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Department of English Studies

Academic Staff

Publication details for Professor John McKinnell

McKinnell, J. (2001). 'Significant Gestures: Two Medieval Illustrations of Classical Theatre.'. In Porci ante Margaritam: Essays in honour of Meg Twycross. Carpenter, Sarah, King, Pamela & Meredith, Peter Leeds: University of Leeds, School of English. Leeds Studies in English, New Series 32: 289-320.
  • Publication type: Essays in edited volumes
  • ISSN/ISBN: 0075-8566
  • Keywords: 14th Century, Fourteenth Century, Tragedy, Semi-circular classical theatre, Acting style.
  • View online: Online version
  • Durham research online: DRO record

Author(s) from Durham

Abstract

This article uses two important manuscript illustrations to contrast fourteenth-century ideas about the performance of classical tragedy, which were based on rather inaccurate antiquarian reconstruction, with those for the comedies of Terence, which had enjoyed a continuing tradition of performance. The article shows how the move from the semi-circular classical theatre to performance in a medieval hall gradually changed performance conventions and led to a style of acting in which masks were discarded and lead gestures were made with the upstage hand (rather than always with the right hand, as was done in the Roman theatre).