Written Report:

Asian History
of
Theatre

Dar, Marielle Casey M.

Lobaton, Paul Justine O.
Nicerio, Regie P.
Ramos Jonah Leigh E.
BSE-Eng II-1

Jonah Leigh E. Ramos

BSE-English
History of Stage Arts in India
The earliest form of theater in India is the Sanskrit Theater dating
from the 1st Century CE, with the Mahbh ya by Patajali the earliest
proof of its existence. The major source of evidence for the Sanskrit
Theater, however, is A Treatie on Theatre (Ntyatra) by Bharata Muni
a compendium whose date of composition is uncertain. It is the most
complete work of dramaturgy in the ancient world that addresses acting,
dance, music, dramatic, architecture, costuming, make-up, props, the
organization of companies, the audience, competitions. It even tells of the
origin of theater in a mythological nature. Sanskrit Theater was performed
on sacred ground by priests trained in the necessary skills of dance, music,
and recitation. The aim of this theater was both to educate and to entertain.
Performers belonged to professional companies that were directed by
a utradhara, stage manager, being under the patronage of royal courts.
The performers were trained rigorously in vocal and physical technique.
Unlike what one must have thought, there were no oppositions against
female performers. In fact, companies were either all-male or all-female, or
of mixed gender. The Treatie gives most emphasis to the teachings of
acting (abhinaya) among all the elements of theater. Acting then consists of
two styles: realistic (lokadharmi) and conventional (natyadharmi), of which
the latter is the theaters major focus.
The theaters drama is considered the highest achievement of
Sanskrit literature, making use of stock characters or stereotypical persons
readily recognized by the audience such as the hero (nayaka), heroine
(nayika), or clown (viduaka). Actors may have specialized in a particular
type. In the 1st century BCE, Klidsa is hailed the greatest Sanskrit
dramatist of ancient India. He has produced three famous romantic plays,
namely Mlavikgnimitram (Mlavik and
Agnimitra), Vikramuurvahiiya (Pertaining to Vikrama and Urvashi),
and Abhijnakuntala (The Recognition of Shakuntala), the last of which

is inspired by a story in Mahabharata and is the most famous, consequently

being the first to be translated into English and German.
Second to Klidsa as the great Indian dramatist was Bhavabhuti
wgo lived in 7th century CE. The plays MalatiMadhava, Mahaviracharita and Uttar Ramacharita the last two covering
the entire epic of Ramayana were attributed to his authorship.
Meanwhile, Harsha, a powerful Indian emperor, was acknowledged to have
written the comedies, Ratnavali and Priyadarika, and the Buddhist drama,
Nagananda.
Indian theaters were influenced with western concepts during the 200
years of British colonial rule. The modern Indian theater began when a
theater was opened in Belgachia. During this time, Rabindranath Tagore
was a pioneering modern playwright whose works written in Bengali are
centered on the exploration and questioning of their nationalism, identity,
spirituality, and material greed. Some of his works are Chitra (Chitrangada,
1892), The King of the Dark Chamber (Raja, 1910), The Pot
Office (Dakghar, 1913), and Red Oleander (Raktakarabi, 1924).
The contemporary Indian theater that is, after Independence (post1992) starred Mrityunjay Prabhakar as one of the major, young Hindi
theater directors and playwrights who established himself a significant
theater activist in the first decade of the 21st century. His written plays have
been performed in different cities and theater centers of the country apart
from Delhi. Some of these are Aao Natak Natak Khelen, Khwahihen, Jee
Humen To Natak Karna Hai, Suicide, Hey Ram, Teri Meri Kahani Hai,and
Karnav.

NICERIO, REGIE P.

BSE-Eng !!-1

History of Philippine Theatre

Theatre in the Philippines has started even before the Spaniards

came. The dramatic form that flourished first was the indigenous
community theatre. Its forms and manifestations were centered on the
people, their everyday rites, ceremonial rituals, mimetic dances, mimetic
customs and traditions. It can be performed together or separately on the
occasions of a persons birth, baptism, courtship, wedding, sickness, death;
and rituals for planting and harvesting, fishing and hunting, and guidance
during war.
Tribal dances were more often than not mimetic may also be
considered as proto-drama, such as dances for baptism, courtship,
marriage and even death, that depict important tribal activities. Other tribal
dances which ma be considered proto-dramas are playful imitations of
animal movements. They also debate in song and dance that became an
exchange of spoken verses in duplo. Duplo became a formal debate on an
issue, and was called the Balagtasan durin the 1920s.
When the Spanish colonizers came, the friars used the power of
theatre as a tool for Christianity and to attract the natives to the pueblo or
town. The Spanish regime popularized various types of secular and
religious play. Secular plays staged to celebrate town fiestas while religious
plays highlight Catholic liturgical feasts like Christmas, Lent, or Eastern.
The most important play is the komedya, also known as moro-moro,
linambay, or orakyo which is a Spanish play introduced to the country. It is
a theatrical spectacle that takes 3-15 hours with several sessions to
perform.
The most outstanding and enduring Philippine religious play has been
the sinakulo. It is the most popular verse narrative on the life and sufferings

of Jesus Christ. It is a community activity during Lent and often for eight
consecutive nights during Holy Week.

History of Thai Theatre

In Thailand, the theatre they play is derived from Indian epics. The
Thais national epic, Ramakien is a version of the Indian epic Ramayana.
Ramakien has an identical main story that of Ramayana, but many
other aspect s were transposed into a Thai context, such as the clothes
weapons topography, and elements of nature. It serves to provide Thai
legends with a creation myth, as well as representations of various spirits
which complement the beliefs of Thai animism.