THE HISTORY OF ACTING STYLES AND TECHNIQUES
Going over what has been written throughout time by actors, dramatists, critics and philosophers, it is obvious from the descriptions depicting the act of acting, that all acting styles fall somewhere along the spectrum of what can be referred to as either natural or artificial styles of acting. There are various aspects of acting that have been concentrated on throughout the ages, depending on what was important to concentrate on at the time, such as gestures, movements, elocution, etc. Usual assessments conducted regarding the performance of an actor revolve around rating their acting and acting style as either anywhere between how natural and realistic it looks and feels to how artificial and forced it might be. Terminology such as “natural” and “realistic” does not always automatically mean the actor in question deserves praise, nor does terminology such as “artificial” and “stylized” always automatically force an individual to associate with an actor or performance as undeserving of praise. The onus falls generally on the writer, as well as the tastes of the times in which the act is written.
In the following collection of historical accounts, emphasis has been more put towards styles that usually have at their core an aspect of encouragement and which techniques should be used in order to capture this encouragement. Those accounts where dramatists and the works they produce, in addition to the modes of theatrical production, are only included in these accounts if they are relevant to induce an understanding of acting styles in the reader. Development of acting theory and styles also largely relies on whether or not certain acting traditions in
various countries are dealt with curiosity, so as to explore new styles. These series of articles focus mostly on giving advice to those who wish to hone their acting skills in the English speaking world, in the scope of Western theatrical traditions and styles of acting, as we will exclude styles from the Far and Near East, and in Africa, India and South America, with the exception of some obscure references to some
experimental bits and mixes here and there.
THE CLASSICAL PERIOD
GREECE
One can easily speculate that dramatic performances occurred some time ago before the classical period, possibly in ancient Egypt, the most notable earliest accounts of acting and dramatic performances start with that of the tragedies of ancient Greece, thought to be developed from dithyrambs and ritual choral dances celebrating the god of wine and fertility, Dionysus. The first account of acting as we know it today happened when Thespis strayed from his choral narration and began imitating one of the characters in the story that was being told at the time. Regardless of what may have happened, his name is used even until modern times and has been converted into a label to illustrate those whom involve themselves in a variety of dramatic performance – Thespians.
Despite possessing this current notoriety, it’s interesting to ponder at the fact that the acting style he used even had it’s share of negative critics at the time. Solon, a lawgiver, condemned Thespis for the performance he gave in Athens, stating his impersonations were “dangerous” and “deceptive”. From the perspective of Solon, as a lawgiver, he was concerned by the possibility that the dramatist performance acted out by Thespis would rouse the crowd to the point of disrupting law and order and disturbing the peace. Solon also considered the performance acted out by Thespis to be an illusion, a sort of trickery, heresy or witchcraft that was a play on the mind and not real. It can also be said that the first acting performance in recorded history also received the first bad review. On the other hand, one can say that as is typical throughout the history of theatrical performances, it was left up to the audience to decide what would be liked and disliked, and even the tyrant Pisistratus decided to make a competition out of it. During the first competition, Thespis was victorious.
Also, it is interesting to note that the illusion created by the Thespis performance laid the groundwork for considering realism or a successful illusion to be the trademark of good acting. As time went on and acting was developed and refined in Ancient Greece, the main actor of the play, who usually specialized in poetry, would use masks and costumes in order to differentiate between the different roles that he would all act out himself. Aeschylus, originally a poet, was the first who include a second actor into the play, and therefore the difference between the poet or narrator and the actor was clearly defined. Sophocles in turn employed three actors, and as time went on the use of masks by actors to play out roles became more entrenched, as the poet or narrator’s role of telling the story became less and less utilized. A stylized, declamatory version of acting was therefore created and prevalent in those times.
Sometimes thousands of people would gather in amphitheaters to see these performances, and there was an emphasis on ensuring that every single person was able to both see the characters as well as hear the speeches acted out by them clearly. In addition to the masks, in order to make the characters appear larger than life, large, thick soled boots named “cothurnus” were often worn by the actors during their performances. The masks could also provide the opportunity for male actors to act out female roles. In order to carry this out, male actors frequently trained their voices to mimic a more female tone, in order to successfully and convincingly act out the female role. Aristotle used the phrase “correct management of voice” in order to emphasize it’s importance to the actor, and Demosthenes phrased it as being “splendid in voice” when referring to an actor’s ability to act using his voice as a tool to enhance his performance. One also needed to be skillful when it came to rhythm, timing as well as knowing how to sing. One can assume that the masks, boots and costumes were indeed heavy, and therefore the movements exhibited by actors in those times were undoubtedly slow and expressive.
It’s also safe to assume that the acting styles of Ancient Greece cycled through numerous changes throughout their use and development, and subsequently can be seen to undergo similar cycles throughout later periods in history as well as among other lands and cultures. Evidence has been collected regarding the possibility of three periods existing in which different acting styles were prevalent in that period, one being during the period of Aeschylus and Sophocles, in which acting was considered as more formal and restrained, when Neoptolemus and Theodorus developed a more natural style in the 4th century, and ultimately the performances and plays of Euripides, whom developed a style in which a more realistic representation of human emotion was evident.
As far as the comedic actors of the time were concerned, there was also development of various styles among them, and they usually manifested as more free flowing and vulgar styles.
ROME
The tragedies and comedies that were presented in Rome were for the most part translated from Greek plays and adapted to apply in a Roman context. The works of Roman tragedians such as Seneca as well as those of the comic writers Plautus and Terence are good examples of these translations from Greek theater. The presentations displayed by the Romans were designed to be much more spectacular than their Greek predecessors, including decorated scenery as well as live animals in the shows.
The majority of Roman actors were of slave stock, being managed and trained in special troupes, and some of the exceptionally gifted ones went on to become incredibly wealthy. One example of these was the renowned Quintus Roscius Gallus, who is said to have passed away in 62 BC, usually known as Roscius, also managed to acquire his freedom and become a personal friend of the writer Cicero. The Greek-born Aesop is another example of this, born in the 1st century AD, he was known for his fiery and emotional performances.
Roman audiences preferred a highly expressive style to be used by actors. While the Romans used masks, they were seldom used as the audiences preferred a highly stylized degree of facial expressions and gestures to be exhibited by the actors instead.
The art of mine was also highly developed by the Romans. Plyades wrote a treatise on mimes, founded his own school of mines in order to be able to put his theories into practice, and many mimes at the time became as famous as the well-known actors of this period. Roman poets and orators assert that they drew their inspiration and a sizable portion of their techniques, from the likes of observing these actors, and writers such as Cicero (106–43 BC), Quintilian (circa AD 35–95) and Lucian (circa AD 120–200), that passed down these accounts of acting styles prevalent in the day to all future generations. De Oratore by Cicero is one such example. In De Oratore the author makes a note of the perfection of with which Roscious performs his acts.
Cicero also mentions of how certain passages recited by the actors should be made ambiguous, so that subsequent passages will make them clear, creating emphasis on the point being made, that many modern actors also refer to, and therefore is considered a timeless rule pertaining to acting.
Lucian, while denouncing the decline in acting styles, had a few good words to give regarding this. With pantomime in particular, originally introduced by the Greeks who settled in Italy, as well as acting in general, he said there should be the appearance of truth, so as to the viewer the performance seems real: “Whether be it a prince or tyrant, peasant or farmer, their roles must be performed with the specificities commonly belonging to them.”
In reference to the pantomime, he writes: “The pantomime needs to be able to bring about a performance that the audience can identify him with the subject of his act, piece by piece.”
He also provides an example of how an incorrect balance of certain techniques or an over exaggeration of emotion can develop into overacting. An account of an actor playing Ajax the Great of Greek mythology, is described as such: “He acted mad so well that people were fooled into believing it wasn’t an act.” The less literate of the audience thought it was great acting, but the more intelligent members of the audience were disgusted with the over exertion, even though they held their tongues. Lucian yet awards praise to another actor, that he considered to play his role with great judgement and vigilance as to how he performed it, worthy of being noticed for how well he practiced his art for the audience.
THE MIDDLE AGES
By 500 and 600 AD, original acting styles associated with the comedy and tragedy genres of theater that were developed during the classical era in Greece and Rome, had eventually been transformed into something that could no longer be distinguished as something associated with the aforementioned classical styles. When it pertains to Europe, the most popular acts in regards to entertaining the public were folk dances, exhibitions of acrobatic ability as well as juggling. It was also common to see traveling caravans of mimes and magicians. The closest anyone came to a performance resembling classical acting was when heroic deeds were recited in song and poetry.
At the time, the church cracked down on any style of melodramatic performance, claiming it had a negative effect on the public, and this made it difficult to develop styles of acting that the church considered inappropriate. Despite this condemnation of theatrical performances in the outside world, it was common to see theatrical performances occur within the church itself. Priests would often recite Latin phrases, quoting scriptures, and eventually this developed into more intricate dramatic acts.
Eventually these plays began to be performed in public by regular people not associated with the church, and by the 1300’s and 1400’s, the community would often partake in this play, building the stage, props, scenery and so fourth, in much the same way even in modern times the festival at Oberammergau is performed. As time went on, these “morality plays” associated with biblical scripture would become increasingly allegorical in nature, with humanism playing an increasing part of their development as time went on, driving these plays to be less serious and more comical, leading to the development of a more realistic acting style.
These transformations of acting occurred throughout the entire European continent. Across Spain, Italy, Germany and France, religious performances were being written alongside pure farces, and comedy writers independent of the church were becoming increasingly prominent, as is the case with Hans Sachs in Germany. Despite the fact that during this period acting styles were often reminiscent of something unrefined and over the top, with actors depicting historical figures often wearing colorful outfits that were not meant to be a realistic representation of what their respective purpose was, there were some individual performers who were able to deliver a realistic performance and captivate their audiences.
There are a few literary works published in the Middle Ages that have been preserved in modern times that provide documentary accounts of some of the more realistic plays, and even give the reader advice on how to improve their acting skills. There is one account that suggests that the actor should deliver a balanced performance, avoiding displays of over excessive amounts of emotion. One of the comments made in the introduction to one of the oldest known French mystery plays, The Representation of Adam, believed to have been written sometime around the 1100’s.
Despite the fact that the dialogue for this play was written in Norman French, much of the remarks in relation, that included advice regarding setting up scenery, costumes and gestures, were written in Latin. It provides the reader with instructions on how to properly deliver the role of Adam, saying “Adam shall be trained to speak at the right moment, so that he does not speak too soon or too late. This does not only apply to Adam, but to all those acting out a role in the play, they should all be trained to speak calmly, at the right time, and their gestures should be relevant to what they are doing and saying at the time…”