Theater curiosities

The color yellow is not allowed in many theaters. The reason is that Molière, the famous playwright, was dressed in that color when he fell ill and had to leave the performance, and later died. Let’s review other curiosities of a world as fascinating as it is superstitious.

Theater is a unique experience, both for the artists and the audience.. Each representation has its own emotions, achievements and vicissitudes. It is no coincidence that it is one of the oldest and most universal expressions of humanity. Not for nothing does it continue to be so.

Although theatrical performances are known in almost all cultures, the first heyday of this art took place in Ancient Greece. Since then the symbol of the theater is two masks: one that smiles, representing comedy and another that moans, as a symbol of tragedy.

The Greeks thought that Thalia was the muse of comedy, since she loved parties, merriment, laughter and music. Melpomene was the muse of tragedy and it was said that she possessed everything, but she could not be happy.. Greek tragedies are such a complete and wonderful expression of the human condition that they continue to fascinate even today. Let’s see other curiosities of the theater.

“Life is a play that does not allow rehearsals. Therefore, sing, laugh, dance, cry and live intensely every moment of your life, before the curtain falls and the play ends without applause.”.

-Charles Chaplin-

The curtain did not always exist in the theater, this was an innovation for the theater of the 17th century.

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Curiosities of theater throughout history

The first theater was made of stone, in Greece, and dedicated to the god Dionysus. It was divided into three parts: the stage, a place for the orchestra, and the audience’s place. The Greeks applauded and cheered at the end of a play; The Romans did the same, but they also waved the tips of their togas or waved a special ribbon that they gave to the public for that purpose.

Just as the theater had a period of plenitude in Greece, it also experienced its own decline at the beginning of Christianity. This art was viewed with suspicion and for a long time public performances were prohibited. However, this changed with the appearance of sacramental autos, which represented passages from the Bible.

At first plays could only be shown in churches. Later, it was allowed to take place in public squares. In any case, until well into the 18th century, it was considered that the profession of actors It was infamous. They were prohibited from holding certain public offices and could not be buried in sacred ground..

For a long time women were prohibited from participating in plays. If female characters were required, very young men who had not changed their voices were used.

Myths and legends in the theater

There are many theater venues that are surrounded by legends and myths. For example, London’s West End, the largest theater district in the world, has always been said to be haunted.. In fact, many theaters on the planet do not operate on Mondays, as it is said that it is the day when ghosts can wander around the site without anyone bothering them. They even leave the lights on that day.

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And speaking of legends, It is said that Macbeth, Shakespeare’s famous play, is cursed. This myth was established because the first time the play was performed the main actor died before going on stage. Shakespeare himself took his place, but the lights were of no use. In 1849, 20 people died during the performance of this play. For this reason, many actors and directors fear him.

The myths and legends of the theater do not stop there. The expressions “a lot of shit” and “break a leg” are part of theatrical slang and represent a wish for good luck. In the first case, because there was a time when to get to the theater you had to travel great distances on horseback. So many spectators arrived on horseback. Thus, the more “shit”, the more audience at the show.

The expression “break a leg” dates back to when, considering that a performance had been good, the audience would throw coins at the end of the performance, if they liked the work. The actors had to get on their knees to collect the money. So the expression predicts that the success of your work will be such that you will break your leg collecting coins.

Les Miserables is the longest-running musical in London’s West End. (Editorial credit: Sampajano_Anizza / Shutterstock.com)

Other curiosities of the theater

The usual thing is that both the curtain and the chairs in a theater are red. This is due to an optical effect called “Purkinje”. It has to do with the fact that red is the first color that the human eye stops seeing when the lights go out. This helps viewers focus their gaze on the scene.

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The duration of a theatrical work is very varied. It is believed that the shortest one could last around three minutes, while the longest one ends a day after it starts. One of the most extensive is Gatza performance that lasts eight hours and in which the work is read in its entirety The Great Gatsbyby Scott Fitzgerald.