The actors and the chorus - Costumes and scenic appearance


                        The actors
 
At first in dithyrambous, there were no actors. Thespis was the poet who
 imported the first hypocrit, Aeschylos the second and Sophocles the third
 one. Besides these actors, who were playing the leading parts, there were
 also some other persons on the orchestra (=stage), playing "dumb" roles
 (the "followers").



At the begginning the actors were being chosen by the poets. In the 5th
 century they were being chosen by the State.



The hypocrits were always men, even if they were playing female roles.
 In order to have a female appearance, they were playing wearing the
 "prosternida" before the chest and the "progastrida" before the belly. In order
 to look taller and more impressive they were wearing "cothornous" (wooden
 shoes with tall heels). These shoes were the same for both legs (no right and
 left). They were dressed in long robes with vertical stripes.

The most essential part of their disguise was the mask.
 These masks were made ad hoc and they had big holes for the mouth and the
 eyes. The mask was absolutely necessary as it was necessary in the dionyssiac
 religion.



                        The chorus 

Up to the point when Sophocles imported his innovations in drama, the
 chorus consisted from 12 members. Sophocles added three more. The 15
 members of the chorus were entering the orchestra in rows
 ( usually face=3, depth=5 ), which means that although in old dithyrambous the
 chorus was making a circle, in ancient theater the chorus was making squares.



The chorus was entering from the two "parodos". His appearance was
 depending on the play. For the tragedy the chorus was very solemn and 
it was called "emmelia". In comedies it was funny and it was called "codrax"
, when in satyric drama it was scoptic and it was called "sicinnis".



The chorus,who was considered to be the mouthpiece of society
 (in its humble form) and morality, was suffering along with the heroes.
MACHINERY USED IN ANCIENT GREEK THEATRE>


A)The Aerema,             B)The Periactoi,            C)The ekeclema  
It was crane by which     Two prismatic pillars       A wheeled plattform on
the gods were appaering   put on the left and right   which bodies of dead 
on these (deus ex         hand side of the scene,     persons were presented.
machina).                 turning around their
                          axon,they chanfed the
                          background of the scene.