greek theatre info- Section C

1. No death on stage
2. Deus Ex Machina often at end of play
3. No actors on orchestra
4. No chorus on Proskenion
5. Actors are all masked (including chorus)
6. Unities – whole play has to be set in same place AND same time
7. Outdoor / indoor parados
8. Usually only two actors on stage at any time)
9. Use of Skene = Scenery
10. Proskenium decorated/ornate = Proscenium Arch

The Mask
The Greek theatre masks covered the entire head. The mask amplified the voice, creates resonance and is an instrument designed to control the direction and the intensity of the voice.

Deus Ex Machina
A seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly and abruptly resolved by the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability or object.
More than half of Euripides' extant tragedies employ a deus ex machine. In Medea, the deux ex machine is in the form of a dragon-drawn chariot sent by the sun god, to take his granddaughter Medea, who has just committed murder and infanticide, away from her husband Jason to the safety and civilization of Athens.