History of Masks & Masques
First of all, what does the term MASK mean to us? The US is only culture that interpret this to be only the physical covering of the face. Even today, in other cultures it is the whole disguise or character… the clothing, mannerisms, movement, voice…etc.
The use of masks goes back to pre-historical times. These were used in religious ceremonies and rites.
In Greek and Roman times, masks were used to enlarge or emphasize a character on the stage.
In the Middle Ages, the morality, cycle and mummers plays often used masks to create symbolic characters. Piety, Avarice, Greed, Hunger, etc
Second, if we are trying to recreate the costumes of a specific time and place, we need to understand how they viewed and created their costumes.
The most difficult thing for our modern minds to comprehend was the utter lack of any sense of "historical accuracy" or "evolution of dress". They did not perceive the past as being different from the now.
The next thing to consider was where and how they got their costumes. This depended on what type of performance, who was sponsoring it, and what the character was.
Liturgical plays, Miracle/Mystery Plays, Mummers Plays, Cycle plays.- Only costumes budgeted were Adam and Eve, Jesus, God, the angels, and the devils. (SOME EXAMPLES OF COSTUME)
Larger guilds would rent out their costumes to smaller producing agencies. By the 16th c. this was a common enough practice that the profession of theatrical outfitter was possible.
Interludes:
Indoor entertainments for rulers, nobles, or rich merchants. Often presented between parts of something else, like courses of a banquet. Could be religious, moral, farcical, or historical. Often included singing and dancing as well. Performers called "minstrels" until end of 15th c. when acting was separate from musical. By 1350 nobles maintained their own company of performers. Since given in crowded banquet halls or great hall of mansions., included little scenery and few characters. Few of these before 1500 (due to religious plays) Oldest existent Fulgens and Lucrece by Henry Medwall, 1497.
Examples from 16thc. are numerous.
Tournements, Mummings, and Disguisings:
Pas de Arms and Allegorical tournaments.
Mummings from pagan ceremonies as sword and Morris dances. These developed into mummer’s play… a dumb show in mask or disguise. Often given at Christmas with Father Christmas as presenter. Went from house to house. Also at Lent and other holidays. Also going from house to house, either taking up collections or presenting gifts. Also a cover for criminal activity, and therefore suppressed in England during 14th and 15th c., (except at court.)
English Masques, Italian Intermezzi, and French ballet de cour.
In Italy- The intermezzi were entertainments given between acts of a performance. These often included singing and were not part of the story line, but related to the theme of the main performance. Many new styles of theatrical presentation were developed for this.
Also in Italy, the Comedia del Arte troupes developed and later traveled all over Europe. They used stylized masks and a lexicon of characters with stock features. This style of performance and it’s stock characters greatly influenced the great playwrights, such as Shakespeare and Moliere. It is to be noted that most of the enamorati did NOT wear masks.
England- Disguisings at court were conducted for any special occasion…Banquets, visits of royalty, weddings, etc. These developed into complex spectacles. The first recorded masque was in 1377 by Charles the V of France to entertain Emperor Charles IV. The English monarchs, Henry VII and VIII (1485-1509 & 1509-1547) especially like to host them and made them very popular at courts.
Themes: Intended as allegorical complements to person honored. Also presented an "idolized vision of monarchy" disorder – order w/ruler as transforming agent.
Aspects of production: Scenery on wheeled platforms,"dispersed décor". Largely pantomime. Concluded in a dance (performers only until 1513…then pick spectators for "Masques after the manner of Italy")
Far more costly than the earlier Interludes.
Henry VIII had a House of Revels built to stage them and created Office of Revels (1545) to centralize control over court entertainments. Under Elizabeth, this was expanded to cover all professional troupes. She didn’t host them herself, preferring to be the one honored. The medium reached it height under the Stuart reign, incorporating many of the Italianate styles of production with the designs of Inigo Jones. By this point, 2 masques were begin give a year, 12th Night and Marti Gras. Then was abruptly curtailed by the Puritan Reformation.
Casts were composed of only one sex (all men or all women). Sometimes there were "Double masques" were the men would hold a masque and then the women would hold another one, back to back.
Spain- Started in 13th c. Given regularly at court under Philip III. Phillip IV had 300 different plays at court
French- Catherine de Medici Toured country and
provinces.
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