Research on Masks .docVIP

Research on the Ancient Mask by Angie Varakis The classical ‘helmet’ mask as depicted by the archaeological evidence is considered by classicists as one of the defining conventions of Greek theatre. In recent years there has been a growing understanding by academics and theatre practitioners that in ancient times the Greek mask was more than a functional device with practical applications. It was also strongly connected to the quality of the texts and the deeply formalistic nature of ancient theatre. This in combination to the limitations a realistic approach to ancient drama could pose for theatre practitioners has led to an increasing development in mask research and a growing interest in exploring the potential of re-introducing the mask in the modern staging of ancient Greek drama. In the world of academia a great deal of research in ancient mask iconography has been undertaken in recent times by T.B.L. Webster and J. R. Green as part of ‘the ancient theatre project’ centred on the Institute of Classical Studies in London. This work involved building up a data-base of masks. Webster’s catalogues of masks are historically valuable as they give an indication of the ancient theatrical masks’ appearance and popularity by period and area. However they do not explore the mask’s significance within performance practice. Research in this area has just begun to develop with the work of academics from the field of theatre studies and classics such as David Wiles, Michael Walton, Nurit Yaari, Martha Johnson, C.W. Marshall and Claude Calame which aims to show how masks can develop and shape our understanding of Greek theatre and society. Also there is a developing theoretical research in ancient masks from an anthropological point of view by French academics such as Frontisi-Ducroux and Jean-Pierre Vernant. The work of the latter, attempts to connect images of Satyrs and the Gorgon as depicted by the archaeological evidence to theatre masks of the earliest tragedies.