The history of the theater mask

Performed:

Kuzovleva Evangelina Sergeevna

student of the 5th "G" class

Leaders:

Bahir Elena Yurievna

Valchuk Marina Konstantinovna

St. Petersburg

year 2014

Introduction. C. 3.

Historical forms of theatrical mask:

Theatrical mask in ancient Greece. C. 4.

Understanding the mask in the Italian theater of commedia dell'arte. S. 8.

Traditional mask in Japanese theater Noh. S. 9.

S. 11.

Conclusion:

Functions of the theatrical mask in the process of the historical development of the theater

- "Mask" as a variety and method of acting in modern

performance. S. 12.

List of used literature

Applications

1. Introduction.

Objective - explore the history of the theatrical mask

Research objectives - to select and analyze literature on the history of the theatrical mask and its role in performances.

Today, when we go to the theater, we rarely see an actor wearing a mask on stage. In the modern sense, it is more often associated with the idea of ​​a masquerade or carnival. But it was not always so. The actor did not appear without her on the stage for centuries. It played a huge role in the performance: it enriched the actor's performing skills and his ability to influence the viewer, allowed him to achieve a fundamentally different level of expressiveness, transformed the theatrical action into a mysterious, sublime ritual, or introduced conventionality, symbolism, caricature into the performance.

The history of the theatrical mask has more than two thousand years - the first of the masks, about which there is reliable information, was used in the ancient Greek theater several centuries before our era. Actors have used theatrical masks all over the world, so it is not surprising that there are a great many of them and they can be strikingly different from each other. It is rather surprising that sometimes the masks that appeared at different times and in different places on the earth turn out to be somewhat similar.

In this work, I used, first of all, works on the history of the theater, which present a reconstruction of the theatrical performance of Ancient Greece, medieval Italy and Japan, in order to compare the main types of theatrical mask, its purpose and artistic possibilities in theatrical performances of different eras and countries, to see - what did they look like, why did the actors resort to their help, what advantages could the mask give and what difficulties did it create? And also to understand the significance that a mask can have in a modern performance, how it can help a modern actor and spectator. After all, with the rejection of the use of the mask in the modern theater, the richness of its expressive possibilities and the understanding that the mask can enrich the performance, ennoble, help create a conditional, poetic theater on the stage are left in the past.

In my work, I want to consider the main varieties of the theatrical mask in order to show how important it was for creating a special atmosphere of the performance and how it can help the actor now - to convey to the viewer a sublime content, to enrich the actor's expressiveness, his ability to transform.

I think that acquaintance with the history of the theatrical mask is one of the examples of possible fruitful cooperation with tradition, the appeal to the rich experience of which always becomes a source of fresh eyes and new discoveries in modern life. We will see that the history of the theatrical mask is an exciting and fascinating journey, with many amazing discoveries and mysteries that will forever remain unsolved.

2. Historical forms of theatrical mask.

Theatrical mask in ancient Greece.

Many interesting, unexpected facts, some of which may seem curious to a modern person, are associated with the mask of an actor in the ancient Greek and Roman theater.

Performances in ancient Greece were played several times a year and this was an event akin to a national holiday or the Olympic Games. “The courts were closed on the days of performances, the work of people’s assemblies and other government institutions was interrupted, commercial and industrial life froze, and all citizens in a particularly high, festive mood went to the theater together” .

Competitions were held between actors and playwrights and the winners were chosen. .

The theaters of ancient Greece were huge - open-air amphitheaters could accommodate tens of thousands of spectators, for example, the theater of Dionysus in Athens - 17,000, and the theater of the city of Megalopolis - 44,000 . The actor's facial expressions would be impossible for most viewers to discern, so he performed in a mask that made the character's "features" more noticeable. "The actor's mask was made of wood or even more often of linen" . « Antique masks were made from popular prints and plastered linen, and later from leather and wax.» .

Ancient authors pointed out that the structure of the mask also enhanced the sound of the voice, which was also a very important task for the giant Greek theaters. For this, the design of the stage was also developed in a special way. "Both in Greece and in Rome they played in masks with a special mouth shape, in the form of a funnel - a mouthpiece. This device strengthened the voice of the actor and made it possible to hear his speech to many thousands of spectators of the amphitheater. /.../ The mouth of the mask was usually framed in metal, and sometimes the entire mask inside was lined with copper or silver to enhance resonance.» .

The actor's mask was put on the actor's head like a helmet - along with a hairstyle, and was already made up in advance. “Judging by the descriptions of the ancients, the masks differed from each other also in the difference in complexion and hair. Some had permanent beards attached to them; the masks of the kings were equipped with a diadem. The masks of young women were also distinguished by particularly complex hairstyles. .

"For comedies like The Birds, The Clouds or The Wasps, the choir masks were fantastical" . “Aristophanes made the choir of his songs appear either in the form of clouds, or in the form of birds, or frogs /.../ and we have certain evidence that the choir from “Clouds” caused the spectators to laugh with their ugly masks with huge noses” . On the other hand, "they tried to achieve a portrait likeness where real faces were brought onto the stage" .

The actor had to put on the right mask behind the stage and he was ready to go on stage. A lot of mask changes were required. The fact is that in the ancient Greek performance, one actor initially participated, who led a “dialogue” with the choir: the playwright himself was the only actor in his play who “responded” with his remarks to the songs of the choir” . He took turns representing different characters who spoke, for example, with the people. Often he portrayed a messenger who told lengthy stories about events that took place off the stage, instead of allowing the viewer to see them with their own eyes on the stage, as is customary for us.

Moreover, it is especially interesting that during the performance of the same character different actors could portray. In the ancient Greek performance, the actors not only spoke, but also sang, as in a modern opera. The most difficult and responsible "arias" and texts for recitation "put into the mouths of different actors, who, because of this, could not be brought to the stage at the same time" performed by the main actor - who possessed the best acting data and skill, the most powerful and expressive voice. The second and third actors, in fact, helped him. Sometimes, when several characters were to be present on the stage, an “extra” could also come out in a mask - a performer from the choir who did not pronounce the text, but simply was present on the stage as one of the actors-listeners.

For the main characters of the performance, two or three masks could be prepared, which depicted him, for example, in joy and sorrow. The text of the play was composed in such a way that all changes in the fate of the character took place behind the scenes, so that he could go out and change the mask to the one he needed.

Evidence has been preserved that there were also masks on which the right half of the face depicted one emotion, and the left half another. With the help of this mask, the actor seemed to be able to play, turning to the auditorium in profile with the right side. However, researchers of ancient evidence that have survived to this day, who restored the appearance of the ancient Greek performance, noted that if such masks were used, then probably rarely.

Another curious feature: in ancient Greece and ancient Rome, as well as in other countries around the world until the Renaissance, women were not allowed to participate in theatrical performances. . In any case, in "serious" performances: actresses performed only in "low genres" - pantomime, were dancers, acrobats, members of itinerant troupes. In ancient times and in the Middle Ages, the heroines were portrayed by men on the theatrical stages in both European countries and the countries of the East. The best actors were able to skillfully portray the female voice and movements. Under these conditions, the mask of a woman was very, very handy. The Roman poet Juvenal wrote: “It is easy to believe that it is not the mask of the actor, the Woman speaks there” .

It is possible that in the later period of the existence of the ancient Greek theater, the performers “put on a mask only when they needed to give their faces characteristic features, so that by that time it began to serve exactly the same purposes for which actors now resort to complex make-up", for example, in the roles of old people .

The theater and performance of ancient Rome borrowed a lot from the Greek theater, including the mask. Emperor "Nero himself acted in tragedy, ordering that the masks of the gods and goddesses, which he represented, were similar to his own face or to the face of his wife" .

Understanding the mask in the Italian theater of commedia dell'arte.

Another of the brightest pages in the history of the theatrical mask is the Italian theater of commedia dell'arte (Lacommediadell" arte). And this is a completely different, special look at the mask in a theatrical performance. Not without reason, in the history of theatrical art, the theater of commedia dell'arte is also called the theater of masks. .

Its heyday came inXVI- XVIIcentury. It was the first professional theater in Europe: the name literally translated like this - the word "comedy" meant "theater", "arte" - "craft", "profession". It was the theater of itinerant acting troupes that traveled all over Italy and even neighboring countries. Therefore, there were many similar characters - "masks" with different names, which depicted the inhabitants of Italy typical of that time - a Venetian merchant, a scientist called the Doctor, a Captain of the Spanish army, a couple of lovers, two servants who looked like jesters - one of which is usually more cunning and resourceful, while the other is rustic.

Here, the mask was called the image, the character of each particular character, who performed in different performances unchanged. “The mask is the image of the actor, which he takes on once for all /.../ the possibility is completely excluded that the actor today plays Pantaloon, tomorrow Harlequin or even the Doctor /.../ there are no roles there. There is a role. One role that an actor plays in all plays" .

It is believed that the actors of the commedia dell'arte improvised a lot during the performance, which is possible precisely in the case when the actor was firmly attached to his one and only character and could successfully portray him in various situations. Each actor could portray his character in his own way, but played only one of them, and, sometimes, for years - in the same guise, with the same character traits, habits, and individual traits of behavior.

For many characters in the commedia dell'arte, a face mask made "of cardboard or oilcloth" was an indispensable element in the costume. This is the old Venetian merchant Pantalone, a scientist or philosopher under the general name Doctor, well-known to everyone Harlequin and other servants - each with his own character - Brigella, Coviello, Pulcinella, who are united by a common name - zani. “Masks are a common attribute of comic characters, and even then not all. Sometimes the mask is replaced by a thickly whitened face, or huge glasses, or a glued nose. .

For other characters, the “mask” was their whole appearance - costume, speech, demeanor. For example, a couple of lovers stood out with luxurious, fashionable costumes, spoke the correct literary language, and demonstrated refined manners. But even this was an image invented once and for all: “every actor and every actress were constant types. In various performances, they performed with their permanent name " .

Traditional mask in Japanese theater Noh.

Japanese Noh theater is an ancient theatrical art with a rich history and centuries-old traditions. As in the ancient Greek theater, music, dance, and singing are connected together. “The performance of these plays - in our opinion - is very close in character to our opera, since the actors on the stage mostly sing or speak in melodic recitative; But the presence of a choir and an orchestra also brings No closer to opera. On the other hand, the play No in many respects approaches our ballet, since the movements of the actors are based on dance, and in some places they turn into a real dance, which is also the central place of both the whole role and the whole performance as a whole. . For the aesthetics of the Noh theater, as well as for the aesthetics of the ancient Greek performance, sublime poetry is characteristic, and not plausibility.

In the Noh theater, only the main character and the actor accompanying him, if this is the role of a woman, perform in a mask. The mask helps the actor to create a special image: “it gives the actor’s appearance a mysterious attractiveness, charisma, turns his figure into a sculpture draped with beautiful clothes” .

Masks are made from special wood exclusively by hereditary craftsmen who pass on their skills from generation to generation. The amazing mastery of their execution is evidenced by the fact that many masks of the Noh theater are exhibited as works of art in museums and galleries.

The ancient mask of the Noh theater actor produces an amazing effect - thanks to the fine skill of the actor, it seems to come to life: tilt it with the plane down, turning it into a shadow, and betray an expression of sadness; move your head quickly from side to side showing strong emotions" .

It is not surprising that “like other things in medieval Japan, the mask (along with a mirror, an amulet, a sword) was endowed with magical properties; the actor still continues to treat the mask as a sacred object: the actor's dressing room always has its own altar with ancient masks" .

Makeup as a kind of theatrical mask in the Japanese Kabuki theater.

Makeup has been used as a substitute for a mask at various times around the world, including Greece. “The ancients themselves said that initially the mask was replaced by smearing the face with wine must or covering it with plant leaves” .

We can consider an interesting and well-known version of such a “mask” in the Japanese Kabuki theater. This is a much younger art than Noh theater - its history is "only" about two hundred years.

A striking feature of the Kabuki theater is the desire for authenticity on the stage of objects and costumes, but a frank convention in the work of the "stage servants" and the actor's make-up. “All things, just like costumes, are not props, not imitations, but genuine, and, moreover, high-quality things” . But “special servants are assigned to things on the Kabuki stage, a characteristic attribute of a conditional theater: these conditionally “invisible” people (they are dressed and disguised in all black) perform the duties of stage servants during the action, help the actors when playing with things, serve them objects , free them from unnecessary movements " .

A special conditional make-up, as well as all the action in a Kabuki performance, is a tradition illuminated by time. It reflected "the desire to preserve and reproduce the theatrical appearance of great actors", who "invented" one or another combination of colors and make-up patterns for each type of role, for example, a noble knight, a peasant, a brave hero or an unfortunate hero. Also in the make-up of the actors of the Kabuki theater, “the influence of the stage masks of the old Noh theater” is noticeable.

E. Speransky

For those who are fond of dramatic art, are engaged in drama circles, it is useful to understand this issue. And maybe, having understood it, some of you will want to "take into service" these very interesting tricks of acting: playing in a mask and without a pre-learned text. But this is not an easy task. And to make it clearer what we are talking about, we will start with the simplest: with a simple black mask...

SIMPLE BLACK MASK

You are, of course, familiar with this piece of black cloth with slits for the eyes, covering the upper half of the face. He has one magical property: putting it on his face, a specific person with a first and last name temporarily ... disappears. Yes, he turns, as it were, into an invisible person, into a person without a face, becomes an "unknown person."
A simple black mask... A participant in carnivals, festivals, she is associated with the holiday, with music, dancing, serpentine. People have long guessed about its magical properties. Wearing a mask, you can meet your enemy and find out an important secret from him. In a mask, you can say something to your friend that sometimes you can’t say with an open face. There is always something mysterious and enigmatic about her. "She is silent - mysterious, she will speak - so sweet ...", - it is said about her in Lermontov's "Masquerade".
In the old, pre-revolutionary circus, the BLACK MASK used to enter the arena and lay all the wrestlers one by one on the shoulder blades.

ONLY TODAY!!!

BLACK MASK FIGHTS! IN THE EVENT OF ITS DEFEAT, THE BLACK MASK WILL REVEAL THE FACE AND PROVIDE HIS NAME!
The owner of the circus knew who was hiding under the black mask. Sometimes it was the most useless wrestler, suffering from obesity of the heart and shortness of breath. And the whole fight was a complete scam. But the audience poured on the mysterious Black Mask.
But not always a simple black mask was associated with balls, masquerades and classical wrestling in the circus arena. She also participated in more dangerous undertakings: all sorts of adventurers, bandits, hired killers were hiding under her. The Black Mask participated in palace intrigues, political conspiracies, made palace coups, stopped trains and robbed banks.
And her magical property turned out tragically: blood flowed, daggers sparkled, shots rattled ...
You see what this shred of matter, covering the upper half of the face, meant at one time. But the most interesting thing is that we will not talk about him. After all, we started talking about the "Mask Theatre". So, unlike a simple black mask, there is another type of mask. Let's call it THEATER. And it has an even stronger magical property than a simple black mask...

THEATER MASK

What is the difference between a theatrical mask and a simple black mask?
And here's what: the black mask does not depict anything, it only turns a person into invisibility. And the theatrical mask always depicts something, it turns a person into another being.
The man put on a mask put on a Fox mask - and turned into a cunning beast from the fable of grandfather Krylov. He put on the Pinocchio mask and turned into a fabulous image of a wooden man from A. Tolstoy's fairy tale ... And this, of course, is a much stronger and more interesting magical property than the ability of a simple black mask to make an invisible person out of a person. And people have long guessed about this property of the theatrical mask and have used it since ancient times.

THEATER MASKS IN ANCIENT

Of course, you have been to the circus. So, imagine the premises of the circus, but only many times larger and, moreover, without a roof. And the benches are not wooden, but carved from stone. This will be the amphitheater, that is, the place where theatrical performances of the ancient Greeks and Romans took place. Such amphitheaters sometimes accommodated up to 40 thousand spectators. And the famous Roman amphitheater Colosseum, the ruins of which you can still see in Rome, was designed for 50 thousand spectators. So try to play in such a theater where the audience in the back rows will not see your face and will not even hear your voice ...
In order to be better visible, the actors of those times stood on koturns - a special kind of stand - and put on masks. They were big, heavy masks made of wood, sort of like diving suits. And they depicted different human feelings: anger, grief, joy, despair. Such a mask, brightly colored, was visible at a very long distance. And so that the actor could be heard, the mouth of the mask was made in the form of a small horn-resonator. The famous tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides were played in TRAGIC masks. The comedies of Aristophanes and Plautus, no less famous, were played in comic masks.

Sometimes during the performance the actors changed the mask. In one scene, the actor played in a mask of DESPAIR, and then he left and in another scene he came in a mask of ANGER or a mask of DEEP MEDITATION.
But you and I may no longer need such masks, depicting frozen human feelings. We do not need resonators or cothurneys, although puppet theater actors still use cothurni to trim their height to the puppet screen. We do not need all this because we are not going to revive the theater of Ancient Greece and Rome and play for forty or fifty thousand spectators. We are not interested in masks of horror or thunderous laughter, but in masks-characters, masks-images. And therefore, we will avoid masks that depict any feeling too sharply and vividly, for example, smiling and crying masks; on the contrary, we will try to give our masks a neutral expression so that they can play different states of the human soul. And then it will seem to the audience that our masks either smile, or cry, or frown, or are surprised - if only the actor’s truthful eyes sparkled from under the mask ...

THEATER MASKS OF CLOWNS AND ACTORS

Finding your own mask is considered a great success by circus clowns and actors. A successfully found mask sometimes turns the whole life of an actor, makes him a world celebrity, brings him fame.
But finding your mask is not as easy as it seems. First of all, it is necessary that all the internal and external qualities of the actor coincide with the image that the mask depicts. And the most difficult thing is to guess about the image itself, to play such a person, such a character that would resemble many people at once, would embody not one character, but would collect individual characteristic features of many, that is, in other words, so that the image of the mask would be in a collective or typical way, and, moreover, necessarily modern. Only then will this mask resonate with a large number of spectators, it will become a close, beloved mask, over which people will laugh or cry. But such luck happens rarely, maybe once every hundred or two hundred years.
This happened to the famous actor Charlie Chaplin. He found his mask, and it began to pass from film to film: a black mustache, slightly raised eyebrows, as if in surprise, a bowler hat on his head, a cane in his hands ... And huge, oversized shoes. Sometimes individual details of the costume changed: for example, a straw hat appeared on the head instead of a bowler hat, but the mask itself remained always the same. True, to be precise, it was not a mask, but Chaplin's own face with a glued mustache. But after all, a living human face can also sometimes become a mask if it becomes frozen or inactive, if the same smile or grimace always plays on it.
Another such example of a face mask. The film actor Buster Keaton, famous in his time, never smiled... No matter what he experienced, no matter what ridiculous situations he found himself in, he always kept a serious look, and the audience "roared" with delight, died with laughter. His "scary" serious face became his mask. But here's what's interesting: the Buster Keaton mask is forgotten, but the Chaplin mask lives on to this day. And this is because Chaplin found for his mask a typical image that is close to every viewer, the image of a little funny man who never loses heart, despite the fact that life beats him at every turn. And Buster Keaton played just a separate character of a man who never smiles. Chaplin's image was broader, more typical.
But I am telling all this not at all so that you immediately rush to look for your mask. No, let professional actors do this difficult job better! Of course, what happens once in a hundred or two hundred years can happen to any of you. But while you are at school, you are doing theatrical art because you love the theater, and not at all because you want to become world famous. Even dreaming about it is a rather stupid thing to do, because fame usually comes to those people who do not think about it at all. Conversely, the one who thinks about it, most often becomes a loser. No, we have more modest intentions. And so we are not talking about a mask for which you still need to invent a character, an image, we are talking about a mask that depicts an already existing character known to the audience, taken from life or from literature. But besides masks, we also wanted to understand what improvisation is... Therefore, we definitely need to get acquainted with the Italian "Mask Theatre", in which there was both: both masks and improvisation.

ITALIAN "COMEDIA DEL ARTE", OR "COMEDY OF MASKS"

The Italian "Comedy of masks", or, as it is also called, "Commedia dell'arte", originated in the distant past. But it really flourished in the 17th century. Then famous actors, favorites of the people, began to appear in the troupes of the commedia dell'arte, and mask performances supplanted all other theatrical performances.
What were these masks? After all, we already know that the theatrical mask always depicts someone. Here are some commedia dell'arte masks for you:
1. PANTALONE - a Venetian merchant. Greedy, stupid old man, always gets into a ridiculous position. They rob him, fool him, and out of his stupidity he goes to any draw. His mask is an owl's nose, a protruding mustache, a small beard, and a purse with money on his belt.
2. DOCTOR - a satire on a learned lawyer, a judge. Chatterbox and hooker. In a black half mask, black mantle, wide-brimmed hat.
3. CAPTAIN - a caricature of a military adventurer, a braggart and a coward. Spanish costume: short raincoat, bloomers, hat with a feather. Speaks with a Spanish accent.
Already by these three masks one can understand what the Italian commedia dell'arte was. It was a collection of masks depicting various representatives of the Italian society of that time. Moreover, all of them were exhibited in a funny way, that is, they were satirical masks. The common people wanted to laugh in the theater at those who had caused them a lot of grief in life: the merchant grew rich at his expense, the learned lawyer brought him to prison, and the "captain" robbed and raped him. (At that time, Italy was occupied by the Spaniards, so the "captain" wore a Spanish costume and spoke with a Spanish accent.) a handyman, a lackey, and a rustic country boy. These were already real clowns, amusing the audience in interludes. Zanni were called differently: Brighella, Harlequin, Pinocchio, Pulcinella. The maids played along with them: Smeraldina, Colombina.
These images-masks became known to the whole world. Their names sounded from the stage of theaters, poets wrote poems about them, artists painted them. Yes, you know some of them. Remember Pinocchio? And remember what he sees on the stage of the puppet theater? The same Pierrot, Columbine, Harlequin.
In addition to masks, commedia dell'arte was distinguished by another very interesting property: its actors did not learn roles, but spoke their own words at performances, those that came to their minds at the moment of action. They improvised.

WHAT IS IMPROVISATION

Moments of improvisation occur at every turn in life: a speech delivered impromptu; without preparation, a joke told to the point ... Even when a student at the blackboard explains a lesson learned in his own words or solves a theorem, this is also a kind of improvisation ...
So, the Italian actors of the commedia dell'arte improvised. They did not have roles, or rather, the text of the role. The authors wrote for them not plays broken into dialogues and monologues, but scripts, where they only outlined what the actor should do and say during the performance. And the actor himself had to pronounce the words that his fantasy and imagination suggested to him.
Some of you may rejoice. That's good! So, you don’t need to learn the text, rehearse, but go straight out and beat your role in your own words?!
That's not true!..

ON THE DIFFICULT ART OF IMPROVISATION

Yes, it is a tempting, fascinating, but difficult art. It requires the actor to exert all his abilities, memory, fantasy, imagination. It requires precise knowledge of the script, that is, what you have to say and do on stage. "Ex nihil - nihil est" - there was such a proverb among the ancient Romans: "Nothing comes from nothing."
So, if you "without anything" want to start improvising, you will not succeed. You can easily check this. Take any story by A.P. Chekhov, say, "Chameleon" or "Surgery", or the story of some modern author and try to play it in the form of a scene, in faces, in your own words, that is, improvising. And you will see how difficult it is. You will stand with your mouth open and wait to be prompted...
What to suggest? After all, your role has no words, the author did not write separate lines for each character, as is done in plays ... This means that you need to ensure that the words themselves are born in your head and easily leave your tongue.
So, you need to know very well the image that you are playing: his character, gait, manner of speaking, what he does in this scene, what he wants and what state he is in. And then, you need to know your partner well, be able to communicate with him, listen to him and respond to him. And when you know all this, you need to try on your scene many times, try to play it this way and that, that is, in short, you need to work, rehearse ...
And I must tell you that the actors-improvisers of the Italian "Comedy of Masks" worked like animals, preparing to go on stage: they rehearsed, invented different tricks, came up with funny lines. Of course, it was easier for them that they played in masks, and the masks were well-known theatrical images that passed from performance to performance. And yet they worked no less than the actors who played the text of the author. But every work in the end is rewarded and brings joy. And you, of course, will also feel joy when one day at one of the rehearsals you suddenly realize that you can easily and boldly speak in your own words on behalf of your role.
This will mean that you have mastered the art of improvisation.

WHAT AND HOW TO PLAY WITH MASKS, IMPROVISING!

Well, we got acquainted with two interesting methods of acting: with the theater of masks and the art of improvisation. And we already know that these two methods of acting once combined in the brilliant art of commedia dell'arte. Now it remains for us to think about how to "adopt" this art, to use it, say, in a drama club.
Some may doubt: a living human face is better than a motionless mask, and a good author is better than "his own words", the gag of improvisers. So is it worth reviving these outdated techniques of commedia dell'arte?
But, firstly, they never become obsolete. As long as people have not forgotten how to joke, laugh, fantasize, improvisation will live on. And secondly, speaking of masks and improvisation, we do not at all want to abolish the living face of the actor and a good play by a good author. On the contrary, we want them, these different methods of acting: masks, improvisation and a living human face pronouncing the text of the author - all this existed next to each other, enriched each other.
Because each of these theatrical techniques has its own business. The play, written by the author, has an interesting plot, carefully developed psychological characteristics of the characters. Of course, it is pointless to play such a piece with the use of masks and improvisation. But to revive a political caricature, to stage a fable, to introduce cheerful interludes into a dramatic performance, to respond vividly and witty to any event of the present day - this is the work of masks-improvisers, and no one can do it better than them. But how to do it?.. After all, you and I do not yet have authors who write special scripts for improvising actors.
This means that you yourself will have to come up with topics and write scripts for your speeches.


The heroes of fables, in essence, are also masks. Each animal has its own character. Here, for example, the Bear and the Donkey (from the "Quartet").

This can be undertaken by one of the members of your drama circle, who has the ability and desire for this. Or you can do it together, collectively, which, of course, is much more fun.
Recall that we talked about the theatrical mask. She always depicts an already established character, an image known to both the audience and the actors themselves. It is easier to improvise in such a mask, because the actor already knows her biography, or, if you like, her appearance, her habits. And when writing scripts, we need to keep this in mind. And above all, they must select a number of stage images known to us and the audience, our old acquaintances. They will help us write this or that script. We can find such old acquaintances quite easily both in life and in literature. From today's news, an image of a lover of the Cold War may appear to us, becoming the hero of a political sketch, a caricature that has come to life. Images can come to you from Krylov's fables. After all, every fable image - a fox, a bear, a wolf, a hare - hides in itself some kind of vice or lack of human character. So the images of a lazy student, a bully or a "sycophant" ask for masks. Think about such a scenario, where well-known literary or historical heroes would act, but they would play on topics close to you, relevant topics.

Drawings by O. Zotov.

1.2 Functions of the mask in the No theater

As we mentioned earlier, the key to understanding the No theater lies in the theatrical mask, since the actors of this theater do not resort to make-up and facial expressions. It is in the mask that many functions are incorporated, reflecting not only the philosophy of the “But” theater, but also the principles of the Eastern philosophical doctrine.

"Maska, maskus" from Latin - a mask, but there is an even more ancient word that most accurately reveals the essence of the mask "Sonaze" - to restrain. It was this function of the mask that was actively used in the ritual action. From the definition of E.A. Torchinov, who means by ritual a set of certain acts that have a sacred meaning and are aimed at reproducing one or another deep experience, or its symbolic representation, we can conclude that the mask is a shield that protects from the image, but at the same time some path to it (18, p. 67.).

There are 200 masks in the "No" theater, which are strictly classified. The most striking groups are: gods (characters of Buddhist and Shinto cults), men (court aristocrats, warriors, people from the people), women (court ladies, concubines of noble feudal lords, maids), insane (people shocked by grief), demons (characters of a fantasy world ). Masks are also different in age, character and appearance. Some masks are for specific plays, others can be used to create existing characters in any play. On this basis, the creators of the No Theater believed that the whole world was represented on their stage (9, p. 21).

The masks are cut in various sizes from carefully selected wood and painted with special paint. The mask making technology is so complex that most of the masks currently in use were created by famous mask carvers back in the 14th-17th centuries. Masks made by modern masters - imitation of old works. In this regard, we can judge that each of the masks of the theater is an independent work of art.

It should be noted that, despite all the variety of masks, in the theater "But" the mask often does not express a specific character, but is only his "ghost", a story, a generalization of the human form.

Since the literary material of the No theater is the folklore of ancient Japan, the mask in the theater serves as a conductor of spiritual experience. The mask carries all the distinctive features of not only the personality, the distinctive features of that time and was created at this time, it can be assumed that it immerses the viewer in the proposed circumstances.

At the same time, the mask distracts attention from the “local”, “seeing”, because, according to Eastern philosophers, “the truth is not open to the eye, the farther you go, the more you will see”, which is directly related to the philosophy of Zen Buddhism and the philosophy of the “No” theater . It also confirms the fundamental principles of the leading aesthetic concepts of the No theater - monomane and yugen.

The actor of the "But" theater does not always play the role in the mask. The mask is only worn by the main actor (shiete) and performers of female roles. Companions of the protagonist put on a mask only in the second act after the moment of "transformation". If the shiete is portraying a romantic character, the actor usually does not wear a mask. The actor's face, being without it, is absolutely static, since playing with the face in the theater "But" is considered vulgar.

Considering the theater "But", a modern researcher of the culture of the East - E. Grigorieva argues that the mask as a "calm emotion" resembles the vanity of passions. (8, p. 345) The mask is like "thunderous silence". It can be concluded that the mask is the key to revealing the essence of the role, is its history and result.

Before touching the mask, the actor tunes in to the "magical void" - completely cleanses himself. The theater expert, Grigory Kozintsev, recalls in his book The Space of Tragedy a conversation with Akira Kurasawa, an expert on the No theater. “I'm beginning to realize that 'putting on a mask' is as difficult a process as 'getting into character'. (8, p. 346) Long before the start of the performance, the artist stands near the mirror. The boy gives him a mask and he carefully takes it and silently peers into her features. The expression of the eyes changes imperceptibly, the appearance becomes different. The mask "passes into a person." After that, he slowly and solemnly puts on the mask and turns to the mirror. There is no longer a person and a mask separately, now they are a whole ”(8, p. 345-346.) From this it follows that the mask removes the actor from the outside world, contributes to his entry into the state of “not-I”.

The actor of the "But" theater never touches the front surface of the mask, touching it only in the place where there are strings that fasten the mask to the actor's face. After the performance, the mask is expelled from the actor in a similar way, and then placed in a special case until the next use. In fact, in any theater school, the role is "burned" after its implementation. Otherwise, the role will enslave the performer himself.

Putting on a mask, the actor literally becomes it, being the hero's guide, conveying not only his emotions, moral and physical image, but also his spirit. There should be only one feeling in his soul, which is expressed by a mask.

Only a talented actor is able to revive the mask, transforming its static into a character. Perhaps this is due to the play of light, changes in angle, movement, but there are other examples where these factors did not take place. The German playwright K. Zuckmayer in his memoirs describes a case that happened to the actor Verne Krause, when the ritual mask wept before his eyes, and the actor who was in it felt unspeakable pain. (4, pp. 109 -111)

In the mask, the actor of the “No” theater almost does not see the audience, but the audience does not see his face either. These invisible connections form the unified whole of the performance.

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It is difficult to say where and when they first began to make and use masks. Considering the images of ancient archaeological excavations, one can come to the conclusion that masks were put on the faces of the deceased. The golden mask was discovered by archaeologists in the burial of the Egyptian pharaoh.

It was believed that the mask protects the deceased from evil spirits. The mask was an attribute of ritual actions, it was made of leather, tree bark, matter.

With the development of the theater and its differentiation, make-up takes the form of a mask in ancient times. The mask of the Greek theater was different from the ritual or mask of the Oriental theatre. The Greek mask depicts a human face in generalized terms, it does not carry an individual character. There are references that the masks were invented by the sculptor Thespis. In the time of the playwright Aeschylus, colored masks appeared as coloring was introduced. Masks were put on the head like a helmet. At first, masks were made from wood and bast, later from plaster.

Since the auditoriums in the theaters of Ancient Greece and Rome were huge, the stage was located far from the audience, even in masks they made a device to amplify the voice of the actor. The inner part of the mask near the mouth was lined with silver and copper and looked like a funnel. With the development of theatrical production, masks began to be made from wax, leather, plastered linen, and linen. Sometimes the masks were doubled, tripled, which made it possible for a small number of actors to play several roles, to quickly transform. They began to make portrait theatrical masks, whose facial features were similar to famous people: kings, commanders. This offended, so over time, the portrait mask was banned. Half masks were rarely used. Later, they began to attach wigs made of tow, ropes to the masks. The head has greatly increased in size. In the medieval theater, masks were worn by actors depicting devils, Beelzebub, the devil.

The mask was further developed in the Italian "commedia dell'arte" in the Renaissance, which arose in the middle of the 17th century.

The masks of the "commedia dell'arte" were organically connected with the genre of improvisation, the buffoon style, and the specific features of the performance. The masks were more comfortable, they did not cover the entire face, one could observe the facial expressions of the actor. The masks were worn by four main characters of the “commedia dell'arte”: the Doctor, Pantalone, zani (two servants). Pantalone's mask was dark brown, with a heavily curled mustache and an exaggerated beard. The Doctor had a strange mask that only covered his forehead and nose. It was assumed that this came from the fact that initially it covered a large birthmark on the skin of the face. Brighella is a swarthy mask, as if the tanned skin of a Bergamo resident. Harlequin - the face is covered with a black mask with a round beard. In the 17th century, the masks of the "commedia dell'arte" lose their sharpness, lose their connection with real events, and become conditional theatrical attributes. The mask ceases to be a fundamental technique for decorating the actor's face.

The mask in the modern world has acquired a new sound, it is put on at the Venice Carnival. In Venice, it is customary to arrange lush, rich, colorful carnivals, using costumes and masks. The first mention of the carnival and Venice dates back to the 11th century. The Venetian Republic was rich, it lent money at high interest to royalty. Venice traded with the countries of the East, wealth flowed like a river. In 1296, a festival was held, which was legalized by the authorities in honor of strengthening the position of merchants. Carnival began to be held annually.

Noble persons liked to come to carnivals in Venice, they hid their faces under a mask. Traditional were the masks of the “commedia dell'arte”: Colombina, Pulcinello, Arlecchino, as well as noble persons of the past, for example, Casanova. The most common mask was “bauta”, it had almond-shaped eyes (slits), and was white in color.

In Italy, in past centuries, it was customary for ladies to wear velvet masks when they went out into the street; they were attached to long wooden handles. Similar masks were worn in Spain and England. The mask became an indispensable attribute like a cloak or sword during the time of the musketeers in Europe.

Under the masks, royal persons and robbers hid their faces. In Venice, in 1467, a strict decree was issued that forbade men to enter the novices of the monasteries, hiding their faces under a mask.

Modern carnival masks are elegant and beautiful, they are specially prepared in advance by artists, painting with gold and silver paints. The masks are complemented by hats, colored bows made of foil and shiny fabric, wigs made of tow, ribbons, lace.

The mask is entertaining at the carnival. Venetian masks are expensive, as they are true works of art.

It is customary that masks are also worn at merry New Year's balls, but they are less elaborate and made of cardboard. These are images of animals, dolls, clowns, parsley.

The mask has gone through a centuries-old path of development, but has not lost its purpose to hide the face of its owner.

Among the ancient Greeks and Romans, M. served for actors as the most convenient way to convey the nature of the roles. Judging by the latest discoveries, it can be assumed that M. were used for the same purpose since ancient times in Egypt and India, but accurate information about M. there has not come down to us. In Europe, the first M. appear in Greece, during the Bacchus festivities. Suidas attributes this invention to the poet Harilus, a contemporary of Thespius; he also says that phrynichus for the first time introduced the use of female M. on the stage, and Neophon of Sicyon invented the characteristic M. to reproduce the slave teacher. Horace puts the invention of M. theatrical merit to Aeschylus. 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 past. M. pursued a dual goal: firstly, they gave a certain physiognomy to each role, and secondly, they increased the sound of the voice, and this was extremely important when performing in vast amphitheatres, in the open air, in front of a crowd of thousands. The game of physiognomy was absolutely unthinkable on a stage of such dimensions. M.'s mouth was ajar, the eye sockets deepened sharply, all the most characteristic features of this type were emphasized, and the colors were superimposed brightly. Initially, M. were made from popular prints, later - from leather and wax. At the mouth, the masks were usually trimmed with metal, and sometimes they were completely lined with copper or silver from the inside, to enhance the resonance, while M. had a mouthpiece in his mouth (therefore, the Romans designated M. with the word persona, from personare - to sound). Men were subdivided into a number of invariable 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 conditional attributes (Acteon, for example, antlers, Argus - a hundred eyes, Diana - a crescent moon, Eumenides - 3 snakes and etc.). M. wore special names that reproduced shadows, visions, etc. - Gorgoneia, Mormolucheia, etc. Along with M. deities, historical M. were common - prosopeia; they depicted the features of famous personalities, dead and living, and served mainly for tragedies and comedies from modern life, like Aristophanes' Clouds or Phrynichus' Capture of Miletus; for the comedy "Riders", however, the masters refused to make masks with the image of Cleon. Satirical M. were used to reproduce mythological monsters, cyclops, satyrs, fauns, etc. There were also M. orchestral, they were put on by the dancers, and since the latter were placed closest to the audience on the stage, the M. for them was written out less sharply and got off more carefully. To reproduce characters whose spiritual mood changed dramatically during the action, M. were introduced, on one profile they expressed, for example, grief, horror, etc., while the other profile denoted joy, satisfaction; the actor turned to the audience with one or the other side of the M. From Greece, the M. moved to the Roman theater and stayed on the 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 almost did not find imitators. If an actor aroused the displeasure of the audience, he was forced to shoot M. on the stage and, throwing apples, figs and nuts, drove him off the stage. The use of theatrical M. passed to Italy, for theatrical pantomimes and the so-called Italian comedy (Commedia dell "Arte; see the corresponding article). bells were originally attached to the corners of her mouth.Since the 16th century, this M., modified, passes to France, along with the characteristic M., denoting types of matamores, lackeys, etc. The use of M. was not limited to one theater. The Romans were attended by Archimin, who, putting on M., reproducing the features of the deceased, played out both the good and evil deeds of the deceased, mimicking something like a tomb word.Soldiers sometimes staged, under M., comical processions, as if surrounding a fictitious triumphal chariot In France, in the Middle Ages - for example, during a processional procession to the feast of the Fox - M. was used, and even Philip the Handsome did not disdain such dressing. ode festivities in honor of the jesters that took place in the churches were in the course of M., distinguished by ugliness; The synod of Rouen, which forbade this fun in 1445, mentions the masks of monsters and animal mugs. In the field of private life, the use of M. arose in Venice and was practiced during the carnival; in France, we see him at the entrance of Isabella of Bavaria to Paris and the festivities about her marriage to Charles VI (1385). Under Francis I, the fashion for the Venetian m. (loup) made of black velvet or silk took root so much that the m. was almost an indispensable accessory of 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 a parliamentary edict, all marijuana 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 very French. revolution. Since in his youth Louis XIV willingly took part in court ballets, but, in order to avoid violating etiquette, he was disguised, 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 disguised, 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 all over Europe used masks for quite understandable motives; likewise, sometimes the executioner, in the performance of his duties, dressed in M. Charles I of England was beheaded by a disguised executioner. In Rome, some monastic orders at burials are dressed in a strange costume, under M. At all times and in all countries, M., worn at public festivities, enjoyed inviolability and gave the right to familiarity of speech intolerable under other conditions. In France, it was customary for persons admitted to a ball near M. to invite undisguised people to dances, even members of the royal house. So, for example, at one of the court balls at Louis XIV, disguised as a paraplegic and wrapped in a blanket hanging in ugly tatters 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 a disgusting stranger. At present, M. in the West are used almost exclusively during the carnival. In France, this custom is regulated by an ordinance of 1835, which is still in force today. Disguised people are forbidden to carry weapons and sticks, dress in indecent costumes, inflict insults on passers-by or make defiant and obscene speeches; at the invitation of the police authorities, the disguised person must immediately go to the nearest station for identification, and lawbreakers are sent to the police prefecture. The commission of misdemeanors and crimes under masks is prosecuted in the usual manner, but the very fact of disguise is considered here as a circumstance that reinforces guilt.

Wed fr. Ficoroni, "Le Maschere sceniche, degli antiqui Romani" (Rome, 1736); his own, "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 Moscow City.

• - Higher theatrical workshops of the state, Free workshops, theatrical educational institution. It existed in Moscow in February November 1922, trained actors and directors ...

  Moscow (encyclopedia)

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  Yekaterinburg (encyclopedia)

• - Ludi scaenici. T. representations in antiquity, both in Athens and in Rome, were not in private hands; they were managed by the state, although execution in each individual case was left to private individuals ...

  Real Dictionary of Classical Antiquities

• - - In the XVII century. in England, the name M. was given to a dramatic extravaganza, which was a mixture of pantomime with conversational scenes ...
• - a daily publication published in Moscow in 1864-1865, edited by A. N. Bazhenov ...

  Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron

• - special pads with a cutout for the eyes, worn on the face of the actor ...
• - see theater societies ...

  Great Soviet Encyclopedia

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  Great Soviet Encyclopedia

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• - see Theater education ...

  Great Soviet Encyclopedia

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  Great Soviet Encyclopedia

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  Great Soviet Encyclopedia

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  Great Soviet Encyclopedia

• - theatre, stage Family life - a husband, children, a house - a full bowl, 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 ...

  Explanatory-phraseological dictionary of Michelson

• - Scaffolding theater theater, stage ...

  Michelson Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary (original orph.)

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  Synonym dictionary

"Theatrical masks" in books

Two theater legends