Theatre History Overview - Part 95 - Mannerist Theatre

Mannerism came about because of the Counsel of Trent which took place from 1545 to 1563. The council saught to reassert the authority of the Roman Catholic Church and ensure orthodoxy. As a result, there was a sense of anxiety in Italy.

In the visual arts, mannerism was reflected by a static, artificial, and self-concious visual style. In theatre, mannerism gave a break from this sense of anxiety. It blended reality and unreality. The stage characters were no longer part of a larger world. The only world that existed for them was the one that was on stage.

Theatrical artists used mannerism to seek change and make scientific observations about the world. Colloquial and metered speech combined to create plays. Characters may address the audience directly from the stage.

The first work to truly discuss mannerism in the theatre was The Early Commedia dell'Arte (1550-1621): The Mannerist Context by Paul Catagno. It focused on the effect of mannerism on what was then the contemporary professional theatre. Mannerism led to neoclassical theatre and Commedia dell'arte.

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