Public and Performance in the Greek Theatre

Widely known for his puppet versions of Greek plays, classicist and theatre scholar Peter Arnott approaches Greek drama as a living art form, not as an antiquarian study. In this work, Arnott explores the way Greek drama was performed in ancient society, emphasizing the practical staging of these works and how the buildings themselves imposed particular constraints on actors and writers alike. In the process, he illuminates the literary patterns of these works as well as revealing the dynamic between performance and audience response. Examining each aspect of production -- actors, chorus, audience, costume, speech -- Arnott elucidates the organic relationship of Greek dramas to their original settings. The result is a captivating assessment of an ancient art form and a lively recreation of Greek plays.