Thanos Vovolis

Theatrical masks were always used by the actors during ancient drama and comedy performances. However the acoustic function of the ancient Greek theatrical masks is a challenging topic for acousticians and theatrologists. From previous study by the authors, it is evident that such masks not only modify the natural sound of the actor’s voice and the directivity of the human head, but also increase dramatically the level of the actor’s self-perceived voice. It was found that the level of the actors voice received to his own ears via the enclosing mask could exceed 100 dB, which over the many hours of the ancient performances, would introduce significant hearing discomfort or even damage the actor’s hearing.
To verify such effects, this work provides a comprehensive set of acoustic measurements for the voice generated by a masked actor (transmit path, Tx) as well as the self-induced voice reaching his own ears (receive path, Rx). A set of mask templates was constructed using archeological data and the masks were set over a HATS dummy head system. The measurements were based on platforms and equipment used by the industry for speech and audio quality evaluation of current headsets, headphones and other telecommunication devices

New Spatialities: Performing Arts and Outdoor Space

Exploring the core theme of PQ 2015 SharedSpace: Music Weather Politics, the Hellenic Participation revolves around the theme: New Spatialities: Performing Arts and Outdoor Space. The quest for new spatialities shaped by diverse negotiations and the dynamics of the physical, open, outdoor and public space constitutes part of the driving force behind some of the more recent developments in the field of performance space. The concept that any space is potentially a stage is of great importance. Space is thus regarded as an open territory, an open system for the performance event, a boundless space in continuous process of emergence and metamorphosis.
The projects selected for the Hellenic Participation at PQ 2015 follow upon this expanded understanding of the spatialities of outdoor/open spaces. Each performance event has been created specifically for the outdoor space.
The caleidoscopic structure of the Hellenic participation corresponds to the multiformity of the artistic works and the multitude of artists selected to take part in the Prague Quadrennial 2015. In accordance with the curatorial concept that promotes heterogeneity, ambiguity, multifocality, complexity and chaotic self-organizing as distinctive elements of spectating in open spaces, the exhibition has the form of an assemblage: a juxtaposition of disparate and mixed ideas, aspects and works that are gathered together but not interlocked. Acknowledging the nuances, differences and singularities of each project, the curatorial concept follows a fragmentary pattern and moves in various directions, opening up opportunities for possible correspondences and the development of interactions of meaning.
The curatorial concept has provided the form of the exhibition. In order to create the installations of the Hellenic participation, the creative team worked on the great differences of visuality and spectating between indoor performance spaces or architecturally shaped outdoor theatre constructions (both having as their basic mode of operation the control of audience’s gaze and its spatial positioning) on one side, and the multifocal polyvocality of a 360 degrees vision of the outdoor space spectatorship on the other.
The installations aim to recreate the basic premises of spectatorship in open/outdoor spaces, and to create a chaotic visuality where effort, commitment and active participation is needed by the spectator in order to view the works of the artists and experience the installations.
The National participation of Greece consists of 20 artists and companies with 27 projects, 9 educational institutions with 245 students and 3 live performances. It is organized and produced by the Hellenic Centre of the International Theatre Institute.

Thanos Vovolis
Scenographer
Curator of the Hellenic Participation, PQ 2015
Editor of the Catalogue of the  Hellenic Participation, PQ 2015

This report, from an artistic development study, is about the acoustic
consonance mask in Greek tragedy and in contemporary theatre; its
morphology, appearance, function, and its relation to the actor, text, audience
and the theatre space.
The study should be regarded as an introduction to those issues considered
in this text: mask, voice and body, consonance, kenosis, ecstacy,
mimesis and catharsis.
It is impossible to imagine the ancient Greek theatre without the mask,
whether it be tragedy, comedy or satyr play. The mask was an organic
element in the form of theatre that originated in the cult of Dionysus
and which was of such great importance in the social and political life
of the city state of Athens - theatre as ritual, ceremony, entertainment,
education, social, political and philosophical discourse.

Theatre is too often associated with an interior and urban performance space. Symptomatically the indoor version of the theatre has relied heavily on the face of the actor, at least since the Renaissance. When the mask occasionally displaced the face on the ...

Theatre masks were fundamental elements of the ancient Greek theatre tradition, having a dramatic impact on the artistic performance. Apart from the obvious change of the visual appearance of the actors, the masks also altered the acoustic characteristics of their voices. Therefore, both from the spectator’s and the actor’s point of view these masks significantly modified the acoustic events and inevitably transformed the overall theatrical experience. As the art of theatre evolved, the physical characteristics of the masks were transformed in terms of their size, mouth and ear openings and construction materials. Quite recently, masks replicating the original shape and structure of the ancient prototypes have been constructed based on the relevant literature and on archaeological findings. In this work, such a theatre mask is created in order to measure the corresponding acoustic characteristics. For this, the KEMAR manikin is used and the acoustic impulse responses are measured bo...

All theatrical forms developed in ancient Greece were forms of masked drama. Apart from the obvious change of the visual appearance of the actors, the masks also altered the acoustic characteristics of their voices. Therefore, both from the listener’s and the actor’s points of view these masks significantly modified the acoustic events and inevitably transformed the overall theatrical experience. In this work, we employ recreations of such masks and through controlled experiments, via measurements and simulations, we evaluate their impact on the acoustics of the most typical and famous of the ancient theatres, this one of Epidaurus. Emphasis is given on unraveling the character of the combined acoustics of the voice of masked actor and the response of such a theatre which is famous for its perfect acoustics for speech and drama plays.

It is impossible to imagine the ancient Greek theatre without the mask, whether it is tragedy, comedy or satyr plays. All theatrical forms that developed in Athens during the 6th and 5th centuries BC were forms of masked drama. The mask was an organic element in this new form called theatre because the mask is the medium per excellence for the embodiment of the Other and participates in the creation of the stage as a site of the dialogue between the Self and the Other. But the mask was an organic element of the the-

ABSTRACT Masks were always used by the actors of the ancient Greek theatrical plays. Their theatrical function indicates an integral connection between the performers, the plot and the acoustics of the open-air ancient theatres which has not been explored in the past. Although the exact form, shape and material of such masks can be only deduced from limited archaeological finds, based on these and other sources, a number of typical mask templates were constructed covering most of the potential alternative forms. For these mask templates, the acoustic frequency response, the angle-dependent radiation and the actor's voice self-perception were tested via use of a KEMAR manikin and appropriate post processing. The novel results illustrate important acoustic and voice communication aspects of these masks.

New Spatialities: Performing Arts and Outdoor Space

Exploring the core theme of PQ 2015 SharedSpace: Music Weather Politics, the Na tional Participation of Greece is centered around the following theme: New Spatialities: Performing Arts and Outdoor Space.
The quest for new spatialities shaped by diverse negotiations of the open, outdoor and public space consists in effect part of the central theme of PQ 2015 and the driving force behind some of the more recent developments in the field of performance space. The projects selected for the Hellenic National Participation in PQ 2015 follow upon this novel and expanded understanding of the spatialities of outdoor / open spaces.
More specifically, each performance event has been created for the specific circumstances of outdoor space and shaped primarily in dialectic relation to its distinct characteristic features as well as its spatial and human-geographical classification as urban, industrial, rural, historical or natural landscape. Projects do not just recreate given spatial conventions of interior space or utilize conventional and fixed frameworks of outdoor performance architecture. The performance event is regarded as human action that can take shape in a plethora of aesthetic forms and genres: theatre, dance, performance, happening, action, intervention, hybrid forms, etc. All projects have addressed the social and political structures weaved by human interactions and the complex interrelations between art event, artist, space and participating audience (be it targeted or random, broad or specific, privileged or excluded).

Exploring the main theme of the  Prague Quadrennial 2015 SharedSpace: Music Weather Politics, and exploring the shift from the devised visual space of scenography towards the dynamics of public space, the theme for the hellenic participation at PQ 2015 is New Spatialities: performing arts and outdoor / open space.
The caleidoscopic structure of the Conference corresponds to the multiformity of artistic works and the multitude of artists selected to participate in Prague Quadrennial 2015.
This one-day conference has the form of an assemblage, a juxtaposition of disparate and mixed ideas, aspects and works that are simply gathered together but not interlocked.
In analogy with the curatorship that promotes heterogeneity, ambiguity, multifocality, complexity and chaotic self-organising, as distinctive elements of spectating in open space, the conference follows a fragmentary pattern and moves in various directions, opening up opportunities for possible correspondences, development of interactions of meaning and the contingent emergence of future collaborative processes.

Thanos Vovolis
Curator of the Hellenic National Participation, PQ 2015

Curatorial Article  published in the catalogue of the Hellenic Participation at the Prague Quadrennial 2015

Exploring the core theme of PQ 2015 SharedSpace: Music Weather Politics, the Hellenic Participation revolves around the theme: New Spatialities: Performing Arts and outdoor Space.
The quest for new spatialities shaped by diverse negotiations and the dynamics of the physical outdoor and public space constitutes the driving force behind the projects presented. Performance space is thus regarded as an open territory,  a boundless space in continuous process of emergence and metamorphosis.

RESUMO: É impossível imaginar o antigo teatro grego sem o recurso da máscara, seja na tragédia, comédia ou dramas satíricos. Todas as formas teatrais desenvolvidas em Atenas durante os séculos VI e V a.C foram formas de drama com máscaras. A máscara foi um elemento orgânico nessa forma nova chamada 'teatro' pois era o meio por excelência para materialização do Outro, e participava na criação do espaço de cena como lugar de diálogo entre o Eu e o Outro. Ainda, a organicidade da máscara se revelava em sua conexão estreita entre a aparência da rosto e gritos lancinantes encontrados nos textos dramáticos e que ecoram na acústica dos teatro. A questão acústica estava presente em todos os aspectos do antigo teatro grego, e foi um modo de se intensificar a participação da audiência por meio da ampliação de sua experiência acústico-visual e sinestésica.
PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Teatro grego antigo, Máscaras acústicas cênicas, Theatron, prosopon, Catarse.
ABSTRACT: It is impossible to imagine the ancient Greek theatre without the mask, whether it is tragedy, comedy or satyr plays. All theatrical forms that developed in Athens during the 6th and 5th centuries BC were forms of masked drama. The mask was an organic element in this new form called theatre because the mask is the medium per excellence for the embodiment of the Other and participates in the creation of the stage as a site of the dialogue between the Self and the Other. But the mask was an organic element of theatre because in ancient Greek theatre the mask is organically connected through its facial appearance to the ecstatic cries found in the dramatic texts and to the theatre space through its acoustical form. Acoustics permeated all aspects of the ancient Greek theatre and was a way to create even better participation for the audience enhancing its acoustico-visual and synaesthetic experience.
KEYWORDS: Ancient Greek Theatre, acoustical theatre masks, theatron, prosopon, catharsis

"Masks were always used by the actors of the ancient Greek theatrical plays. Their
theatrical function indicates an integral connection between the performers, the plot and
the acoustics of the open-air ancient theatres which has not been explored in the past.
Although the exact form, shape and material of such masks can be only deduced from
limited archaeological nds, based on these and other sources, a number of typical mask
templates were constructed covering most of the potential alternative forms. For these
mask templates, the acoustic frequency response, the angle-dependent radiation and the
actors voice self-perception were tested via use of a KEMAR manikin and appropriate
post processing. The novel results illustrate important acoustic and voice communication
aspects of these masks.
Keywords: Ancient Greek theatre, theatron, masks, prosopon, acoustical masks, mask
acoustic radiation, directivity, self-perception"

Character as a notion and concept in the dramatic arts is deeply dependent on contemporary constructions of subjectivity and constitutes at the same time the manifestation of a change concerning the perception of the Self and the relations between the Self and the World.One of the important aspects of the re -theatricalization projects during 20th century Theater is the investigation of the relations between identity and alterity, between the Self and the Other.
The Mask has been used extensively as a paradigm for the crisis of the Self. The ways of addressing the question as well as the probable answers given can vary. In the Theatres of the Crisis of the Self, the mask is in opposition to the face and this polarity has taken different values for different authors

Abstract
Theatre masks were fundamental elements of the ancient Greek theatre tradition, having a dramatic impact on the artistic performance. Apart from the obvious change of the visual appearance of the actors, the masks also altered the acoustic characteristics of their voices. Therefore, both from the spectator’s and the actor’s point of view these masks significantly modified the acoustic events and inevitably transformed the overall theatrical experience. As the art of theatre evolved, the physical characteristics of the masks were transformed in terms of their size, mouth and ear openings and construction materials. Quite recently, masks replicating the original shape and structure of the ancient prototypes have been constructed based on the relevant literature and on archaeological findings. In this work, such a theatre mask is created in order to measure the corresponding acoustic characteristics. For this, the KEMAR manikin is used and the acoustic impulse responses are measured both from the listener’s and the speaker’s point of view. Based on semi-anechoic measurements the acoustic effect of the mask is presented for various azimuth angles and the spectral and timbral characteristics of the reconstructed mask are discussed. Two of the authors have already analysed the perceptual effect of the mask on the actors, while studying how they alter the overall artistic performance. In the present work, the above research results are discussed in relation to the obtained acoustic measurements, providing insights on the perceptual impact of the masks’ employment.

Abstract
Theatre is too often associated with an interior and urban performance space. Sympto-matically the indoor version of the theatre has relied heavily on the face of the actor, at least since the Renaissance. When the mask occasionally displaced the face on the in-door stage it always happened as representing the interior space of a human being. The investigation of the potentialities of the mask has never exceeded the potentialities of the interior space.
In ancient Greek theatre the mask is organically connected to the theatre space. It is im-possible to imagine the ancient Greek theatre without the mask, whether it is tragedy, comedy or satyr plays. All theatrical forms that developed in Athens during the 6th and 5th centuries BC were forms of masked drama. The mask was an organic element in the form of theatre that originated in the cult of Dionysus and got such great importance in the social and political life of the city of Athens and the other Greek states.

According to our concept of the acoustical resonance mask, the form of the tragic mask is connected to its function as a resonance chamber for the voice of the actor. The entire construction of the mask leads the actor towards a state of increased energy and presence, during which the actor senses the experience of a bodily and vocal expansion—a state of communication. In this way, the mask creates the necessary corporeal and mental conditions for the metamorphosis of the actor and it allows him (or her) to become a fractal of the common body of the chorus. The mask is a resonance chamber, a link in a chain of sound that starts with the actor and ends with the theatre space. In this paper, we would like to present the basic elements of the research and the method we have developed together, which is our concept of the acoustical resonance mask. Our concept, and the creation of a theatrical method for its use, is based upon the archaeological evidence, the textual corpus of Greek tragedy and ancient sources, as well as on contemporary theatre practice. A major aim of this work is to extend the principles of the acoustical tragic mask to contemporary theatre. That means both to the contemporary performance of Greek tragedy and to particular plays that may have the poetic, dramatic and dramaturgical qualities needed for the text to communicate with the mask and become enriched by it, thereby creating modern forms of masked theatre.