Theatre of Dionysus. A Performative and Reflexive Space

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to look at the first theatre of the world, the Theatre of Dionysus, and how it was used both as a performance and as a reflexive space, and how some dramatic spaces appeared to the public, thanks to the existing theatre space. It should be remembered that the tetralogies performed the Theatre of Dionysus were only one stop of the whole route of the rituals of the Great Dionysia that started in the Asclepieion on the Acropolis hill, where they instigated the activities of different forms of sacrifice. Interestingly, the theatrical space as it was conceived at the time, included different parallel rituals that extended the boundaries of the theatre as a performance space. Turning to scholars such as Fischer-Lichte (2013), and Puchner (1985), masters of the semiotics of theatre, we examine how, in the above-mentioned theatre, the reflexive space appears as a folding of the existing performing space, setting an example for directors who have left their mark on our modern stage. For this research, we have selected Aeschylus as our guide to better understand the osmosis of the separate elements between the reflexive and the performance space, which absorbs the senses of the viewer, putting into practice his spiritual criteria for seeing the world. By sharing examples taken from his tragedies, we might benefit by reflecting on lesser examined issues as the goals of directing in this theatre, beyond what the dramatic space suggests. Looking back at Aeschylus’ potential directorial choices, we might comprehend more of how the Theatre of Dionysus was used both as a performance space, like any theatre in the world, but also as a reflexive space, capable of offering an introspective experience and a deeper understanding of social dynamics.