What are the differences between the Elizabethan theatre and the modern theatre?

In respect to the past, modern theatre are well-built but that lure less people than the Elizabethan period. Modern technologies have permitted a better organization of the theatre, but also the birth of new and different form of entertainment.

First of all, structure. Elizabethan theatre was made of wood and it was octagonal or circular in shape. The rectangular stage was small-sized, and it doesn’t contain more than twelve actors. There was an uncovered pit in front of the stage surrounded by three covered galleries. The gallery above the stage could be used by musicians. On the stage there was a trap door used for special apparitions and disappearances. There was also a balcony for special effects onto the stage. Today the new technologies permit a more complex architecture. Theatres are totally covered and externally of various forms. The stage is bigger, it has the curtain and a big-sized space all around for the machinery of the scenery. The pit is tipped, the galleries are reserved for rich people and decorated with Baroque’s decoration.

Secondly, the different structure permits  a better realism of the representation. In the past, everything was acted in daylight and performances required some stuff (such as chairs, tables, swords...). Nowadays it’s possible to change quickly the scenery, the atmosphere and also the stage.

 On the contrary, another difference is the  less participation of the audience today. In the Elizabethan period actors required on the audience’s imagination and feelings, so spectators were themselves a part of the performance.

Moreover, in the Elizabethan period the genre of tragedy reflected all the social classes feelings. The characters were kings but also citizens, so all the people was involved and took part to the play. Today, almost the 50% of theatrical performances are musical or lyrical representations, that is a genre which  doesn’t allow the audience’s collaboration.  The distance between actors and audience is a great difference in respect to the past.

Another difference consist in the management costs of the theatres today. Machinery needs a continuous maintenance, as the structure too. Consequently also the ticket’s price increase.

Finally, theatre in the Past was the main entertainment form and the centre of life. It was surrounded by several taverns. Nowadays the most entertainment form is the cinema, which guarantees lower tickets. Indeed, today the Cinema lures more people than the theatre. In 2011, there were 34.252 tickets sold for theatrical representations, and 1.785.945 tickets sold for films. This doesn’t mean that today the theatre is not valued, but it doesn’t lure some people.

I think nowadays theatre is not so valued like the Elizabethan period. Moreover, the management costs imply an higher ticket’s price, so rich people can go easily to theatre than everyone. On the other hand, I think that theatre should be more valued, because its plays and its representations contain more values and training than the cinema. This is the main difference from the past when people who go to theatre can learn something of themselves.