THEA 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Fourth Wall, Birthstone, Rosary
Document Summary
Time, translation, and perception can transform writing beyond its original context. The first recorded drama is not from greece but north africa: fragments of a work called the abydos passion play have been traced back at least 1,500 years before athenian drama emerged. It features a woman performer known as a miko, or female shaman, who plays the title character, a young mischievous goddess named uzume. The script often does not exist on paper, but in the imaginations and memories of the performers and the audience. In this early piece of theatre, we find the healing power of comedy, the link between sex and comedy, the necessity for female energy in many performance traditions, and the satisfaction derived from ancient and enduring traditions. This ancient ritual drama holds many essential elements of tragedy: the suffering of a people, the rise of a hero, the willingness to sacrifice for the good of others, and ultimate redemption.
