unique.
The British don't go to the Globe Theatre, a constant center of tourist attraction. But they go to the theater "Old Vic".
The most famous
The most famous, serious and fundamental theater in Britain is, of course, the Royal Opera House. This is one of those theaters that defines the face of the modern stage. The productions created by him are then staged by other theaters around the world, the leading roles are played by world stars, there are simply no bad performances, connoisseurs from all over the world come to the premieres. It also has one of the best symphony orchestras in the world. This is something that is always great and interesting.
Another famous theater is the Theater Royal Drury Lane. It occupies a special place: it is the oldest working theater in Britain. It was once the main one in the country, remembers all the English monarchs over the last 3 centuries, and now it belongs to Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The Drury Lane Theater now only puts on musicals. The troupe is serious - for example, it was this theater that received the right to make a musical from The Lord of the Rings.
Another large theater is the Coliseum. A large troupe, an extensive program, you should not count on a staged masterpiece, but an unusual and interesting building is a masterpiece of the Art Deco era. It's also easy to buy tickets here.
Theater "Globe" - the constant center of tourist attraction. The reconstructed theater of Shakespeare, the performances are as the theater worked in his era. Put here, respectively, almost only Shakespeare's plays. The British do not go here, but for a tourist - a good option: There is a pretty good Shakespearean troupe. Well, the reconstructed building is interesting to see - it was built according to old technologies.
But the British go to the Old Vic. This is also very old theater, it is non-commercial and specializes in classics and modern British drama, there is a serious drama troupe. It's worth going here if you like good prose and don't like commercial theatre.
Musicals and contemporary productions
Commercial theater - a separate article. Almost all of these theaters put on musicals, and all of them run only one show at a time (the same one every day for years and decades). Almost all of them are concentrated in or around Covent Garden. The famous musical Les Misérables is on at the Queen's Theatre, The Phantom of the Opera at the Her Majesty's Theater (an old one, by the way - it is over 300 years old), at the Novello Theater - Mamma Mia!, at the Lyceum Theater - The Lion King " etc.
Some musicals are so good that one of them is worth going to, even if you don’t really like this genre in principle: they are made in such a way that your opinion may change. The most promising in this regard are Les Misérables and, of course, Cats.
In addition to entertainment theaters, there are many drama theaters in Covent Garden that stage modern plays. The main ones are Wyndham's Theatre, Ambassadors Theatre, Apollo Theatre, Duchess Theatre, Theater Royal Haymarket (it is also almost 300 years old) and the Old Vic already mentioned above. There are serious plays here, there are comic ones, there are classics, quite a lot of Shakespearean plays. To visit these theaters you need to understand English language otherwise it won't be interesting.
Also in London there are all other types of theater possible in principle: experimental, cabaret, amateur, informal, ethnic - whatever.
Tickets to the Royal Opera can only be bought in advance, to other theaters - you can buy right before the performance.
- Where to stay: In numerous hotels, boarding houses, apartments and hostels in London and the surrounding area - here you can easily find an option for every taste and budget. Nice threes and fours at the B&B can be found in Windsor - and the air is wonderful here. Cambridge will delight you with an excellent choice of hotels and proximity to the student "hangout".
the very best
Globus theatre
London, SE1 9DT, Bankside, New Globe Walk, 21
The Globe Theatre, one of London's oldest theatres. Today's Globe is the third theater with this name. The first Globe Theater was built on the south bank of the Thames in 1599 at the expense of a troupe, of which William Shakespeare was also a shareholder.
Opera House was built in 1912 by architects Farquharson, Richardson and Gill. In fact, the status of the opera house received only in 1920. He did not have a permanent acting troupe, and on his stage, as a rule, performances were staged by touring groups. In 1979, the building was converted into a gaming hall, but, fortunately, this erroneous decision was canceled five years later. Since then, Opera House has delighted the audience with new productions of opera and ballet performances, musicals, and children's performances.
The building of the Opera House is made in the classical style: the facade is divided by Ionic columns into peculiar niches, on the pediment there is a semicircular relief depicting an ancient horse-drawn chariot. On the lower part of the pediment there is an ornamental strip made of carved stone.
The auditorium of the theater has a semicircular shape, which is not usual for opera houses - it is somewhat elongated, and two spacious cantilever balconies hang over the stalls. On both sides of the stage in three tiers are magnificently decorated lodges. The decoration of the hall is dominated by gold, greenery of the walls and red velvet of armchairs. It can accommodate 1920 spectators, and it must be said that almost all theater performances are sold out.
City theater
One of the main attractions of Manchester is the City Theatre, located on Oxford Street. It was originally called the "Grand Old Lady" and was inaugurated on May 18, 1891. The building work was valued at £40,000. In the first years of its activity, the institution worked at a loss, as it did not gain popularity among the broad masses. Soon the theater expanded its range of performances, programs of famous performers were added to ballet performances, and soon the institution became a huge success. At the beginning of the 20th century, such famous people like Danny Kaye, Gracie Fields, Charles Lawton and Judy Garland.
In September 1940, the theater was badly damaged by German bombing. The building gradually fell into disrepair, as there were not enough funds for the restoration. In 1970, the theater was in danger of closing. In 1980, a major restoration of the building was carried out on the initiative and at the expense of the local Art Council.
Currently, the theater hosts musicals, opera and ballet performances with the participation of world famous artists. Initially, the capacity of the theater was 3675 spectators, currently it has been reduced to 1955.
Royal Exchange Theater
Much of Manchester's history is linked to textile production during the Industrial Revolution. As a mute witness to the former "cotton" greatness of the city, the building of the Royal Exchange remained. At one time, it was here that about 80% of all cotton in the world was sold.
Manchester in the Victorian era was often referred to as the "Cotton Capital" and the "Warehouse City". In Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the term "Manchester" is still used for bedding: sheets, pillowcases, towels. The exchange building was built 1867-1874, then it was reconstructed several times, as a result of which the operating room became the largest in England. The Royal Exchange was seriously damaged during the Second World War, but trading on it did not stop until 1968.
Since 1976 it has housed the Royal Exchange Theatre. Its auditorium is interesting because the round stage is located in the middle, and seats for spectators rise up from it, which is very reminiscent of the theater of ancient Greece. Part of the building is occupied trade pavilions and numerous cafes.
York Theater Royal
One of the significant attractions of York is the Theater Royal. The building was built in 1744 on the site of the medieval hospital of St. Leonard. At the end of the 19th century, the theater was refurbished in the Victorian style. The new Gothic façade is adorned with sculptures of Elizabeth I and characters from Shakespeare's plays.
The sumptuous foyer was renovated in modernist style in 1967, during the last large-scale reconstruction. Two main staircases connect it with a two-level auditorium that can accommodate 847 spectators. The repertoire of the theater is very diverse, there are concerts of classical music, theatrical performances, jazz and folklore festivals, various recreational activities with the participation of British and foreign performers. In addition, annual competitions for young talents are held here, including theater, dance, music, and poetry. All interesting and original ideas are supported by well-known artists.
A cozy restaurant and cafe located on the second floor of the building are at the service of visitors. The Royal Theater is historical monument architecture, popular with locals and tourists.
Royal Theater
The Royal Theatre, in existence for over 200 years, is one of the most significant theaters in England. It was opened in 1805. Accommodates an audience of 900 people. The theater offers a year-round program of high-class productions of opera, dance, and comedy. Currently, the Theater for Young Spectators "Egg" is part of the Royal Theater.
Theater Royal is located in the center of Bath. The building is a prime example of Georgian architecture. Inside, the rooms are skillfully decorated with stucco, red and gilded details, majesty and some mystery are given to it by huge chandeliers and high ceilings of the auditorium.
During its history, the theater has been reconstructed several times, but its original splendor has been carefully preserved to this day. Inaugurated in 2005, the Youth Theater is adjacent to the Royal Theater and presents a rich program of professional performances and cultural events for children and young people aged 1 to 18.
Royal Theater
One of the many attractions of Manchester is an old building located in the city center. It is a striking representative of the buildings of the Victorian era. Initially, there was a trading exchange dealing with the sale of cotton. During the Second World War, the building was badly damaged, it took several years to restore it. As a result, the trading floor became much smaller, and the tiers of the clock tower became much simpler. When trading on the stock exchange was suspended in 1968, the building was in danger of being demolished. It was empty until 1973, when a theater company rented it.
In 1976, the Royal Theater was formed in the building. The entrance to the theater is represented by a semicircular arch with Corinthian columns and pilasters; marble statue William Shakespeare. In the interior of the building, richly decorated ceilings fascinate with their beauty.
Dramatic Theater Liverpool
Drama Theater Liverpool has come a long way from a concert hall and a music hall to a modern theater with a rich and sometimes non-trivial repertoire. Its history began in 1866 as the Star Music Hall, the design of the building belongs to Edward Davis. The forerunner of the music hall was the Star Concert Hall, which was demolished for a new building. In 1895 the theater changed its focus and was renamed the Star Variety Theatre.
The modern building of the theater bears traces of numerous improvements and restorations. Global changes began in 1898, when Harry Percival made a new auditorium and a luxurious lobby. But already in 1911, the theater had new owners who reworked the auditorium and the basement lobby and renamed the theater again into Liverpool. repertory theater. Finally, the last wave of global alterations available to the modern visitor overtook the theater in 1968, when a large extension was made from the northern part to organize new foyers, bars and changing rooms.
Now the Dramatic Theater is managed by Liverpool City Council and is merged into a trust with the Everyman Theatre. The theater offers audiences original and sometimes daring productions of large plays in the three-level main building, as well as miniature, intimate plays in the small 70-seat Studio.
Dancehouse theater
One of the main cultural attractions of Manchester is the Dancehouse, located on Oxford Road. It has a beautiful stage equipped with the latest lighting and sound devices, as well as an ultra-modern hall, the visual seats of which are arranged in the form of three cascades falling at a fairly large angle.
The interior decoration of the institution is made in pastel colors with a predominance of peach and gently Pink colour. The lighting in the hall depends on the nature of the performance, if a fast fiery dance is shown on the stage, all lamps and chandeliers are turned on, and if a touching love scene is shown on the stage, twilight reigns in the hall. The total capacity of the institution is about 700 people, including balconies.
The infrastructure of the Dancehouse includes a buffet located on the ground floor and a large spacious hall with full-length mirrors. Basically, all the dance events of the city are held here, it is not uncommon to meet world-famous stars at the Dancehouse. By being here, you will get a lot positive emotions and significantly increase your cultural level.
Royal Shakespeare Theater
Royal Shakespeare theater puts on plays by William Shakespeare, and also holds annual festivals dedicated to the great playwright. The theater is distinguished by strong dramaturgy, as well as acting high level which makes it more professional and visited.
The theater opened to the public in 1879. The theater was designed by a female architect, Elizabeth Scott. Until 1961 it was called the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. IN different years directors worked in the theater: Benson, Payne, Quayle, Nunn, Richardson and others. The theater is now operated by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
After restoration in 2010, the theater became even more comfortable and beautiful. It lies opposite the River Avon and is surrounded by gardens. On its roof there is an observation deck with a restaurant and a bar.
Mayflower theater
One of Southampton's attractions is the Mayflower Theatre, located in the city center and opened in 1928. This is one of the largest theaters on the south coast of England. In 1995, a complete reconstruction and modernization of the theater was carried out, as a result of which the auditorium was significantly expanded. The interior of the theater, which is more in line with the American style, is dominated by a combination of white and blue colors. The luxurious foyer is decorated in the style of an ocean liner and lined with marble. Several grand staircases connect it with a three-level auditorium designed for 2,300 seats.
The theater is a unique cultural complex that hosts classical music concerts, theatrical performances, jazz and folklore concerts and various entertainment events with the participation of British and foreign performers. The foyer of the theater sometimes hosts free concerts of chamber ensembles, folk and jazz music, poets and dramatic actors at a good professional level. The doors of the cozy restaurant and cafe are always open for visitors on the second floor of the building. The Mayflower Theater is undoubtedly one of the best provincial theaters in the UK.
Aylesbury Waterside Theater
One of the significant sights of Aylesbury is the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre. It was founded in 2010 as a result of the transformation entertainment center Civic Hall. The theater building is a modern building with an elegant design. In the interior of the theater there are mainly elements of the Georgian style. Massive wooden columns and panels of the building are decorated with intricate carvings.
The main hall of the theater consists of three levels and is designed for 1200 spectators. It uses a modern electro-acoustic system that regulates the sound quality for symphonic and choral performances. The theater hosts tours by British and international performers, including theatrical productions, opera, ballet, musicals and other musical events. Children's shows are very popular here, taking young viewers into the world of fairy tales and adventures.
City Department of Education of the Administration of Polysaevo
Information and methodological center
Municipal educational institution
"Average comprehensive school No. 35"
History of theater in the UK
Polysaevo 2007
City Department of Education of the Administration of Polysaevo
Information and methodological center
Municipal educational institution
"Secondary school No. 35"
History of theater in the UK
Daria Putintseva,
Proposed research contains a description of the history of theater in Great Britain. The research project characterizes the English theater from the Middle Ages to the present, its directions and tendencies. The work traces the formation and development of the main theatrical trends, the originality of the theatrical struggle in different stages historical development. Special attention is paid to the issue of the national specifics of the English theater.
History of theater in the UK: research / . - Polysaevo: Information and Methodological Center, 2007.
Explanatory note
Goal of the work: familiarization with a foreign culture.
Work tasks: expanding cultural knowledge about the UK.
English theater - component world culture. The best traditions of national English art have enriched the world theatrical process. The work of English actors, directors and playwrights won love and recognition far beyond the borders of England.
The work of actors, directors, playwrights of Great Britain has long enjoyed recognition and love in Russia.
The history of the theater has long been associated with the history of mankind. From that initial page of history, as humanity remembers itself, it also remembers the theater, which has become its eternal companion.
Do you love the theater as much as I love it? - our great compatriot Vissarion Belinsky asked his contemporaries, deeply convinced that a person cannot but love the theater.
Do you love theater? With the same question more than 20 centuries ago, they could have turned to their spectators, who filled the stone benches of huge amphitheaters under open sky Hellas, the great fathers of the ancient theater Aeschylus and Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes.
Following them, already in other centuries, other historical eras, with a similar appeal to their contemporaries, Shakespeare and Ben Jonson in England could address. And all of them, asking the people of their time: "Do you like the theater?" - would be entitled to count on an affirmative answer.
English theatre, literature, music are an integral part of world culture. The best traditions of English culture have enriched the world cultural process, won love and recognition far beyond the borders of England.
The work of English playwrights has long enjoyed recognition and love in Russia. The greatest actors of the Russian theater played in Shakespeare's tragedies.
In the history of English culture, the following main periods are distinguished: the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the 17th century, the 18th century (the Age of Enlightenment), the 19th century (romanticism, critical realism), the period of the end of the 19th century - the beginning of the 20th century (1871 - 1917) and the 20th century, in which two periods are distinguished: 1917 - 1945. and 1945–present.
Early Middle Ages ( V – XI centuries)
In the 6th century BC, the British Isles were invaded by the Celts. In the 1st century AD, Britain was conquered by the Romans. The rule of the Roman Empire continued until the 5th century, when the Anglo-Saxons and Jutes invaded the territory of Britain. The Anglo-Saxon tribes brought their language, culture, and way of life to the British Isles.
Story medieval theater- This is the story of the struggle of idealistic, religious views on life with the people's realistic worldview.
For many centuries in the life of the people of feudal Europe, the traditions of pagan ritual festivities were preserved, containing elements of theatricalization: the clash of Winter and Summer, the May Games, at which skits were performed with the participation of the King and Queen of May, etc. etc. Troupes roamed Europe folk amusements - histrions. They knew how to do everything: sing, dance, juggle, act. Playing comical scenes, they often not only amused the audience, but also ridiculed those who oppressed and oppressed ordinary people. Therefore, the church forbade ritual games, persecuted histrions, but was powerless to destroy the people's love for theatrical performances.
In an effort to make the church service - the liturgy - more effective, the clergy themselves begin to use theatrical forms. The first genre of medieval theater appears - liturgical drama (IX-XIII centuries). During the liturgy, the priests acted out stories from the Holy Scriptures. Over time, performances of liturgical dramas are taken out of the church onto the porch and churchyard.
XI – XV century
In the 11th century, the British Isles were conquered by the Normans. This contributed to the French influence on the cultural life of the country.
In the XIII-XIV centuries. a new genre of medieval theatrical performance appears – mirakl ("miracle"). The plots of the miracles are borrowed from the legends about the saints and the virgin Mary.
Pinnacle of medieval theater – mystery . It develops in the XIV-XV centuries, during the heyday of medieval cities. Mysteries are played in the city squares. The representation of the mystery was massive - and according to the number of participants, the Allegory" href="/text/category/allegoriya/" rel="bookmark"> allegorical. Morality characters usually personified various human properties, his vices and virtues.
The hero of morality is a person in general. "Every man" - that was the name of the English morality of the end of the 15th century. In this play, Death appeared to each person and called him on a “long journey”, allowing him to take any companion with him. A person turned to Friendship, Kinship, Wealth, but was refused everywhere. Strength, Beauty, Reason, Five Senses agreed to accompany a person, but at the edge of the grave they all left him. Only Good Deeds jumped into the grave with him. Moralite abandoned biblical subjects, but retained religious edification.
Farce - the first genre of medieval theater that broke with religious morality. The farce, a cheerful and satirical genre, ridiculed the social, political, and moral concepts of feudal society. Foolish knights, greedy merchants, voluptuous monks act in the farce. But the true hero of this genre, of all not very decent, but always funny, farcical plots, is a cheerful rogue from the common people. In a farce, the one who outwitted everyone is right.
The experience of farcical performances was widely used by the theater of subsequent eras. Shakespeare's comedies adopted not only the buffoonish methods of farce, but also the spirit of popular freethinking that filled it.
Renaissance
In XV - XVI centuries V European countries there is a "progressive greatest upheaval of all experienced by mankind up to that time", - the transition from the feudal Middle Ages to the new time, marked by initial period development of capitalism. This transitional era was called the Renaissance, or Renaissance.
This was the era of new culture, breaking with religious dogmas, an era of rapid development of art and literature, reviving the ideals of antiquity. Great opportunities for active creative activity open up before a person. In this era, the formation of national culture takes place.
The 16th century in England was the heyday of drama. The English theater responded to popular interests and was unusually popular in an atmosphere of national upsurge. By the end of the 16th century there were about twenty theaters in London; among them, the James Burbage Theater and the Philip Hensloe Theater were especially famous. Development theater culture It did not go without difficulties, the main obstacle was the actions of the Puritans, who considered the theater to be a "demonic" affair.
Playwrights of that time included Robert Greene, Thomas Kidd, Christopher Marlowe and others.
The plays of Beaumont (1584-1616) and Fletcher (1579-1625) characterize another era in the history of the English theater. They sought to aristocratize the theatre, to introduce a certain sophistication and decency into stage performances. Noble, monarchist ideas become the subject of special attention in the theater of Beaumont and Fletcher. Calls for selfless service to the king are constantly heard from the stage.
William Shakespeare
The theater of the English Renaissance owes its heyday, first of all, to William Shakespeare. The dramaturgy of Shakespeare is the result of all the previous development of drama, the pinnacle of the theatre.
"The tragedy was born on the square" - he wrote, referring to the distant origins of Shakespeare's work - the folk theater of medieval mysteries. The traditions of the theater of the squares - a wide coverage of events, the alternation of comedic and tragic episodes, the dynamics of action - were preserved by Shakespeare's predecessors - playwrights R. Green, K. Marlo and others. They brought freedom-loving ideas to the stage, showed new heroes with strong will and whole character.
In the first, "optimistic" period of his work, Shakespeare wrote comedies fanned with bright, joyful moods. But when the “sea of disasters” opened before the poet’s penetrating gaze, when the inexorable course of history more and more sharply exposed the contradictions of feudalism and emerging capitalism, the ideal hero in his works was replaced by a power-hungry, egoist and self-interested person, and sometimes even a criminal.
For the first time this turn was revealed in the tragedy "Hamlet". But the heroes of Shakespeare did not bow before the world of evil. Entering the struggle and falling victim to their omnipotent opponents, the heroes of Shakespeare's tragedies, even by their very death, affirmed faith in man and his bright destiny. It is in this that the immortality of Shakespeare's tragedies and their modern sound.
Shakespeare's Globe Theater was located among other theaters - on the south bank of the Thames, outside London, as the authorities banned spectacles in
William Shakespeare
Globus theatre". Appearance.
the city itself. The building was crowned with a small tower, where a flag fluttered during the performance.
The action took place in the open air - a mass of people stood in front of the stage, wealthy citizens settled on the galleries, which encircled the round walls of the theater in three tiers. The stage was divided into 3 parts: the front - the proscenium, the back, separated by two side columns and covered with a thatched canopy, and the top - in the form of a balcony. The stage was decorated with carpets and mats, and a panel was hung from above: black - in tragedies and blue - in comedies. The scene of the action was indicated by one detail (the tree indicated that the action was taking place in the forest, and the throne - that in the palace).
The composition of the troupe was small - only 8-12 people. Sometimes each actor had to perform up to three or more roles in a play. The heroines were played by pretty, fragile young men. The major tragic actors were Edward Alleyn, who played with particular success in the plays of K. Marlowe, and Richard Burbage - best performer roles of Hamlet, Lear, Othello and Macbeth. Richard Tarlton and William Kemp starred in comedic roles.
XVII century
If during the Renaissance in England, dramaturgy and theater were in their heyday, theatrical customs in London in those days were quite free, complete ease reigned both on stage and in the auditorium, and actors and spectators were not shy of expressions, then in the 17th century they were persecuted by the Puritans.
In the Renaissance, one could see a magician with a dog on stage, which depicted "and the King of England, the Prince of Wales, and when he sits on his back, then the Pope and the King of Spain." Some Mrs. in a comedy could tell from the stage that you can guess by urine, or a gentleman - write down where he peed. “Our stage sometimes has the same filth and stench as Smithfield (a suburb of London where fairs were held and sometimes heretics were burned), says Ben Jonson. “Everything there is called by its proper name,” Voltaire wrote about the English stage already in the 18th century.
Theatrical morals can be inferred from the anonymous "Protest or Complaint of Actors Against the Suppression of Their Profession and Their Expulsion from Several Theaters" (1643). “We make a promise for the future never to admit into our sixpenny lodges promiscuous women who come there only to be taken away with them by apprentices and clerks of lawyers, and no other such kind of women, except those who come with their husbands or close relatives. The attitude towards tobacco will also be changed: it will not be sold ... as for foul language and similar baseness that can scandalize decent people, but bad people push them into debauchery, then we will completely expel them along with immoral and rude authors - poets.
Making plays and performing them was declared a sinful activity; visiting the theater was resolutely condemned and considered a harmful and pernicious act. With the advent of the Puritans to power theatrical performances were banned in England. On September 2, 1642, the English Parliament closed the theaters and banned all performances, arguing that the spectacles "often express unbridled gaiety and frivolity", while one should direct one's thoughts to "repentance, reconciliation and turning to God." Five years later, Parliament confirmed this resolution, now in harsher terms and ordering disobedient persons (actors) to be sent to prison as criminals. Culture experienced an acute crisis. The Church has long and strongly fought against theatrical spectacles. "The theaters are full, but the churches are empty," Puritan priests complain. In the theater, "free gestures, loose speeches, laughter and ridicule, kisses, hugs and immodest glances reign," the clergy are indignant. “The word of God is violated there and the divine religion established in our state is profaned,” says the Lord Mayor.
The theater of the 17th century was presented to the Puritan bourgeoisie of England as a theater of licentiousness and debauchery, a theater that caters to the tastes of the aristocrats and corrupts the common people.
There were also defenders. The playwright Thomas Nash wrote in 1592 that the plots of the plays are borrowed from the English chronicles, the great deeds of the ancestors are retrieved from the "grave of oblivion", and thus the condemnation of "degenerate and pampered modernity" is issued, that in the plays "the lie gilded with outward holiness is dissected".
Features of culture were determined by the events of the bourgeois revolution. Class contradictions between the bourgeoisie and large landowners aggravated, the government of the bourgeois republic was headed by Oliver Cromwell, then the Stuart monarchy was restored.
The Stuarts, who returned to power, reopened theaters in 1660, and the brilliant but immoral comedy of the Restoration era, as it were, confirmed the negative assessment given to the theater by Cromwell's associates.
After the coup d'état, William III of Orange came to power. The popular movement grew.
Wilhelm III did not close the theaters, but by decree of 01.01.01, he strictly warned the actors that “if they continue to play plays that contain expressions that are contrary to religion and decency, and allow blasphemy and immorality on the stage, then for this they must will answer with their heads.
In the same year, 1698, a treatise was published by a certain Puritan theologian named Jeremy Collier under the very colorful title "A Brief Survey of the Immorality and Impiety of the English Stage." The theologian severely condemned the existing theatrical practice. He wrote that there was anger and anger on the stage. “Blood and barbarism are almost deified”, that “the concept of honor is perverted, Christian principles are humiliated”, that “devils and heroes are made of the same metal”, and demanded a radical restructuring of the theaters, turning them into a kind of school of virtue, good manners and decency: “ The purpose of plays is to encourage virtue and expose vice, to show the fragility of human greatness, the sudden vicissitudes of fate and the harmful consequences of violence and injustice.
The English bourgeoisie no longer wanted the closure of theaters, as it had been before, but their adaptation to the needs of the class. Although the "glorious revolution" of 1688 brought about an alliance between the bourgeoisie and the new nobility, however, hostility still persisted. The positions of the landlords were still strong, although the aristocrats submitted to the state of affairs, they were by no means completely reconciled. Attacks on the aristocracy were also heard at theatrical performances.
In 1713, Joseph Addison (1672-1719) tried to establish the classic tragedy on the English stage.
At this time, a new genre appeared - drama, but comedy did not want to give up its positions. The spectators, who shed profuse tears at the performances of The London Merchant and were filled with horror at the gloomy finale of the play, wanted to laugh from time to time. This opportunity was given to them by Fielding, and later by Oliver Goldsmith and Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
Goldsmith wanted to revive the "gay comedy" of Shakespeare and Ben Jonson. In his treatise An Experience on the Theatre, or a Comparison of a Merry and Sentimental Comedy (1733), he spoke directly about this and wrote several comedy plays without moralizing, without much tendentiousness, cheerfully making fun of the inexperience of young people who are easily deceived. The plays are full of funny mistakes, the characters are depicted quite naturally.
However, Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816) left the greatest mark on the history of English drama of this period. He wrote for a short time. All of his best plays were created within five years. The fire of his theater on Drury Lane dealt the last blow to the writer.
Classicism in its classical form could not find firm ground in England. There were two reasons for this: the political state of the country and the authority of Shakespeare's theater.
As for Shakespeare, he so eclipsed the achievements of ancient drama that after him it was simply unthinkable to rely entirely on the example of ancient Greek authors. English playwrights who worked for the theater could not follow Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides so unconditionally as their French counterparts did. Before them was the example of Shakespeare, who worked according to a completely different system and achieved unprecedented results.
In 1644, Shakespeare's Globe Theater was demolished, rebuilt after a fire in 1613, in 1649 - the Fortune and Phoenix theaters, in 1655 - Blackfriars. Actors scattered around the country, went into the soldiers, disappeared without a trace, according to an anonymous 17th-century author (Historia histrionica).
In 1643 the actors drew up a touching anonymous document: a complaint about the suppression of their profession. “We turn to you, great Phoebus, and to you, nine sisters - muses, patrons of the mind and protectors of us, poor humiliated actors,” they wrote. “If, with the help of your almighty intervention, we could again be installed in our former theaters and return to our profession again ... ”The actors wrote that the comedies and tragedies they performed were“ a living reproduction of the actions of people, ”that the vice in them was punished, and virtue was rewarded, that "English speech was expressed most correctly and naturally." Phoebus and nine sisters - muses, patrons of the arts, did not respond. The theater has suffered irreparable damage.
John Milton, the greatest English poet of the 17th century, did not share the negative attitude of the Puritans towards theatrical performances. Milton was especially resolute against the playwrights and the theater of the Restoration era, which had an emphatically entertaining character. Milton considered tragedy to be the main thing in the dramatic art, classic patterns ancient greek art. Imitating them, he introduced a chorus commenting on what was happening, and established the unity of time: the duration of the events in the tragedy does not exceed 24 hours. The unity of place and action is strictly maintained.
Restoration period
The Restoration period began in England shortly after Cromwell's death.
The bans imposed by the Puritans on theatrical performances and various kinds of entertainment were lifted. Theaters were reopened, but they were very different from the English theater of the XVI - early XVII century and his external design, and the nature of the plays. On the stage, rich scenery and magnificent costumes were used.
The comedies of William Wycherley (1640-1716) and William Congreve (1670-1729) enjoyed particular success.
English theaters "Drury Lane" and "Covent Garden"
Let's visit the theaters of London now. In 1663, the Drury Lane Theater was built in London, which received the right to a monopoly in the choice of repertoire. In 1732 another appeared largest theater- Covent Garden. There was little order in the London theaters. The audience, bursting into the auditorium, rushed straight ahead along the benches of the stalls to grab seats closer to the stage. From time to time there were peculiar "theatrical riots" - the audience, dissatisfied with the performance, the increase in prices, any performer, drowned out the voices of the actors, threw fruit at them, and sometimes burst onto the stage.
In this riotous London of the 18th century, the actors tried to act decorously and speak in measured voices. However, English classicism was not complete, integral - it was constantly "corrected" by the realistic tradition coming from Shakespeare.
Actor Thomas Betterton (1635 - 1710) played the part of Hamlet as Burbage once played it, having received instructions from Shakespeare himself. Actor James Quinn (1693 - 1766), who seemed to the British too classicist, played the role of Falstaff quite realistically. In 1741, Charles Maclean (1697-1797) realistically played Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. In the same year, David Garrick (1717 - 1779), who became the most important realist actor of the 18th century, played the role of Richard III. Garrick played comic and tragic roles equally well. As a mimic Garrick knew no equal. His face could consistently depict all shades and transitions of feelings. He knew how to be funny, pathetic, majestic, scary. Garrick was a very intelligent actor, with richly developed and precise technique, and at the same time an actor of feeling. Once, while playing King Lear in Shakespeare's tragedy, Garrick got so carried away that he tore off his wig and threw it aside.
Garrick directed the Drury Lane Theater for many years, where he assembled a remarkable company and staged 25 Shakespeare plays. Before him, no one worked so conscientiously and stubbornly on the productions of Shakespeare's plays. After Garrick, they learned to appreciate Shakespeare much more than before. The fame of this actor thundered throughout Europe.
Creativity Garrick summed up the development of the theater of the XVIII century - from classicism to realism.
18th century
Age of Enlightenment
In the 18th century, a transitional era began, culminating in the French bourgeois revolution. The liberation movement developed, it became necessary to destroy feudalism and replace it with capitalism.
English Literature
The turbulent era brought to life the flowering of democratic culture, including theatrical creativity.
DIV_ADBLOCK660">
20th century
1945–present
After the Second World War, in connection with the formation of the world socialist system and the growth of the national liberation war of peoples, the collapse of the British Empire became inevitable and natural. Theaters represent turbulent, watershed events and social upheavals.
In the first years after the Second World War, the most popular writer in England was John Boynton Priestley. He wrote over forty plays. The most significant of them are Dangerous Corner (1932) and Time and the Conways (1937).
In Priestley's plays, the influence of Chekhov's dramaturgy is palpable. Priestley strives to convey the drama of everyday life, to show life with all its halftones, to reveal the characters of not only the main characters, but also secondary ones.
The plays of John Osborne (1929) played an important role in English culture. The plays of John Osborne stimulated an upsurge in the development of English drama in the 60s.
In 1956, John Osborne's play Look Back in Anger was staged at the Royal Court Theatre, which was a resounding success. The playwright very accurately conveyed the mood of the English youth of that time. Jimmy Porter entered the scene - the young "angry" hero, as the critics called him. This young man from the bottom, who had made his way into a hostile social environment, had little idea of what a worthy existence was. He took up arms, sparing no strength, against the existing moral values, the traditional way of public life, partly against social laws. These same traits distinguish some of the characters, both modern and historical, in the plays of John Arden, Sheila Delaney and others.
The skills of progressive actors and directors in some countries are perfected on classical dramatic material, on the best examples of realistic literature. They use the classics to pose acute contemporary problems. English actor Laurence Olivier, in the form of Othello, conveyed an angry protest against the emerging bourgeois civilization. Hamlet served Paul Scofield to express the sorrowful, difficult thoughts of the young post-war generation of European intellectuals who felt responsible for the crimes committed in the world.
The productions of Shakespeare's plays by the English director Peter Brook enjoy a well-deserved success with the audience.
The theatrical art of recent times is characterized by many small professional, semi-professional and non-professional troupes, wandering from one locality to another; revitalization of student theaters; the growing protest of actors and directors against commerce in art. Young people often use the stage for sharp political discussions. The theater takes to the streets, where semi-improvisational performances are played.
Almost every phenomenon of theatrical creativity in England is permeated with cruel internal contradictions, fraught with a clash of opposing ideological and aesthetic tendencies.
John Osborne is a supporter of the theater that criticizes the social order in the capitalist world, which is the most convincing weapon of the time.
The plays of John Osborne determined the development of English drama in the 1960s.
The originality of the dramaturgy of Sean O'Casey, an outstanding Anglo-Irish playwright, is determined by the connection with the Irish folklore tradition. His plays are characterized by a bizarre combination of tragic and
Laurence Olivier as Richard III
"Richard III" W. Shakespeare
comic, real and fantastic, everyday and pathetic. O'Casey's dramas use the conventions of Expressionist theatre.
The movement of folk theaters, pursuing mainly educational goals, swept the whole of Europe. In England, the Workshop Theater arose and gained great fame under the direction of Joan Littlewood.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit the English city of Stratford, be sure to visit the Shakespeare Royal Theatre.
Shakespeare's Globe Theater is one of the oldest theaters in England. The Globe is located on the south bank of the Thames. First of all, the first performances of Shakespeare's works on the stage brought fame to the theater. The building was rebuilt for various reasons three times, which is the rich history of Shakespeare's theater.
The emergence of Shakespearean theater
The history of the Globe Theater dates back to 1599, when in London, where theatrical art has always been treated with love, the buildings of public theaters were built one after another. For the construction of the new arena, building materials were used - wooden structures left over from another building - the very first public theater with the logical name "Theater".
The owners of the former Theater building, the Burbage family, built it in Shoreditch in 1576, where they rented land.
When land prices rose, they dismantled the old building and transported materials to the Thames, where they erected a new facility - Shakespeare's Globe Theater. Any theaters were built outside the influence of the municipality of London, which was explained by the puritanical views of the authorities.
During the era of Shakespeare, there was a transition from amateur theatrical art to professional. Acting troupes arose, at first leading a wandering existence. They traveled around the cities and showed performances at fairs. Representatives of the aristocracy began to take actors under their patronage: they accepted them into the ranks of their servants.
This gave the actors a position in society, although it was very low. Troupes were often called according to this principle, for example, “Servants of the Lord Chamberlain”. Later, when James I came to power, only members of the royal family began to patronize the actors, and the troupes began to be renamed "Servants of His Majesty the King" or other members of the royal family.
The troupe of the Globe Theater was a partnership of actors on shares, i.e. shareholders received income from fees from performances. The Burbage brothers, like William Shakespeare, are the leading playwright in the troupe, and three other actors were shareholders of the Globe. Supporting actors and teenagers were in the theater on a salary and did not receive income from performances.
Shakespeare's theater in London had the shape of an octahedron. The auditorium of the Globe was typical: an oval platform without a roof, enclosed by a large wall. The arena got its name due to the statue of Atlanta located at the entrance, which supported the globe. This ball or globe was surrounded by a ribbon with the famous inscription " The whole world is theater(literal translation - "The whole world is acting").
Shakespeare's theater accommodated from 2 to 3 thousand spectators. On the inner side of the high wall there were lodges for representatives of the aristocracy. Above them was a gallery for wealthy people. The rest were located around the stage, which went into the auditorium.
The audience was supposed to stand during the performance. Some especially privileged persons were seated right on the stage. Tickets for rich people who are willing to pay for seats in the gallery or on stage cost much more than seats in the stalls - around the stage.
The stage was a low platform raised by about a meter. On the stage there was a hatch leading under the stage, from which ghosts appeared as the action progressed. On the stage itself, there was very rarely any furniture and no scenery at all. There was no curtain on the stage.
Above the back stage there was a balcony, on which the characters appeared, who, according to the play, are in the castle. There was a kind of tribune on the upper stage, where stage actions also took place.
Even higher was a hut-like structure where scenes outside the window were played. Interestingly, when a performance began in the Globe, a flag was hung on the roof of this hut, which was visible very far and was a signal that a performance was going on in the theater.
The poverty and some austerity of the arena determined that the most important thing happening on the stage was the play of actors and the power of dramaturgy. There were no props for a more complete understanding of the action, much was left at the mercy of the audience's imagination.
It is noteworthy that the audience in the stalls during the performance often ate nuts or oranges, which was confirmed by the findings of archaeologists during excavations. The audience could loudly discuss some moments in the performance and not hide their emotions from the action they saw.
The audience also celebrated their physiological needs right in the hall, so the lack of a roof was some salvation for the sense of smell of lovers of theatrical art. Therefore, we roughly represent the heavy share of playwrights and actors who give performances. 
Fire
In 1613, in July, during the premiere of Shakespeare's Henry VIII, about the life of the monarch, the Globe building burned down, but the audience and the troupe were not injured. According to the scenario, one of the guns was supposed to fire, but something went wrong, and a fire broke out. wooden structures and a thatched roof over the stage.
The end of the original building of the Globe marked a change in literary and theatrical circles: around the same time, Shakespeare stopped writing plays.
Restoration of the theater after the fire
In 1614, the arena building was restored, and stone was used in the construction. The roof above the stage has been replaced with a tiled one. The theater troupe continued to play until the closure of the Globe in 1642. Then the Puritan government and Cromwell issued a decree that all entertainment performances, including theatrical, were prohibited. The Globe, like all theaters, closed.
In 1644, the theater building was demolished, and tenement houses were built in its place. The history of the Globe was interrupted for almost 300 years.
The exact location of the first Globe in London was unknown until 1989, when the base of its foundation was found in Park Street under a car park. Its contours are now marked on the surface of the car park. Other remains of the Globe may also be located there, but now this zone is included in the list of historical values and, therefore, excavations cannot be carried out there.
Stage of the Globe Theater
The emergence of Shakespeare's modern theater
The modern reconstruction of the Globe Theater building was proposed not by the British, which is surprising, but by the American director, actor and producer Sam Wanamaker. In 1970, he organized the Globe Trust Fund, which was intended to restore the theater, open an educational center and a permanent exhibition in it.
Wanamaker himself died in 1993, but the opening still took place in 1997 under modern name Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. This building is located 200-300 meters from the former location of the Globus. The building was reconstructed in accordance with the traditions of that time, in addition, it was the first building that was allowed to be built with a thatched roof after the great fire of London in 1666.
The performances are only in spring and summer, because. the building was built without a roof. In 1995 the first artistic director became Mark Rylance, who was replaced in 2006 by Dominic Dromgoole.
Excursions in the modern theater go daily. Most recently, a theme park-museum dedicated entirely to Shakespeare was opened next to the Globe. In addition to seeing the largest exposition dedicated to the world-famous playwright, you can take part in entertainment events: see a sword fight, write a sonnet or take part in the production of one of Shakespeare's plays.
If you love the theater - you are in London. Here you will see the best performances of opera and ballet, best musicals and the best drama - all the same, the author of the best dramatic productions of all times and peoples, William Shakespeare, staged his plays in London.
But first things first.
The Royal Opera House "Covent Garden" is one of the oldest opera houses in the world. The best productions are held here, both by the local troupe and visiting artists, for example, from La Scala in Milan or Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. If you are in London in April-May and love opera, I advise you to definitely watch Verdi's La Traviata (April 19 - May 20, 2014) or Puccini's Tosca (May 10 - June 26, 2014). If you come to London in the summer, then look at another Puccini opera, La bohème. And for lovers of Russian ballet, the Mariinsky Theater tours London in July and August and presents three classical ballet productions of Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake and Cinderella (from July 28 to August 16).
The Royal Opera House "Covent Garden" is very popular with the British, especially from the highest circles. Here you can often meet famous politicians and the English aristocracy. When in 2009 the Royal Opera House staged a centenary production of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, I was able to sit in the stalls next to the late Margaret Thatcher.
Tickets to the Royal Opera House must be bought in advance - preferably several months in advance. They can be bought directly on the theater website by paying with a bank card. Opera tickets cost an average of 120-200 pounds per person, ballet tickets are a little cheaper - 70-110 pounds.
It is impossible to ignore the famous London West End - the birthplace of all London musicals. It is one of the largest musical centers in the world after Broadway in New York. The West End became a theater center in the 19th century, which is why many productions are still played in the interiors of the Victorian building. A huge number of musicals are based on the music of modern (and not so) performers, so if you are a fan of, for example, Michael Jackson, the Beatles, Queen, Abba, be sure to buy a ticket, you will not regret it. This is an entertainment theater, this is the theater from which you leave, charged with the energy of music and dance. Not being a big fan of Michael Jackson, I somehow managed to visit the musical Thriller. For most of the production, I danced by a chair, toas well as most other viewers. WITHwalking was impossible!
There is a category of musicals that are so popular they have been in theaters for years. For example, the musical Outcasts ” (“Les Miserables”) goes on for 28 years, and “ Phantom of the Opera » (« The Phantom of the Opera") for 27 years. The cost of tickets for musicals is on average 50 - 100 pounds per person. Tickets for these and other musicals can be purchased.
Musical "Les Misérables" at the Queen's Theater in London
A rare musical stays on stage for more than a couple of years. But the English production of Les Misérables will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year....
