Roman Theatres

The Buildings

Much of the architecture, structure, design, buildings and the plays shown in the Roman theatre were influenced by the Greek theatre.
The semi-circular design enhanced the natural acoustics of the theatre.

Theatres were open-air venues and performances were held during the day as artificial light was poor.
In modern times, theatres have been built with padded seats and are completely enclosed, with the exception of amphitheatres that are specifically built in the old style.

Performances were at night with afternoon performances on weekends only, and the artificial lighting was a large part of the design and presentation.
By the first century, the primitive scenery and equipment of earlier theatres had been replaced by machinery to create realistic effects.

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Entertainment available in Roman Theatres included mime/orations/dance/choral events and different types of plays including farce/tragedy/comedy.
Romans attended theatre performances of Greek style dramas and comedies, but the most popular were mimes/pantomimes/variety-type shows.
Pantomimes were more similar to modern ballet than plays, and dancers performed mythical scenes with no dialogue.
Variety shows featuring a mixture of dancers, music, recitations of poetry and famous speeches and pantomimes were also very popular.

In modern times, people think of theatre almost exclusively as presentations of comedies and dramas.
There are dance-based shows that are similar in some ways to Roman pantomimes, such as 'Stomp!' where there is no story or plot.

Variety shows were popular in the early 20^th century in Europe but they have died out - the closest now is 'Britain's Got Talent'
Roman audiences would often heckle the performers if they felt they were talentless or not entertaining.

Theatres were one of the few places where Romans could engage in political debate and question the authority of those that led them.

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Actors/performers in Roman times were often slaves owned by theatre managers or rich patrons.
This meant people thought they were worthy of contempt.
This contrasts with modern opinions of them as they are considered professionals who spark interest.

To the Romans, theatre events were idle entertainments that had delirious moral impacts.
The performances, especially pantomimes where women were allowed to perform, included graphic sex/violent scenes.
Ostensibly, the upper classes' concerns were for the moral health of the people but they actually feared large gatherings of the lower classes.
This contrasts with the modern belief that attending theatre is a high-brow form of entertainment suitable for the whole family.

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