Did cavemen have a version of theatre or performance of their own?

Question

Are there any relevant links or information that you know about the stone age and whether they had their own version of a theatre? When did theatres/amphitheatres and performance evolve? How did the separation of the audience and the performers evolve over time, and how did it start? Any general information about the evolution of the theatre and performance spaces in general would be very helpful. Aiding me with any of these questions would be very helpful. Thank you.

Answer 1

Cavemen did cave painting and recreated the emotions, triumph, trials and tribulation of their hunts; wearing skins, skulls, horns, etc. taken from their prey, recreating the excitement of the hunt for the other members of their group-- women, children, old people, and young boys of their bands--probably around the evening camp fires. Check out anthropology books for more on this topic.

As for the first real staging, I think the Greeks probably have the honor of the first ampitheatre-style spaces. Many of our words for things, places connected to theatre come from Greek words; lyceum, ampitheatre, theatre; while the Romans added to tradition with words like vomitorium...which is for exactly what it sounds like. (Romans always had to add their 2 cents worth!)

But the Romans also brought us early surround-sound and "you are there" with the flooding of the Coliseum to provide re-enactments of Roman sea battle triumphs, adding to drama with alligators to eat hapless sailors and using war captives for extras (complete with death enactment...begging the qestion: "is it live, or is it Memorex?")

Given that the Chinese have a very evolved civilization, including stylized theatrical arts, dating back 5,000. They too might be worth researching.

However, given that many of our words come from Greek, theatre as we know it probably came from them also. They at least had a lot to do with the evolution of comedy and tragedy...hence the term "Greek tragedy".

Answer 2

Number one certainly has a clue, although for Neanderthal you might consider it "primitive" (no pun intended), unscripted, and generally unrehearsed.

Consider this scenario. (I've answered this before)

"Og" and clan live in caves on the edge of some savannah. Game is plentiful, but the "hunt" is always risky. Og happens to be the designated Hunter, (The Star) and the stage is set as he is seen leaving camp early in the morning to bring back food for family and other clan members.

Center stage is Ogs wife, who actually created Fire one time while Og was hunting and gathering. Around her sit people ranging in age from child to octagenarian.

"Without getting into details of Ogs day" (He will soon enough) I'll let you assume them.

Upon his return; a succesful hunt; the group stands and animatedly cheers. They dance about, and help drag the kill to be made ready for a feast.

As all the prep is taking place Og either begins relating the days events spontaneously, or is nudged to, and recounts every scarey detail, by gestures, scratching the events pictorally on the cave wall, and by use of his own form of language, probably embellishing all along.

Eventually even his captive audience smells "Roast Beast" and Ogs performance might then come to an end as they all scramble to the meal. Og may even be feeling he just got a bad review? BUT the beauty of this performance, and Ogs position as having the "lead" role, is that he will play to this audience often.

This of course will be in sequals, and likely the length of time will increase in the rapt attention of the audience as Og creates a more intriguing tale.

More organized theater probably began with the Greeks, but was similar in that it recreated LIFE, and was viewed by audiences who could relate, but too, could escape their own lives.

Very realistically the size of a stage, or theater need only depend on the scope of the tale, or audience interested. The separation initially and likely still is in some measure, an ego thing. If you, for example are the Actor, it's unlikely you want audience participation; for various reasons. That said there are many "interactive" situations that have and can be succesful.

Steven Wolf

Answer 3

There are many tribes amongst the 700 tribes of Papua New Guinea that were still near stone age in the 1980s. I was there and saw theatre in some of their jungle/forest villages--not ceremonies or dances, but plots with dialogue. Theatre appears to be endemic among humans whether they are trained or not.