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Melodrama developed into a theatrical form in about 1800 thanks to the French playwright René-Charles Guilbert de Pixerécourt. It began as a reaction to the theatre of the restoration period of the late 1600s. After all theatre had been banned in England for 18 years (for being sinful), Restoration drama exploded onto the scene. The best-known fact about the Restoration drama is that it is immoral. This theatre used sexually explicit language, and wallowed in gambling, drink, love, and pleasure generally, they mocked all restraints. Some were gross, others delicately improper.... the dramatists did not merely say anything they liked: they also intended to glory in it and to shock those who did not like it. Whilst it was attended by a variety of classes, it was mainly intended for the aristocrats, who often paid to sit on stage, so the rest of the audience could see how wealthy they were!
Melodrama developed into a theatrical form in about 1800 thanks to the French playwright René-Charles Guilbert de Pixerécourt. It began as a reaction to the theatre of the restoration period of the late 1600s. After all theatre had been banned in England for 18 years (for being sinful), Restoration drama exploded onto the scene. The best-known fact about the Restoration drama is that it is immoral. This theatre used sexually explicit language, and wallowed in gambling, drink, love, and pleasure generally, they mocked all restraints. Some were gross, others delicately improper.... the dramatists did not merely say anything they liked: they also intended to glory in it and to shock those who did not like it. Whilst it was attended by a variety of classes, it was mainly intended for the aristocrats, who often paid to sit on stage, so the rest of the audience could see how wealthy they were!
ABOVE: Restoration Theatre - a reflection of the wigged and powdered aristocratic lifestyle of the late 1600s
ABOVE: Restoration Theatre - a reflection of the wigged and powdered aristocratic lifestyle of the late 1600s
Melodrama was also influenced by the development of a new style in art, music, and literature, called Romanticism, through which people expressed their feelings through art (note how overly dramatic these paintings are - staring at a landscape and crossing a river have never been so action packed!). As such, Melodrama was an emotional theatre and were tales of suffering, suspense, romance and evil deeds.
Melodrama was also influenced by the development of a new style in art, music, and literature, called Romanticism, through which people expressed their feelings through art (note how overly dramatic these paintings are - staring at a landscape and crossing a river have never been so action packed!). As such, Melodrama was an emotional theatre and were tales of suffering, suspense, romance and evil deeds.
After the industrial revolution, the make up of theatre audiences began to change. Melodrama was a simpler form of story for a simpler, more moral and god fearing audience, and flourished throughout the 1800s. The heroes and heroines were now the middle and lower class fighting against the rich, corrupt and powerful. It enabled a form of escapism for the middle and lower class people who were experiencing long working hours and poor conditions.
After the industrial revolution, the make up of theatre audiences began to change. Melodrama was a simpler form of story for a simpler, more moral and god fearing audience, and flourished throughout the 1800s. The heroes and heroines were now the middle and lower class fighting against the rich, corrupt and powerful. It enabled a form of escapism for the middle and lower class people who were experiencing long working hours and poor conditions.
As a form of theatre, however, it has a bad name today. To call someone ‘melodramatic’, especially a performer, is an insult. The modern taste is for a more realistic and natural style of acting. The exaggerated gestures and grand vocal techniques used in melodrama seem comic to us; however, in its day this type of theatre attracted larger audiences than in any other period in the history of western drama. The average city-dweller in the nineteenth century attended the theatre regularly - each week, according to some historians. The average Australian city-dweller today attends the theatre once a year. Theatre audiences in nineteenth century were very familiar with the theatrical conventions of the period and they knew what they wanted. They wanted thrills, spectacle, and sensation. (Yes - that is an actual train crash ON STAGE in the photo below... with a real horse thrown in for good measure!)
As a form of theatre, however, it has a bad name today. To call someone ‘melodramatic’, especially a performer, is an insult. The modern taste is for a more realistic and natural style of acting. The exaggerated gestures and grand vocal techniques used in melodrama seem comic to us; however, in its day this type of theatre attracted larger audiences than in any other period in the history of western drama. The average city-dweller in the nineteenth century attended the theatre regularly - each week, according to some historians. The average Australian city-dweller today attends the theatre once a year. Theatre audiences in nineteenth century were very familiar with the theatrical conventions of the period and they knew what they wanted. They wanted thrills, spectacle, and sensation. (Yes - that is an actual train crash ON STAGE in the photo below... with a real horse thrown in for good measure!)
The word "melodrama" comes from "melos", the Greek word for song, combined with "drama".
The word "melodrama" comes from "melos", the Greek word for song, combined with "drama".
Music is used to increase the emotional response or to suggest characters.
Music is used to increase the emotional response or to suggest characters.
There is a tidy structure or formula to melodrama: a villain poses a threat, the hero escapes the threat (or rescues the heroine) and there is a happy ending. In melodrama there is constructed a world of heightened emotion, stock characters and a hero who rights the disturbance to the balance of good and evil in a moral universe.
There is a tidy structure or formula to melodrama: a villain poses a threat, the hero escapes the threat (or rescues the heroine) and there is a happy ending. In melodrama there is constructed a world of heightened emotion, stock characters and a hero who rights the disturbance to the balance of good and evil in a moral universe.
These simple moral tales of good over coming the scheming villain are still around today in contemporary melodramas such as soap operas (eg: the Bold and the Beautiful, Neighbours and Home and Away) and police procedurals (eg: CSI, Law and Order), as well as countless other movies.
These simple moral tales of good over coming the scheming villain are still around today in contemporary melodramas such as soap operas (eg: the Bold and the Beautiful, Neighbours and Home and Away) and police procedurals (eg: CSI, Law and Order), as well as countless other movies.
By the early 1910s, Melodrama began to fade due to the rise of both Realism (which again targeted theatre to the middle and upper classes) and the invention of motion pictures (which were targeted to to masses).
By the early 1910s, Melodrama began to fade due to the rise of both Realism (which again targeted theatre to the middle and upper classes) and the invention of motion pictures (which were targeted to to masses).
The Rise of Melodrama Crash Course Theater 28.mp4Watch this before completing your journal entries!
Watch this before completing your journal entries!
Watch this for a bit of fun!
Watch this for a bit of fun!
A Muppet Melodrama!
A Muppet Melodrama!
muppet_melodrama_pts_1_2_.mp4Report abuse