History of British Theatre - 1571 Words

History of British theatre The earliest forms of theatre in Britain were the religious ritual performances of the native Britons. The first theatre in Britain that we may recognize as such was that of the Romans. While we know a great deal about the Roman theatre its effect on Britain seems to have been limited – theatres were small and not particularly numerous (and may have been used for sports, gladiatorial contests and other mass spectacle entertainments more than for classical theatre). The ruins of a Roman Theatre in St. Albans still remain as a tourist attraction in Britain today. After the Roman pull out the chief performances in Britain came from travelling bards, or Scops, who provided entertainment to crowds at†¦show more content†¦The rise of Naturalistic drama dove-tailed perfectly with the rise of the director as the creative head of play production. With the passing of The Theatres Act in 1968 British Drama was finally freed from the last shackles of the past, when the powers of the Lord Chamberlain to license all plays was abolished. With the birth of the Royal National Theatre in 1963, the discovery of the remains of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and the widespread embrace of theatre by Britons in the 20th and 21st centuries the conditions are ripe for another Golden Age of British drama in the years to come. The White Bear theatre The White Bear Theatre Club is a fringe theatre venue, established in 1988 in the White Bear pub in Kennington. It is run by Artistic Director Michael Kingsbury. Theatre practitioners who have worked at The White Bear include Joe Penhall, Hugh Allison, Mark Little, Emily Watson, Tamsin Outhwaite, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Vicky Featherstone, Torben Betts, Lucinda Coxon, Adam Spreadbury-Maher (Associate director 2008 - 2009) and Chris Loveless (Associate Director, 2009 - ). It is said to be one of the most interesting fringe theatres due to its small size and the intimacy of the acting space. Previous productions include: Bodyclock (Time Out Critics Choice), Cosi, Dracula (A new musical by Alex Loveless adapted from the original story by Bram Stoker), Lifes A Dream, Feathers, The Return of the Soldier, The Card Index, Spin and I Only Want To Be WithShow MoreRelatedIndia s Opinion On Indian Theatre1527 Words   |  7 Pagesis to explore how Indian theatre has developed within Britain, society’s opinion on Indian performers in theatre and how it is now becoming more acceptable and respected in modern day British theatre. It is very clear that ethnical established ways of thinking have always been challenged in Indian theatre performance for several reasons. 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Shakespeares extraordinary gifts for complex poetic imagery, mixed metaphor, and intelligent puns, along with insight into human nature are the characteristics that created the legend he is today. The following essay will address howRead MoreThe Development And Popularity Of The Elizabethan Theatre1289 Words   |  6 Pages The Development and Popularity of the Elizabethan Theatre I. Introduction Hook: What type of entertainment could have been available in the Elizabethan era without actors or tv? A. Elizabethan Era 1. Forms of Entertainment Elizabethan entertainment was very important to the people, as it gave them a chance to take a break form their hard lives. a. â€Å"Court entertainment was regular, often nightly occurrence combined with feasts, jousts, and banquets often occompainies by music and dancingRead MoreThe Impact Of British Empire On Britain s War Effort934 Words   |  4 PagesFocus: That the British empire played an integral part in Britain’s war effort, which saw members of her commonwealth, as well as colonies, contribute not just war materials and supplies, but millions of soldiers to help protect Britain itself. But, this aid had a steep cost, as it meant that Britain was no longer the power it once was, and in turn paved the way for the empire’s collapse following the war. Brown, Judith, William Louis, and Alaine Low. 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