Actor’s Mask in Old Attic Comedy Cover Image

Маска актера в Древней аттической комедии
Actor’s Mask in Old Attic Comedy

Author(s): Olga Anatiolievna Rykantsova
Subject(s): Theatre, Dance, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Sociology of Art
Published by: Издательство Исторического факультета СПбГУ
Keywords: Aristophanes; vase-painting; comedy; mask; theatre;

Summary/Abstract: The article is devoted to the problems of using mask in the performances of Old Attic Comedy, particularly in the plays of Aristophanes. The masks of Old Attic Comedy haven’t survived up to our days, and there are a lot of controversial questions connected with mask making and using: what it was made of, if it was a portrait-mask, how it was sensed by the Athenians. Nevertheless, numerous depictions of masks on Greek vessels and reliefs and some facts in classical authors’ texts help us to realize special features of comic mask acting on the Athenian stage. The using of masks influenced strongly all aspects of theatrical performance that’s why our comprehension of mask function and peculiarities is very important for interpretation of Old Comedy texts.

  • Issue Year: 2015
  • Issue No: 23
  • Page Range: 27-35
  • Page Count: 9
  • Language: Russian