Misplaced Pages

#360639

52-474: Tiara Tahiti is a 1962 British comedy-drama film directed by Ted Kotcheff and starring James Mason and John Mills . Kotcheff's directorial debut, it is based on the novel by Geoffrey Cotterell, who also adapted it for the screen with Ivan Foxwell . Clifford Southey is a clerk at a brokerage firm who is promoted to lieutenant colonel during the war. His subordinate officer, Captain Brett Aimsley,

104-406: A character in the tragedy Octavia , the only extant example of fabula praetexta (tragedies based on Roman subjects, first created by Naevius ), and as a result, the play was mistakenly attributed as having been authored by Seneca himself. However, though historians have since confirmed that the play was not one of Seneca's works, the true author remains unknown. Senecan tragedy put forth

156-437: A combination of private benefactors, public subscription, and proceeds from the summae honorariae or payments for office positions made by magistrates. To demonstrate their benefactions, statues or inscriptions (sometimes in sums of money) were erected or inscribed for all to see in front of the tribunalia, in the proscaenium or scaenae frons , parts of the building meant to be in the public eye. Building theatres required both

208-451: A declamatory style, or a style of tragedy that emphasized rhetoric structures. It was a style characterized through paradox , discontinuity , antithesis , and the adoption of declamatory structures and techniques that involved aspects of compression, elaboration, epigram , and of course, hyperbole, as most of his plays seemed to emphasize such exaggerations in order to make points more persuasive. Seneca wrote tragedies that reflected

260-415: A field day. Mason is fine as the mocking wastrel while Mills is equally good in a more difficult role that could have lapsed into parody. These two carry the main burden of the film" The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "Director Ted Kotcheff's feature debut is an adequate showcase for the talents of James Mason and John Mills. Nobody can smarm like Mason and he breezes through

312-535: A guild exclusively for female stage performers, the Sociae Mimae . The public opinion of actors was very low, placing them within the same social status as criminals and prostitutes, and acting as a profession was considered illegitimate and repulsive. Many Roman actors were slaves, and it was not unusual for a performer to be beaten by his master as punishment for an unsatisfactory performance. These actions and opinions differ greatly from those demonstrated during

364-596: A large area of the Italian Peninsula , circa 364 BC. Following the devastation of widespread plague in 364 BC, Roman citizens began including theatrical games as a supplement to the Lectisternium ceremonies already being performed, in a stronger effort to pacify the gods. In the years following the establishment of these practices, actors began adapting these dances and games into performances by acting out texts set to music and simultaneous movement. As

416-538: A lower joke rate than sitcoms . In the very influential Greek theatre , plays were considered comedies or tragedies. This concept even influenced Roman theatre and theatre of the Hellenistic period . Theatre of that era is thought to have long-lasting influence, even in modern narrative works. Even today, works are often classified into two broad buckets, dramas and comedies. For instance, many awards that recognize achievements in film and television today, such as

468-442: A massive undertaking and a significant amount of time, often lasting generations. Roman theatres, particularly ones constructed in western-Roman , were mainly modeled on Greek ones. They were often arranged in a semicircle around an orchestra, but both the stage and scene building were joined together with the auditorium and were elevated to the same height, creating an enclosure very similar in structure and appearance to that of

520-413: A modern theatre. This was furthered by odea or smaller theatres having roofs or larger theatres having vela, allowing for the audience to have some shade. During the time of these temporary structures, theatrical performances featured a very minimalist atmosphere. This included space for spectators to stand or sit to watch the play, known as a cavea , and a stage, or scaena . The setting for each play

572-493: A more prominent component in Roman festivals of the time, claiming their place in events that had previously only featured races, athletic competitions, and gladiatorial battles. All six of the comedies that Terence composed between 166 and 160 BC have survived. The complexity of his plots, in which he routinely combined several Greek originals into one production, brought about heavy criticism, including claims that in doing so, he

SECTION 10

#1732793648361

624-514: A new form of expression, philosophy. The development that occurred was first initiated by playwrights that were Greeks or half-Greeks living in Rome. While Greek literary tradition in drama influenced the Romans, the Romans chose to not fully adopt these traditions, and instead the dominant local language of Latin was used. These Roman plays that were beginning to be performed were heavily influenced by

676-819: Is a movie or program that balances the elements of a drama and a comedy. Also known as a comedy drama, this hybrid genre often deals with real life situations, grounded characters, and believable situations. The ratio between the drama and comedy can vary, but most of the time there is an equal measure of both, with neither side dominating. Abreu also adds that dramedies often deal with relatable and serious topics such as divorce, illness, hardship, and heartache. Examples of comedy dramas in American film include: Examples of American television comedy dramas include: Theatre of ancient Rome 'Spectacle' became an essential part of an everyday Romans expectations when it came to theatre. Some works by Plautus , Terence , and Seneca

728-721: The Primetime Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards segregate several award categories into these two classifications. The 20th century saw a rise in film and television works that could be described as comedy-dramas. The term is a translation from the French "comédie dramatique". The portmanteau "dramedy" came to be in the 1980s. In January 2022, Rafael Abreu, writing for the StudioBinder filmmaking blog, defined this genre as follows: A dramedy

780-408: The portmanteau dramedy , is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and drama . In films, serious dramatic themes (such as death, illness, etc.) are dealt with realism and subtlety, while preserving a humorous tenor. In television, modern scripted comedy dramas tend to have more humour integrated into the story than the comic relief common in drama series but usually contain

832-484: The 4th century. This is supported by the fact that Latin was an essential component to Roman Theatre. From 240 BC to 100 BC, Roman theatre had been introduced to a period of literary drama, within which classical and post-classical Greek plays had been adapted to Roman theatre. From 100 BC till 476 AD, Roman entertainment began to be captured by circus-like performances, spectacles, and miming while remaining allured by theatrical performances. The early drama that emerged

884-464: The Etruscan traditions, particularly regarding the importance of music and performance. The first important works of Roman literature were the tragedies and comedies written by Livius Andronicus beginning in 240 BC. Five years later, Gnaeus Naevius , a younger contemporary of Andronicus, also began to write drama, composing in both genres as well. No plays from either writer have survived. By

936-407: The Roman comic dramatists made several changes to the structure of the productions. Most notable is the removal of the previously prominent role of the chorus as a means of separating the action into distinct episodes. Additionally, musical accompaniment was added as a simultaneous supplement to the plays' dialogue . The action of all scenes typically took place in the streets outside the dwelling of

988-520: The Younger that survive to this day, highlight the different aspects of Roman society and culture at the time, including advancements in Roman literature and theatre. Theatre during this period of time would come to represent an important aspect of Roman society during the Republican and Imperial periods of Rome. Rome was founded as a monarchy under Etruscan rule, and remained as such throughout

1040-454: The action on the stage during the performances of many tragedies. From the time of the empire, however, the work of two tragedians survives—one is an unknown author, while the other is the Stoic philosopher Seneca . Nine of Seneca's tragedies survive, all of which are fabulae crepidatae ; a fabula crepidata or fabula cothurnata is a Latin tragedy with Greek subjects. Seneca appears as

1092-400: The actors in the troupe would have speaking roles in a performance, while the other actors in the troupe would be present on stage as attendants to the speaking actors. For the most part, actors specialized in one genre of drama and did not alternate between other genres of drama. The most famous actor to develop a career in the late Roman Republic was Quintus Roscius Gallus (125BC-62BC). He

SECTION 20

#1732793648361

1144-400: The auditorium was divided, typically by broad corridors or praecinctiones, into one of three zones, the ima, media, and summa cavea. These zones served to section off certain groups within the population. Of these three divisions, the summa cavea or 'the gallery' was where men (without togas or pullati (poor)), women, and sometimes slaves (by admission) were seated. The seating arrangements of

1196-428: The beginning of the 2nd century BC, drama had become firmly established in Rome and a guild of writers ( collegium poetarum ) had been formed. No early Roman tragedy survives, though it was highly regarded in its day; historians know of three early tragedians— Ennius , Pacuvius and Lucius Accius . One important aspect of tragedy that differed from other genres was the implementation of choruses that were included in

1248-565: The burgeoning South Seas market. It was filmed in London and Tahiti . According to Kinematograph Weekly the film was considered a "money maker" at the British box office in 1962. Monthly Film Bulletin said "With a TV reputation for slick, hard-hitting and technically adventurous productions behind him, it might have been expected that William Kotcheff would have brought some of these qualities to his first commercial feature. Unhappily,

1300-505: The citizens desire for theatrical performance. Theatres were constructed almost always through the interests of those who held the highest ranks and positions in the Roman Republic. In order to maintain segregation of power, those of high rank were often seated near the front or in the public eye (tribunalia). Individuals who made benefactions to the construction of theatres would often do so for propaganda reasons. Whether it be at

1352-422: The craft of becoming successful in the art. He would further distinguished himself through his financial success as an actor and a teacher of acting in a field that was not highly respected. Ultimately, he chose to conclude his career as an actor without being paid for his performances because he wanted to offer his performances as a service to the Roman people. Until recently it was commonly believed that although

1404-528: The era of the Roman Republic progressed, citizens began including professionally performed drama in the eclectic offerings of the ludi (celebrations of public holidays) held throughout each year—the largest of these festivals being the Ludi Romani , held each September in honor of the Roman god Jupiter . It was as a part of the Ludi Romani in 240 BC that author and playwright Livius Andronicus became

1456-616: The film bears all the hallmarks of the standard Rank production; if there was any freshness of approach in Kotcheff's original conception, it has now been successfully ironed away. Essentially an actor's vehicle (resembling, at times, a South Sea island version of Tunes of Glory [1960]), the story needs much firmer and subtler handling than it receives here; veering uneasily between military satire and character drama, it scarcely convinces on either level. But it has two meaty parts and James Mason, with his practised charm and irony, brings just

1508-472: The first developing European cultures to shape their own culture after another. With the end of the Third Macedonian War (168 BC), Rome had gained greater access to a wealth of Greek art and literature, and an influx of Greek migrants, particularly Stoic philosophers such as Crates of Mallus (168 BC) and even Athenian philosophers (155 BC).This allowed the Romans to develop an interest in

1560-464: The first to produce translations of Greek plays to be performed on the Roman stage. Prior to 240 BC, Roman contact with northern and southern Italian cultures began to influence Roman concepts of entertainment. The early Roman stage was dominated by: Phylakes (a form of tragic parody that arose in Italy during the Roman Republic from 500 to 250 BC), Atellan farces (or a type of comedy that depicted

1612-520: The first two and a half centuries of its existence. Following the expulsion of Rome's last king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus , or "Tarquin the Proud," circa 509 BC, Rome became a republic and was henceforth led by a group of magistrates elected by the Roman people. It is believed that Roman theatre was born during the first two centuries of the Roman Republic , following the spread of Roman rule into

Tiara Tahiti - Misplaced Pages Continue

1664-462: The hand of an imperial benefactor or a wealthy individual, the high cost of building a theatre usually required more than a single individual’s donations. In 55 B.C., the first permanent theatre was constructed. Built by Pompey the Great, the main purpose of this structure was actually not for the performance of drama, but rather, to allow current and future rulers a venue with which they could assemble

1716-445: The main characters, and plot complications were often a result of eavesdropping by a minor character. Plautus wrote between 205 and 184 B.C. and twenty of his comedies survive to present day, of which his farces are best known. He was admired for the wit of his dialogue and for his varied use of poetic meters . As a result of the growing popularity of Plautus' plays, as well as this new form of written comedy, scenic plays became

1768-399: The mental states of many individual's. All Roman comedies that have survived can be categorized as fabula palliata (comedies based on Greek subjects) and were written by two dramatists: Titus Maccius Plautus (Plautus) and Publius Terentius Afer (Terence). No fabula togata (Roman comedy in a Roman setting) has survived. In adapting Greek plays to be performed for Roman audiences,

1820-484: The opportunity to win their freedom if they were able to prove themselves as successful actors. The open-air declaiming, gesturing, singing, and dancing of Roman stage acting required stamina and agility. The spread of dramatic performance throughout Rome occurred with the growth of acting companies that are believed to have eventually begun to travel throughout all of Italy. These acting troupes were usually composed of four to six trained actors. Usually, two to three of

1872-581: The picture, as a cultured crook who sees Mills's arrival on Tahiti to negotiate a hotel del as the chance to pay him back for his being cashiered at the end of the war. Mills occasionally struggles to convince in the more difficult role, not always managing to keep the lid on his histrionics." Time Out found it an "uneven mix of character study and situation comedy". Leslie Halliwell said: "Uneasy mixture of light comedy and character drama; enjoyable in parts, but flabbily assembled and muddily photographed." Comedy-drama Comedy drama , also known by

1924-571: The possibility exists that women may have performed non-speaking roles in Roman theatrical performances, historical evidence dictated that male actors portrayed all speaking roles. Later research has shown that, although likely rare, there were women who performed speaking roles. Bassilla and Fabia Arete were, for example, two actresses known for their role of Charition in a popular folk comedy. There were certainly successful women stage performers within dance and singing in theatrical performances, many of whom apparently enjoyed widespread fame, and even

1976-618: The psychology of the mind through 'self-representational soliloquies or monologues,' which focused on one's inner thoughts, the central causes of their emotional conflicts, their self-deception, as well as other varieties of psychological turmoil that served to dramatize emotion in a way that became central to Roman tragedy , distinguishing itself from the prior used forms of Greek tragedy . Those that witnessed Seneca's use of rhetoric; pupils, readers, and audience, were noted to have been taught Seneca's use of verbal strategy, psychic mobility, and public role-play, which for many, substantially altered

2028-712: The public and demonstrate their pomp and authority over the masses. With seating for 20,000 audience members, the grandiose structure held a 300-foot-wide stage and boasted a three-story scaenae frons flanked with elaborate statues. The Theatre of Pompey remained in use through the early 6th century but was dismantled for its stone in the Middle Ages. Virtually nothing of the vast structure is visible above ground today. The first actors that appeared in Roman performances were originally from Etruria . This tradition of foreign actors would continue in Roman dramatic performances. Beginning with early performances, actors were denied

2080-660: The right weight to his role. John Mills, on the other hand, is encouraged to over-act and, surely, it was a mistake to give him two lengthy face-to-camera monologues, especially when the situations are so overblown. After the protracted opening sequences, the Tahitian locations seem like a breath of fresh air yet, even here, neither camerawork, colour nor direction make much of the material." In The New York Times , Bosley Crowther called it "lush, foolish, sometimes funny ... splotchy entertainment that is, at least, colorful". Variety wrote "The two male stars in this pic have

2132-412: The same political and civic rights that were afforded to ordinary Roman citizens because of the low social status of actors. In addition, actors were exempt from military service, which further inhibited their rights in Roman society because it was impossible for an individual to hold a political career without having some form of military experience. While actors did not possess many rights, slaves did have

Tiara Tahiti - Misplaced Pages Continue

2184-418: The several other types of events (gladiatorial matches, circus events, etc.) held within the same space, theatrical events were performed using temporary wooden structures, which had to be displaced and dismantled for days at a time, whenever other spectacle events were scheduled to take place. The slow process of creating a permanent performance space was due to the staunch objection of high-ranking officials: it

2236-460: The soul, through which rhetoric would be used within that process of creating a tragic character and reveal something about the state of one's mind. One of the most notable ways that Seneca developed a tragedy, was through the use of an aside, or a common theatre device found within Hellenistic drama, which at the time was foreign to the world of Attic tragedy . Seneca explored the interior of

2288-458: The supposed backwards thinking of the southeastern Oscan town of Atella; a form of ethnic humor that arose around 300 BC), and Fescennine verses (originating in southern Etruria). Furthermore, Phylakes scholars have discovered vases depicting productions of Old Comedy (e.g. by Aristophanes , a Greek playwright), leading many to ascertain that such Comedic plays were presented at one point to an Italian, if not "Latin-Speaking" audience as early as

2340-404: The theatre highlight the gender disparities in Roman society, as women were seated among the slaves. Sur notes that it wasn’t until Augustus that segregation in the theatre was enforced, to which women had to either sit at or near the back. Theatres were paid for by certain benefactors and were seen as targets for benefaction, mainly out of the need to maintain civil order and as a consequence of

2392-457: Was a partner at Southey's firm. Popular and charismatic, Capt. Aimsley is everything Col. Southey is not, but aspires to be. Unfortunately money is Aimsley's weakness. His profligacy sees him removed from Southey's command. Some time after the war, Aimsley's comfortable exile in Tahiti is rudely interrupted by the arrival of his old adversary, now director of a hotel chain looking to expand into

2444-425: Was a stark difference from the written prologues of other known playwrights of the period, who routinely utilized their prologues as a way of prefacing the plot of the play being performed. The following are examples of stock characters in Roman comedy: Beginning with the first presentation of theatre in Rome in 240 B.C., plays were often presented during public festivals. Since these plays were less popular than

2496-455: Was depicted using an elaborate backdrop ( scaenae frons ), and the actors performed on the stage, in the playing space in front of the scaenae frons , called the proscaenium . These structures were erected in several different places, including temples, arenas, and at times, plays were held in Rome’s central square (the forum ). Societal divisions within the theatre were made apparent in how

2548-481: Was primarily known for his performances in the genre of comedy and became renowned for his performances among the elite circles of Roman society. Through these connections he became intimate with Lucius Licinius Crassus , the great orator and member of the Senate, and Lucius Cornelius Sulla . In addition to the acting career Gallus would build, he also would take his acting abilities and use them to teach amateur actors

2600-399: Was ruining the original Greek plays, as well as rumors that he had received assistance from high-ranking men in composing his material. In fact, these rumors prompted Terence to use the prologues in several of his plays as an opportunity to plead with audiences, asking that they lend an objective eye and ear to his material, and not be swayed by what they may have heard about his practices. This

2652-401: Was the opinion of the members of the senate that citizens were spending too much time at theatrical events, and that condoning this behavior would lead to corruption of the Roman public. As a result, no permanent stone structure was constructed for the purpose of theatrical performance until 55 B.C.E. Sometimes theatre building projects could last generations before being completed, and would take

SECTION 50

#1732793648361

2704-895: Was very similar to the drama in Greece. Rome had engaged in a number of wars, some of which had taken place in areas of Italy, in which Greek culture had been a great influence. Examples of this include the First Punic War (264-241 BC) in Sicily. Through this came relations between Greece and Rome, starting with the emergence of a Hellenistic world, one in which Hellenistic culture was more widely spread and through political developments via Roman conquests of Mediterranean colonies. Acculturation had become specific to Greco-Roman relations, with Rome mainly adopting aspects of Greek culture, their achievements, and developing those aspects into Roman literature, art, and science. Rome had become one of

#360639