What role did the mask play in theatrical art? Research work with presentation "history of the theater mask"

Mask(from the Late Latin masques - mask) is a special overlay with some image (a face, an animal's muzzle, the head of a mythological creature, etc.), most often worn on the face. The mask penetrated into the Greek theater due to the latter's connection with the cult of Dionysus. The priest portraying the deity always wore a mask. Initially, instead of a mask, the face was smeared with wine yeast or covered with plant leaves. The use of masks was determined by the need for recognition of the characters - even the most influential figures of that time appeared to the eyes of Athenian citizens in a deliberately caricatured form. The Athenians could also see an evil caricature of themselves. In Aristophanes’ comedy “The People,” the latter is presented in the image of an old man who has lost his mind, who is pushed around by his servants - nosy and shameless crooks.

The purpose of most of the masks was to evoke laughter. Some exceptions were the masks of young women. There were also fantastic masks. In Aristophanes’ comedy “Acharnians,” the Persian ambassador, called “Eye of the King,” seemed to justify his official name with a single huge eye, which, in fact, made up his entire face.

In addition, in ancient comedy, choirs whose participants were dressed as animals or fantastic creatures (satyrs, demons) became widespread.

All female roles were performed by male actors, as women were never allowed on stage. The actors performed in completely unusual, lush and bright clothes of ancient cut, which, with the exception of some priests of the god Dionysus, had not been worn for a long time. Under these clothes they put a special kind of padding, which completely changed the normal proportions of the human body. Bustles were worn on the legs.

The use of a mask was also necessary due to the size of the Greek theater. The spectators in the last rows would hardly be able to see the actor's face clearly enough without a mask. The colors of the masks from the distant rows were clearly visible. The white mask on the actor signified the female role. The masks of male characters were always dark in color. Both the mood and psychological state of the characters in tragic performances could also be immediately discerned by the color of their masks. Irritability was indicated by a purple color, cunning by colors of reddish shades, pain by yellow, etc.

The masks of a satyr were characteristic: a wide forehead, cut by one or two wrinkles, a flat face, a flat nose, a tousled beard, disheveled and pulled back hair. The satyr's costume consisted of goat's hair trousers with a horse's tail in the back and a huge phallus in front.

In the beginning, masks were very simple, until 470 BC. They knew only one expression - a frozen “archaic” smile, almost a grimace, which was repeated monotonously on all faces, even sad ones. Subsequently, the masks begin to reflect passion and pain, horizontal folds appear on the forehead, slightly protruding lips, and grooves running down from the nose to the lips. The masks were made of wood or linen stretched over a frame and covered with plaster. The tragic mask was usually equipped with an onkos - a protrusion above the forehead, lengthening upward - which increased the actor's height.

Each individual role required a special mask, but sometimes the mask was changed along the way if it was necessary to show a changed face. Thus, at the end of Sophocles’ tragedy “Oedipus the King,” Oedipus appears with a bloody face (a new mask).

In the Hellenistic era (IY-II centuries BC), Polydeuces lists 9 masks for the roles of old men, 11 for the roles of young people, 7 for the roles of slaves, 14 for the roles of young women. The characters' masks already reflect their personalities. The mask of the old pimps had a repulsive appearance - they were depicted as bald, with a mouth distorted in a grimace and frowning eyebrows. Among the young men, they distinguished between the virtuous and the dissolute. The first had a dark complexion, raised eyebrows, one or more wrinkles on the forehead, which should signify prudence and seriousness, the second had white skin, like women’s, and hair intricately arranged in the form of a wreath. The peasant had a dark complexion, thick lips, a snub nose, and a wreath-shaped hairstyle. Fourteen female masks depicted mothers of families, wives, young girls, procurers, hetaeras and maids.

Much later, the Roman emperor Nero (1st century AD) used masks when performing on stage in tragic roles. Moreover, the masks of gods and heroes were made to resemble him, and the masks of goddesses and heroines were made to resemble his favorites.

IN ancient theater masks were connected to a wig and worn over the head, forming a kind of helmet with holes for the eyes and mouth. To enhance the actor’s voice, the mask-helmet was equipped with metal resonators from the inside.

In the Roman theater, the mask was mainly used in atellana performances - improvised folk scenes. A characteristic feature of such masks was the presence of constant types - Makka, Bukkon, Papp and Dorsen. Makk was a fool who was beaten and deceived by everyone; he was depicted as bald, with a hooked nose, donkey ears and short clothes. Bukkon was a guy with swollen cheeks and drooping lips. Papp is rich, ambitious, but very unlucky. Dorsen is a cunning hunchback, an ignoramus and a charlatan. The contents of the atellans were often rude and obscene.

In Ancient Rus', masks were used in the performances of wandering buffoons and were forever entrenched as elements of Christmas mummery. Favorite characters in such performances are the bear, which shows how women walk on water, how girls look in the mirror, how children steal other people’s peas, and the “crane.” To portray a crane, the guy throws on himself a fur coat with the fur turned outward, and threads a stick with a hook at the end into one of the sleeves. The stick represents the beak of a crane, and with this beak the mummer beats the girls, and in order to pay off, they throw nuts, sweets, and gingerbreads on the ground, which the crane picks up. To represent the horse, two guys place two sticks on their shoulders, tie them together and cover them with a canopy. A horse's head is made from a cloth bag stuffed with straw, eyes and nostrils are drawn, and the ears are formed by a grip placed inside. A bridle is put on the “horse”, bells are tied, and finally a person sits astride it.

Old folk custom Yuletide and Maslenitsa dressing was used by Peter I in grandiose street masquerades. Some masquerade figures were often borrowed from mythology (Bacchus, Neptune, Satyr, etc.), others represented animals and birds, and others represented ethnographic characters (Chinese, Turks, Indians).

In the XYI century. Comedy of masks, a type of Italian theater, became widespread in Europe. Most of the actors played in masks, which were assigned to the performers for their entire stage life. There were two groups of masks: northern (Venetian) and southern (Neapolitan), they consisted of Pantalone (a stupid, greedy, amorous merchant with an earth-colored face, a long hooked nose, a gray mustache and beard), the Doctor (a pseudoscientist, a talker, a dumbass with an exorbitant nose), Harlequin (childish and charming in a black half-mask), Pulcinella (an evil, crafty, rude hunchback with a large hooked nose). Lyrical characters or “lovers” wore black masquerade half masks. Masks were made from cardboard, glued fabric and leather.

Masks became widespread in the traditional theater of the peoples of Asia and Far East, where this theater in its development was closely connected with cult drama. In India these were folk performances of Raslila and Ramlila, in Ceylon - Kolam performances, in Indonesia - numerous varieties of Topeng theater. Traditional theater masks (topeng mask) was developed in Indonesia in the early Middle Ages and experienced noticeable influence Indian art. For the most part, episodes from the famous epic works “Mahabharata” and “Ramayana” were used as scripts for such performances. In the performances, traditional heroes were grotesquely depicted: arrogant rajas, brave warriors, etc. The actors played mainly in masks, the number of which numbered several dozen. The art of acting consisted of dancing and complex pantomime, and only the performer of the role of the jester (tendem, pentul) sang, spoke for everyone and even made stage directions. He was wearing a special mask made without the lower jaw and chin, leaving the actor's mouth open. The masks were made of wood and painted; a leather loop or wooden stick was attached to the inside of the mask, which the actor held in his teeth, thus holding the mask in front of his face.

In the XIY-XY centuries. In Japan, the Noo theater developed, in which the mask served as the main element of expression. There were two actors in it: site - the “actor” (protagonist), playing the main role, and waki - the “accomplice” (deuteragonist). Sometimes there were also tsure - “companions” of the main characters, which do not have independent functions. All performers were men.

Currently, about two hundred types of masks are used in the Noo Theater. They are divided into male and female masks, differing in age, character, and appearance. Among the male masks there are images of old men, youths, boys, noble people, commoners, good and evil, Shinto and Buddhist gods, ghosts, and demons. Among the women - girls, middle-aged women, old women, mad and jealous, beautiful and ugly, ghosts and demons.

Some masks are intended for very specific plays, others are used to create appropriate characters in any play. Some of them are slightly smaller than a human face, others are larger. They are cut from light wood, then painted and coated with a special varnish. The mask is attached to the actor's head with two cords, which are threaded through small holes on the sides of the mask and tied at the back of the head. Often small paper pads are placed under the mask so that the actor can move his mouth more freely. Masks are only allowed to be taken by the edges.

The mask is capable of transmitting various shades the character’s mood thanks to the skillful development of her face with three-dimensional details using the subtlest nuances of the mask’s lighting.

The headbands that secure the wigs serve as decoration and a color symbol of the character, as do the collars of the kimono: white - nobility, green and brown - submission, humility, red - youth and joy, pale yellow - maturity and old age, blue - strength.

A noble woman's wig is made from long, smooth black hair. The wigs of old men and women are made of white hair, the wigs of spirits and demons are made of red hair. Girls of heavenly origin are characterized by short black wigs, while ghosts have long black wigs.

Let us summarize all of the above about masks in the form we have adopted. Advantages: the mask is multifunctional (capable of carrying information about the style and genre of the spectacle, place and time of action), mobile (as a decorative device it is itself a work of art, liberates the actor, improves the optical qualities of the spectacle in large spaces, is capable of transforming the diverse mass of people on stage into something monolithic, helps create an atmosphere of mystery).

Disadvantages: wearing a mask, the actor sees, hears, orients worse and is deprived of the facial expressiveness of his own face.

When making a mask, we advise you to take care of its optical, acoustic and ventilation qualities. For hygienic reasons, provide each performer with their own mask or use disinfectants, since washing the mask is usually not possible. When using a mask, look for more expressive plasticity for the entire body. Never touch the face of the mask with your hand during the performance. And one more thing: the mask “looks” with its nose, the actor’s mouth, outlined in white, becomes more expressive in the mask.

Among the ancient Greeks and Romans, music served as the most convenient way for actors to convey the character of their roles. Judging by the latest discoveries, it can be assumed that M. was used for the same purpose since ancient times in Egypt and India, but precise information about the M. there has not reached us. In Europe, the first M. appear in Greece, during the Bacchus festivals. Suidas attributes this invention to the poet Charil, a contemporary of Thespius; he also says that Phrynichus for the first time introduced the use of female M. on stage, and Neophon of Sicyon invented a characteristic M. for the reproduction of a slave-teacher. Horace credits Aeschylus for the invention of the theatrical theater. Aristotle, in his “Poetics” (Chapter V), claims that in his time the legends about the introduction of M. into theatrical use were lost in the darkness of the long past. M. pursued a twofold goal: firstly, they gave a certain physiognomy to each role, and secondly, they amplified the sound of the voice, and this was extremely important for performances in large amphitheaters, in the open air, in front of crowd of thousands. The play of physiognomy was completely unthinkable on a stage of this size. M.'s mouth was slightly open, the eye sockets sharply deepened, all the most characteristic features of this type were emphasized, and the colors were applied brightly. Initially, M. were made from popular print, later from leather and wax. At the mouth, masks were usually trimmed with metal, and sometimes completely lined from the inside with copper or silver, to enhance the resonance, but in M.’s mouth there was a megaphone (that’s why the Romans designated M. with the word persona, from personare - to sound). M. were divided into a number of constant categories: 1) old people, 2) young people, 3) slaves and 4) women, of very numerous types. Regardless of M. for the roles of mere mortals, there were also M. for heroes, deities, etc., with conventional attributes (Actaeon, for example, had deer antlers, Argus - a hundred eyes, Diana - a crescent, Eumenides - 3 snakes and etc.). M. that reproduced shadows, visions, etc. were given special names - Gorgoneia, Mormolucheia, etc. Along with M. of deities, historical M. - prosopeia - were common; they depicted features famous personalities, dead and living, and served mainly for tragedies and comedies from modern life, such as “Clouds” by Aristophanes or “The Taking of Miletus” by Phrynichus; for the comedy "Riders", however, the craftsmen refused to make masks with the image of Cleon. Satirical M. were used to reproduce mythological monsters, Cyclopes, satyrs, fauns, etc. There were also M. orchestral, they were worn by the dancers, and since the latter were placed on the stage closest to the audience, the M. for them was written out less sharply and finished more carefully. To reproduce characters whose mental mood changed sharply during the action, M. were introduced, on one profile expressing, for example, grief, horror, etc., while another profile denoted joy, satisfaction; the actor turned to the audience first with one side or the other. M. moved from Greece to the Roman theater and remained on stage until the fall of the Roman Empire. According to Cicero, the famous actor Roscius played without M., and with complete success, but this example found almost no imitators. If an actor aroused the displeasure of the audience, he was forced to remove M. from the stage and, after throwing apples, figs and nuts, he was driven off the stage. The use of theatrical M. moved to Italy, for theatrical pantomimes and the so-called Italian comedy (Comedia dell'Arte; see the corresponding article). Thus, M. openly is very ancient and dates back to the Atellan games (see Atellans); to bells were originally attached to it at the corners of the mouth. From the 16th century, this M., modified, passed into France, along with the characteristic M., denoting types of matamors, footmen, etc. The use of M. was not limited to one theater. The Romans took part in the archimin, who, wearing a m., reproducing the features of the deceased, acted out both the good and evil deeds of the deceased, mimically representing something like a gravestone. Soldiers sometimes staged comic processions under the m., as if surrounding a fictitious triumphal chariot. , in mockery of the military leaders they hated. In France, in the Middle Ages - for example, during the procession of the Fox festival - they were used, and even Philip the Fair did not disdain such disguises during the annual festivities in honor of jesters that took place in churches. in use were M., notable for their ugliness; The Synod of Rouen, which prohibited this fun in 1445, mentions the faces of monsters and animal mugs. In the area of private life, the use of M. arose in Venice and was practiced during the carnival; in France we see him at the entry of Isabella of Bavaria into Paris and the festivities on the occasion of her marriage to Charles VI (1385). Under Francis I, the fashion for Venetian loupes made of black velvet or silk became so widespread that loupes became almost a necessary accessory to the toilet. The outrages that were committed under the cover of M. prompted Francis I, Charles IX and Henry III to restrict the use of M. In 1535, by parliamentary edict, all materials were confiscated from merchants and their further preparation was prohibited; in 1626, two commoners were even executed for wearing M. during the carnival; in a noble environment, however, M. did not go out of use until the French. revolution. Since in his youth Louis XIV willingly took part in court ballets, but, in order to avoid violations of etiquette, appeared in disguise, this custom spread to ballet dancers in general, who parted with M. only in 1772. In Italy, in the last century and At the beginning of the present, everyone was masked, not excluding the clergy, who, under the cover of M., were active participants in the carnival and zealous visitors to theaters and concerts. Members of the Council of Ten, officials of the inquisitorial tribunals, carbonari and members of secret societies throughout Europe used masks for understandable reasons; Likewise, sometimes the executioner, while performing his duties, wore M. Charles I of England was beheaded by a disguised executioner. In Rome, some monastic orders at burials put on a strange costume, with M. At all times and in all countries, M., worn at public celebrations, enjoyed immunity and gave the right to a familiarity of speech that would otherwise be intolerable. In France, persons admitted to a ball under M. were customarily allowed to invite undisguised people to dance, even members of the reigning house. So, for example, at one of the court balls of Louis XIV, disguised as a paralytic and wrapped in a blanket hanging in ugly rags and soaked in camphor, he invited the Duchess of Burgundy to dance - and she, not considering it possible to break the custom, went to dance with the disgusting stranger. Currently, M. in the West is used almost exclusively during carnival. In France, this custom is regulated by an ordinance of 1835, which is still in force today. Those in disguise are prohibited from carrying weapons and sticks, dressing in indecent costumes, insulting passers-by, or making defiant and obscene speeches; at the invitation of the police authorities, the disguised person must immediately go to the nearest station for identification, and those violating the law are sent to the police prefecture. Committing misdemeanors and crimes under masks is prosecuted in the usual manner, but the very fact of disguise is here considered as a circumstance that increases guilt.

Wed. Fr. Ficoroni, "Le Maschere sceniche, degli antiqui Romani" (Rome, 1736); his, “De larvis scenids et fîguris comicis” (Rome, 1754) Sand, “Masques et bouffons” (Paris, 1860); Alimann, "Die Maske des Schauspielers" (Berlin, 2nd ed., 1875); Dall, "Masks, labrets and certain aboriginal customs" (Washington, 1885). About M. in Russia - see Moskoloudstvo.

- Higher state theater workshops, Free workshops, theater educational institution. Existed in Moscow in February November 1922, trained actors and directors...
Moscow (encyclopedia)
- In pre-rev. period Ekat., despite the distance from traditional growth. touring orbits, hosted a large number of guest performers, both dramatic and op. scenes...
Ekaterinburg (encyclopedia)
- Ludi scaenici. T. performances in ancient times, both in Athens and Rome, were not in private hands; they were in charge of the state, although execution in each special case provided to private individuals...
Real Dictionary of Classical Antiquities
- - In the 17th century. in England, the name M. was given to a dramatic extravaganza that was a mixture of pantomime and conversational scenes...
- a daily publication published in Moscow in 1864-1865, edited by A. N. Bazhenov...
encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Euphron
- special pads with cutouts for the eyes, worn on the actor’s face...
- see theater societies...
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- libraries, the main fund of which consists of books and periodicals on theatrical art. In the USSR there are the following T. b.: 1) State central T. b. in Moscow...
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- In Russia, the beginning of theatrical periodicals dates back to the end of the 18th century. The first publication of this type - “Russische Theatralien” was published by the actor of the German troupe Sauerweid...
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- see Theater education...
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- scientific, cultural and educational institutions that collect and store original materials and documents on the history of the theater...
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- USSR, voluntary public creative organizations, uniting theater workers from the Union republics of the country. Created following the example and with the assistance of the All-Russian Theater Society...
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- and dictionaries, scientific and reference publications containing a systematized body of theater knowledge, information on history, theory, creative and organizational and technical practice of the theater, biography...
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- theater, stage Wed. Family life- husband, children, house - a full cup, but all this is just a setting, sort of like on a theater stage, where everything is just for show, right down to edible accessories...
Mikhelson Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary
- Theater stage, stage...
Mikhelson Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary (orig. orf.)
- noun, number of synonyms: 3 stage stage theater...
Synonym dictionary

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S. P. Shkolnikov

The theater has gone through a long and difficult path of development. The origins of the theater go back to cult rituals.

The first cult masks

Iroquois mask – alien/false face (left and right)

Ancient people believed that a person who puts on a mask receives the properties of the creature that the mask represents. Particularly widespread among primitive peoples animal masks, as well as masks of spirits and the dead. Totemic games and dances are already an element of theatrical art. Totemic dance marks attempts to create an artistic and aesthetic image in dance.
IN North America Indian totemic dances in masks, which were of a cult nature, involved a kind of artistic costume and a decorative mask, crumbled with symbolic ornaments. The dancers also made double masks of a complex design, depicting the dual essence of the totem - a man was hidden under the animal appearance. Thanks to a special device, these masks quickly opened, and the dancers were transformed.
The further development of animal masks led to the creation theater mask, vaguely reminiscent of a human face, with hair, beard and mustache, i.e. to the so-called anthropozoomorphic mask, and then to a mask with a purely human appearance.
Before the mask became part of the classical theater, it went through a long evolution. During hunting dances, animal skulls were replaced by decorative masks, then portrait masks of funeral ceremonies appeared, which gradually turned into fantastic “zoomistery” masks; all this was reflected in the Mongolian “Tsam”, the Javanese “Barongan” and in the Japanese “No” theater.

Masks of the Topeng Theater

Topeng Theater mask (left and right)

It is known that the mask theater in Indonesia, called Topeng, grew out of the cult of the dead. The word "topeng" means "tightly pressed, closely adjacent", or "mask of the deceased." The masks that characterize the Malay theater are extremely simple. They are oval wooden planks with cut out holes for eyes and mouth. The desired image is drawn on these boards. The mask was tied with twine around the head. In some places (at the nose, eyes, chin and mouth) the wooden base of the mask was hollowed out, thereby achieving the impression of volume.
The pantomime mask had a special device: a loop was attached to its inside, which the actor clamped between his teeth. Later, as the theater developed and transformed into a professional one, the actors began to play without masks, painting their faces liberally.

Antique masks

Tragic mask of the ancient theater in Greece (left and right)

In ancient Greek classical theater, masks were borrowed from priests, who used them in ritual images of gods. At first, faces were simply painted with grape marc, then voluminous masks became an indispensable attribute of folk entertainment, and later essential component ancient Greek theater.
Both in Greece and Rome they played in masks with a special mouth shape, in the form of a funnel - a mouthpiece. This device amplified the actor’s voice and made it possible for many thousands of spectators in the amphitheater to hear his speech. Antique masks were made from splint and plaster of cloth, and later from leather and wax. The mouth of the mask was usually framed with metal, and sometimes the entire mask inside was lined with copper or silver to enhance resonance. Masks were made in accordance with the character of a particular character; Portrait masks were also made. In Greek and Roman masks, the eye sockets were deepened, and the characteristic features of the type were emphasized with sharp strokes.

Triple mask

Sometimes the masks were double and even triple. The actors moved such a mask in all directions and quickly transformed into certain heroes, and sometimes into specific individuals, contemporaries.
Over time, portrait masks were banned and, in order to avoid even the slightest accidental resemblance to high-ranking officials (especially the Macedonian kings), they began to be made ugly.
Half masks were also known, but they were very rarely used on the Greek stage. Following the mask, a wig appeared on the stage, which was attached to the mask, and then a headdress - “onkos”. A mask with a wig disproportionately enlarged the head, so the actors wore buskins and increased the volume of their bodies with the help of thick caps.
Roman actors in ancient times either did not use masks at all, or used half masks that did not cover the entire face. Only from the 1st century. BC e. they began to use Greek-type masks to enhance the sound of their voices.
Along with the development of the theatrical mask, theatrical makeup also appeared. The custom of painting the body and face dates back to ritual activities in ancient China and Thailand. To intimidate the enemy, when warriors went on a raid, they put on make-up, painting their faces and bodies with plant and mineral paints, and in certain cases with colored ink. Then this custom passed on to folk ideas.

Classic makeup Chinese theater

Make-up in the traditional classical theater of China dates back to the 7th century. BC e. Chinese theater is distinguished by its peculiar centuries-old theatrical culture. Conditional image system psychological state The image in the Chinese theater was achieved through traditional symbolic painting of masks. This or that color denoted feelings, as well as the character’s belonging to a certain social group. So, red color meant joy, white - mourning, black - an honest way of life, yellow - the imperial family or Buddhist monks, blue - honesty, simplicity, pink - frivolity, green was intended for maids. The combination of colors indicated various psychological combinations, shades of the hero’s behavior. Asymmetrical and symmetrical coloring had a certain significance: the first was characteristic of the depiction of negative types, the second - for positive ones.
In the Chinese theater they also used wigs, mustaches, and beards. The latter were made from sarlyk animal hair (buffalo). The beards came in five colors: black, white, yellow, red and purple. They also had a conventional character: a beard covering the mouth testified to heroism and wealth; a beard divided into several parts expressed sophistication and culture. The beard was made on a wire frame and attached behind the ears with hooks coming from the frame.
For makeup, they used harmless dry paints of all colors, which were diluted in water with the addition of a few drops of vegetable oil to obtain a shiny surface of the face. The overall tone was applied with the fingers and palms. Long pointed sticks were used to paint and line the lips, eyes and eyebrows. Each paint had its own stick, which Chinese artists used to work masterfully.
Women's makeup was characterized by a bright overall tone (white), on top of which cheeks and eyelids were blushed, lips were painted, and eyes and eyebrows were lined with black paint.
It is not possible to establish the number of types of makeup in Chinese classical theater; According to inaccurate data, there were up to 60 of them.

Mask at the No Theater

No Theater Mask

Performances of the Japanese Noh theater, which is one of the oldest theaters in the world, can still be seen today. According to the canons of the No theater, masks were assigned to one leading actor in all two hundred canonical plays in the repertoire and formed an entire branch of art in this theater. The rest of the actors did not use masks and performed their roles without wigs or makeup.
The masks belonged to the following types: boys, youths, spirits of the dead, warriors, old men, old women, gods, girls, demons, half-animals, birds, etc.

Makeup at the Kabuki Theater

Makeup at the Kabuki theater

The classical theater of Japan "Kabuki" is one of the oldest theaters in the world. Its origin dates back to 1603. On the stage of the Kabuki theater, as in other Japanese theaters, all roles were played by men.
Make-up in the Kabuki theater is mask-like. The nature of the makeup is symbolic. So, for example, an actor, making up for a heroic role, applies red lines to the overall white tone of his face; the one playing the role of the villain draws blue or brown lines on a white current; the player playing the sorcerer applies black lines, etc., to the green tone of the face.
Japanese theater has very unique and bizarre features of wrinkles, eyebrows, lips, chin, cheeks, etc. The techniques and makeup techniques are the same as those of Chinese actors.
Beards also have a stylized character. They are distinguished by fancy, sharp, broken lines and are made according to the Chinese principle.

Mystery Theater

As ritual performances turn into spectacles, performances acquire increasingly specific themes, which depend on the social and political conditions of the era.
In Europe, the ancient world was replaced by the dark Middle Ages. The pressure of church obscurantism on all forms public life forces the theater to turn to religious subjects. This is how the mystery theater appears, which lasted for about three centuries. The actors in these theaters were city dwellers and artisans, and this introduced folk-everyday motifs into the performances: the “divine” action was interrupted by cheerful interludes and clownery. Gradually, the interlude begins to displace the main action, which was the reason for the persecution of the church against this theater. The Mystery Theater became especially popular in France.
During the Renaissance (from about 1545), professional theaters appeared in France. Itinerant comedians united in troupes, which were acting artels.
The actors of these theaters specialized mainly in the comic, farcical repertoire and therefore were called farcers. Female roles in farcical performances were performed by young men.

Teatro del Arte

Teatro dell'arte character: Harlequin

In the 30s of the 16th century. The theater dell'arte emerges in Italy. The performances of Italian comedians dell'arte differed from the performances French actors not only more high level acting techniques, but also the culture of mask and makeup design.
The first del arte performances took place in Florence, with actors wearing masks. Sometimes the mask was replaced with a glued nose. It is characteristic that only the performers of the roles of two old men and two servants wore masks.
Commedia dell'arte masks originated in folk carnivals. Then they gradually migrated to the stage.
Commedia dell'arte masks were made from cardboard, leather and oilcloth. The actors usually played in one, definitely established mask. The plays changed, but the masks remained unchanged.
Masked characters were mostly played by comedic characters. There were also roles for which, instead of a mask, it was necessary to put on makeup with flour and paint the beard, mustache and eyebrows with charcoal. Traditionally, actors playing lovers did not perform in masks, but decorated their faces with makeup.

Teatro dell'arte character: Coviello

Figurative masks began to be assigned to certain performers who played the same role.
The masks of the Commedia dell'Arte were very diverse (the Commedia dell'Arte theater had more than a hundred masks). Some masks consisted only of the nose and forehead. They were painted black (for example, the doctor's); the rest of the face, not covered by a mask, was made up. Other masks provided for a certain coloring of the wig, beard and mustache. Masks were used as a means to emphasize the expressiveness of the intended type. They were made of all kinds of characters and painted in relation to the types of the performance. In general, commedia dell'arte masks were divided into two groups: folk comedy masks of servants (Zani); satirical masks of gentlemen (buffon core - Pantalone, doctor, captain, Tartaglia).
In some commedia dell'arte performances, actors skillfully transformed themselves in front of the audience, replacing one mask with another.
Initially, in imitation of the ancient ones, masks were made with an open mouth; later, in an effort to bring the masks closer to the natural face, the mouths began to be made closed (the latter was also caused by the fact that in pantomimes the mouthpiece becomes unnecessary). Even later, they began to cover only half of the actor’s face. This contributed to the further development of mimic play. Commedia dell'arte has always strived for a realistic representation of the image not only in the social and psychological appearance of masks, but also in speech, movement, etc.
XVII-XVIII centuries in Europe - the era of classicism. This was reflected in the reconstruction of the theater. In the classical theater, makeup and wigs were the same as in Everyday life. The representations were conditional. Playing in the plays of Corneille and Racine, dedicated to ancient antiquity, the actors outwardly continued to remain people of the 17th-18th centuries. Make-up at this time was determined by the entire structure of life of the French court, which the theater imitated. This period is characterized by the dominance of flies. It was believed that flies give a languid expression to the eyes and decorate the face.

Shkolnikov S.P. Minsk: Higher School, 1969. Pp. 45-55.

A mask is a covering on the face with slits for the eyes (and sometimes the mouth) or a type of makeup. The shape of the mask depicts “another person’s face”, therefore in Russian the word “mask” has an ancient analogue - “mask”.

Theater masks first appeared in ancient Greece and Rome and were used for two reasons: an expressive, easily recognizable mask allowed the actor to portray a certain face, and the special shape of the mouth opening significantly enhanced the sound of the voice, like a megaphone. Let's remember how! Under the open sky, in the face of a huge crowd, the sound of an ordinary voice would be inaudible. And the actor’s facial expressions were not visible at all.

Sometimes the masks were double or triple. The actors moved this mask in all directions and quickly transformed into the desired characters.

Two ancient Greek masks, crying and laughing, are traditional symbol theatrical art.

Simultaneously with the development of theatrical masks, theatrical makeup appeared in the East. Initially, warriors put on make-up, painting their faces and bodies before going on a campaign. And then the custom transferred to folk performances.

Over time, makeup colors began to play a symbolic role. In Chinese theater, for example, red signified joy, blue signified honesty. In Japanese Kabuki theater, the actor portraying the hero drew red lines on a white background, and the actor playing the villain drew blue lines on white. White faces are characteristic of powerful villains.

At the same time, in the Japanese Noh theater, it was not makeup that was used, but a mask. Only the main (leading) actor could wear masks. The rest of the actors played without wigs or makeup.

Actor wearing a mask of Ishi-O-Yo (the spirit of the old cherry tree)

From a historical point of view, the masks of the Italian Teatro del Arte (Italian comedy of city squares) are also interesting. Do you remember the fairy tale you watched at the Buratino theater? Harlequin, Pierrot, Malvina are heroes who came straight out of Italian comedy. Harlequin and Columbine (our Malvina's sister) are usually depicted in checkered suits. And these were just patches, talking about the poverty of the characters.

Paul Cezanne. Pierrot and Harlequin.

These heroes, as well as masks, masquerades, and carnivals, were popular in Europe for a long time. They became part of the way of life, and the most famous of all masquerade balls began to be held annually in Venice. The symbol of the Venice Carnival is the half mask.

Literature:

Petraudze S. Children about art. Theater. M.: Art-XXI century, 2014. (Buy at Labyrinth)

Tasks

1. We develop fine motor skills and creative imagination using p ascolors.

Tasks:

educational – teach forms of greeting to representatives of different eras (Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome; Middle Ages; Royal);
developing – development of feelings, emotions, figurative and associative thinking;
nurturing – nurturing the need to master the values of the world artistic culture and the ability to use acquired knowledge to broaden one’s horizons and consciously form one’s own cultural environment.

Equipment: costume elements, props; multimedia projector, laptop; presentation for the lesson; masks; photo test; crossword puzzle "THEATROMANIA".

Methods and forms:

verbal;
explanatory and illustrative;
discussion of the results of the lesson;
conversation heuristic learning;
frontal survey.

Lesson notes

Stage I. Organizing time. (1 min).

GOAL: To prepare studio members to perceive new material.

Teacher:

Greetings from the studio.

We continue our immersion into the world of theater. I would like to start the lesson with an epigraph.

“Why do we go to the theater, why do we love the theater so much? Because it refreshes our soul with powerful and variedimpressions... and opens to us a new, transformed and wondrous world of passions and life!” V.G. Belinsky

Game "Suck up".

Stage II. Updating students' knowledge. Motivating start (2 min.)

PURPOSE: Communicate the topic, purpose and objectives of the lesson. Motivate studio students to gain new knowledge; expanding your horizons.

Stage III. Repetition of covered material. (10 min.)

Prepare the student’s voice-speech apparatus for work.
Review the material covered.
Create the prerequisites for an expressive depiction of individual emotional states associated with the experience
bodily and mental contentment and dissatisfaction. Encourage display of patterns of expression of basic emotions
(joy, surprise, interest, pride, etc.) Strengthen the elements of expressive movements: facial expressions, gestures, postures, gait.

(Children's answers)

Massages are performed under the guidance of a teacher.

Hygienic massage. The purpose of the massage is to warm up the muscles of the face and neck.

Vibration massage. The purpose of the massage is to awaken the resonators.

Teacher: What types of gymnastics does an actor use to prepare the voice-speech apparatus? (answers from students: articulation, breathing, diction exercises, voice-speech exercises).

Performing acting training exercises.

Articulation gymnastics. Exercises “Piglet, smile”, “Fish”, “Delicious candy”, “Reach to the sky”.
Breathing exercises. Exercises “Cuckoo”, “Mosquito”, “I jump with a skipping rope”.
Diction exercises. Speaking tongue twisters. Game "Throwing Balls"
Voice and speech exercises. "High-Rise", "Organ".

Teacher. Each of you knows that it is very important for an artist to be able to transform. What types of reincarnation do you know? (Internal and external).

Assignment: Prepare a pantomimic sketch on the theme “Making a snowman.” The sketch is performed individually by each person. Your snowman should be in your place on stage, although you can roll balls of snow all over the stage. As I work, I may have questions. 20 sec. To think about the mise-en-scène.

Showing the sketch.

Teacher:

We answer the crossword and photo test questions.

Slide "Crossword"

Slides "Phototest"

Stage IV. Learning new material (10 min)

PURPOSE: To acquaint studio students with the history of masks, with different types masks, talk about the use of masks and the meaning of color in a mask. Using the example of commedia dell'arte, show the importance of a mask in creating images.

Teacher: Theater begins with play. All you have to do is put on a mask, change your voice and gait, and the theater begins. The mask is an essential attribute theatrical performances, carnival processions that take place in Brazil and Venice. Look at what they were and what they are now.

Slide “Ancient masks”

Slide “Masks of the peoples of the world”

Slide “Venetian masks”

Students watch demonstration material.

“Masks” - from the Latin “mask”, in ancient times were used in rituals associated with labor activity of people. For example, before sowing or, conversely, harvesting, people performed ritual dances while wearing masks. And also on harvest festivals, on holidays of animal worship, considering these animals as patrons (animal totems), they used ritual masks with animal features - for example, among African peoples.

Masks were used in burial rituals, as well as in various ceremonies, such as scaring away sorcerers and initiation into leaders.

So, there are masks slide carnival, ritual, comic, tragic.

In Europe, tragic and comic masks have been used for a long time, even in ancient theater, which originated in Ancient Greece.

Slide “Masks comedy-tragedy”

Masks in Ancient Greece were made of clay and worn like a helmet.

Slide “Clay masks”

Some peoples simply held the mask in their hands. Masks made of gold were known. Take a close look at all the masks presented. What means did the artists use so that the masks could convey the state of the hero, show his character and age? (Children's answers) Today, masks are made from paper (using the papier-mâché technique), rubber, and fabric. What does a mask that expresses a cheerful mood look like? (Children's answers) What happens to the face? Lips stretch, eyes narrow.

This is a comic mask. Show surprise on your face. What's happening to the face? (Children's answers). The eyes widen, the mouth forms an “o”, the eyebrows rise.

Lower the corners of your lips and feign sadness. This is a tragic mask. Antique masks still serve as symbols of comedy (laughter) and tragedy (sadness). How do you guys think you can determine age by looking at a mask? (Children's answers). On some masks, age can be determined by wrinkles. In Ancient Rus', masks were the property of buffoons, and later clowns.

Slide " Ancient Rus'. Masks."

What is a mask? Let's give a definition.

Slide “Mask - definition”

Italy is the birthplace of an amazing genre. Genre comedy of masks.

Slide "Commedia dell'arte"

Slide "Harlequin"

Who will answer what the full name of this genre sounds like? (Children's answers) Our team is named after one of the heroes of this comedy. But in this comedy he was called Harlequin. The soul of the performance were the “servants” - the arrogant merry fellow and inventor of all intrigues Brigella, the awkward, childish and good-natured Harlequin, the sharp-tongued Servetta, not without anger and guile, the rude Pulcinella and others. The object of constant satire was the stupid, greedy and amorous merchant Pantalone, fanfare and coward Spanish nobleman Captain, chatterbox and stupid Doctor and many other heroes.

Stage V. Practical work (13 min.)

OBJECTIVE: To teach forms of greeting that were used in different eras.

Develop attention and memory for remembering psychophysical actions.

Teacher: Attention to the screen.

Slide “Ancient Greek”

Representatives of different eras will appear before you. This is a resident of Dr. Greece. The country that became the birthplace of the first costume shows. Countries of mysterious myths and outstanding scientists. It was from Ancient Greece that many theatrical concepts came to us. For example, stage, buskins, tragedy, comedy. Now take a close look at the clothes of another Greek. He was wearing a chiton, sandals on his feet, in some cases the edge of the clothing was fastened to the shoulder, in some cases it had to be held by hand. Here is a representative of the Middle Ages, a knight.

Slide "Knight"

What does a knight's clothes look like?

Children's answers (heavy, massive, metal armor, a kind of mask on the face to intimidate the enemy and protect the face - a helmet).

Slide "Queen"

And finally, describe how the Queen is dressed? (Children's answers)

Teacher: And now we will go up on stage and learn the forms of greeting accepted in those distant times. We take attributes in accordance with time.

Showing the teacher 1 type of greeting: Dr. Greece, Dr. Rome;

Instructing the teacher on how to complete a practical task.

Teacher:

Holding the edge of the clothing with your left hand, step forward with your right foot for a count of one, two - left leg attach, three - the right hand with the fingers pressed rises up, we must show an open palm. On the count of four - bow your head, five - raise your head, six - right hand lower. Rerun with words from count three “I see you and I greet you.”

Performing this type of greeting by studio students.

Middle Ages. Teacher's comment. Show. Performed by studio members.

Royal bow. Teacher's comment. Show. Performed by studio members.