Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-09-23
DRAMA IN ANCIENT DAYS.

Mr.. Raymond Duncan and his com
pany gave a very beautiful and. fol
ought We know, faithful reproduction
OF play that dates from the golden
age OF Greek drama-the age OF Sophie
Giles. Ia a brief speech before the
curtain went up he explained that his
OBJECT in the peculiar line OF work he
tse csc-cr was to lay the foundation
for higher dramatic art in our age.
He hoped, by the presentation OF the
drama as it was during Its classic puri-
" to create a taste for something bet
ter than Is now generally offered He
was rather severe on modern drama
lists lie said many OF them had no
other object In view than getting
money, and the consequence was that
the drama had dcgenefatcd The thea
ter would undo in one evening the
| moral and religious structure that had
been built up laborlously by churches
ana schools. II was therefore. he said,
| high time that reformation Of the
stage was attempted, in order that Il
may become what it ought TO be, a
| moral agency cooperating with the
church and school for the education of
! mankind.
with this preliminary explanation the
play was presented There were the
chorus with it's coryphPus. and the
dramatis pcrsone. There were the
primitive dance and the melodious
plaintive music that reminds one Of the
melodies still played in oriental coun-
tries Those who could follow the da-
losue seemed to enjoy the entertain
ment Immensely. but even one not on
speaking acquaintance with the Greek
language could enjoy the poetic move
ments of the actors and actresses. IL
was a highly artistic production OF its
kind. And TO anyone who really loves
the dramatic art it is worth while at
tending one OF the performances. II is
worth while looking at a drama writ
ten nearly $500 years aso and present
ed with the profound scholarship and
skill with which Mr.. Duncan and his
company stage II.
In the earliest days OF the dramatic
art as practised in the Greek states,
it consisted chiefly in impromptu on
tertainments, at various religious
festivals. Then several persons
formed a chorus and agreed on GER
tain general plan leaving the details
Of It to the ingenuity OF each member.
Soon several choruses appeared. each
endeavoring TO Guido the other. This
led to competition for prize, which,
TO begin with, was only trife-a
Of Aug ma of xtfp
Thespis was the first who proposed to
substitute for the impromptu acting
something beforehand committed TO
writing He also introduced, I'm addi-
ton TO the chorus an actor who i'm
personated some character. Dialogue
between him and members Of the
chorus. or the leader of the chorus,
alternated with songs. The plot was
sometimes comic and sometimes Sc
rious. The subjects We're generally
suggested by the stories Of mythology.
and the prize winner sometimes re-
ceived. I'm addition to figs and wine.
a goat which was immedia tely sacrifc-
ed, whereupon a feast was enjoyed
Some derive the word tragedy from
the Greek "tragos," he goat" he
cause Of the tragic ending Of the
performance for the goat Comedy"
is derived from "komos" which means
a "jovlal festivity." with music, dane
ing, etc. In jolly, old Greece such
festivities generally ended in the
parties paradiug the streets crowned.
and with torches singing dancing.
and playing frolics. BY and by
"komoi' were held i'm the honor OF
various deities. The pieces arranged
ny Thespis might be called either TRACE
dies or comedies: later distinction
was made between the more serious
and the lighter pieces. and the APP
propriate name was given To each
Thespis lived In the 9Th century be-
fore our era He was succeeded by a
number Of dramatists who followed
the path indicated by him. and through
their work the drama became exceed
ingly popular Whoever will follow the
history OF the dramatic poetry OF the
Greeks from tho small, trifling begin
ming To the heights 10 which il was
elevated by Aeschylus. Sophocios.
Euripides and the other masters.
must recognize in this tho great
ness and nobility OF the Greek.
and especially the Attic spirit.
which had the power OF creating the
most wonderful works of art out OF
such material. ana that In so short a
time. No other nation has exceIed the
Greeks IN the products OF their
poetic composers, 1t is remarkable. |
too, that the drama Of our own day
still retains the main features OF the
earliest age, though wonderfully en- |
richcd by stage accessories. il is essen |
TALLY the same. Even the abuses Of the |
ART date back TO its early stages |
There is nothing new under the sum- |
Greek comedy as well as tragedy was |
at one time intended to be an aid To- |
II presented carlcautures |
with the object Of making human
follies and wickcdness abhorrout But
gradually this was lost sight OF ana
the comedy became merely means
10 laughter and hivolty The blows
Of satire fon upon Innocent and guilty
without discrimination. 10 please
audiences and the author sought 10