World Mythology - Monday, March 3rd - 2th Period

[atreideslioness]

Ghani was in her usual spot on her desk as they arrived.  "Welcome back, class.  I trust you all had a productive and relaxing break.  Unfortunately, it's over, and you're stuck with me this morning." 
 

“Little information about the origin of theatre has survived. The information we do have comes from wall paintings, decorations, artifacts, and hieroglyphics that show the importance of successful hunts, seasonal changes, life cycles, and stories of the gods. From these we see the necessity of passing along the experiences of the old to the young through art, storytelling, and dramatizing events. This practice gave the youth of a culture a guide and a plan for their own lives,” she said, beginning to sort various handouts into piles. 

 It was a lot of papers.  Boggle in fear. 

 “Now you’re probably going, ‘what does this have to do with mythology’?  Well, it’s rather simple, really.”

“Theatre emerged from myth, ritual, and ceremony. Early societies perceived connections between certain actions performed by the group or leaders in the group and the desired results of the whole society. These actions moved from habit, to tradition, and then on to ceremony and ritual. The formulation of these actions, and the consequent repetition and rehearsal, broke the ground for theatre.”

“The earliest example of ceremony and ritual evolving towards theatre comes from ancient Egypt.  "Pyramid texts" dating from 2800 to 2400 B.C., contain dramas sending the dead pharaoh off to the underworld. These dramas also serve to enforce the continuity of life and the pharaoh's continued power. There is also the Memphite Drama, recounting the story of the death and resurrection of the god Osiris, and the coronation of his son Horus. The most important Egyptian drama, though, was the Abydos passion play. Like the Memphite drama, the Abydos passion play concerns the story of Osiris. The paramount Egyptian myth, this drama was enacted at the most sacred place in Egypt, Abydos- the burial site of Osiris.  Performed annually from 2500 to 550 B.C. and full of spectacle, this passion play is the first of its kind ever recorded and is the first example of theatre.”

“Now, while I’m sure most of you are still convinced that civilization on this world, including theater, began with the Greeks, the fact is that this world's earliest report of a dramatic production comes from the banks of the Nile. It is in the form of a stone tablet preserved in a German museum and contains the sketchy description of one, I-kher-nefert (or Ikhernofret), a representative of the Egyptian king, of the parts he played in a performance of the world's first recorded "Passion" Play somewhere around the year 2000 B.C. This Egyptian Passion bears a notable resemblance to the Passion Plays of the twentieth century. Its purpose is obviously the same as that of the one at Ober-Ammergau, or the Tyrolean, or the Persian Passion Play of Hussein . . . the principal object, as always, being to keep vivid in the minds of the faithful the sufferings and triumph of a god. In the case of the Egyptian "Passion" the central figure was the legendary king-divinity, Osiris. According to the historical legend, Osiris ruled wisely. He was treacherously murdered and his body was cut in pieces and scattered. His wife, Isis, and his son, avenged his murder, gathered up the pieces of his body for pilgrimage relics, won back his throne and established the cult of Osiris-worship. We know that Passion plays in his memory were performed annually at Abydos, Busiris, Heliopolis, and elsewhere.”

Ghanima grin was slightly feral as she began dropping handouts on desks.  “The acting of those days must certainly have been quite as realistic as that of any modern stage, for later Greek historians tell us that many actor-warriors died of the wounds received in the "sham" battles between the enemies of Osiris and the forces led by his son, Ap-uat. The play closes with the resurrection of Osiris as a god and the foreshadowing to all the faithful of their own final resurrection.”

“The exact procedures are largely unknown, but it is believed that there were great celebrations among people combined with secluded, sacred rituals performed by the priesthood inside the temple. Some of these rites were public, however, and the processions which emerged from the temple were attended by masses of commoners. Perhaps the most important reason for the widespread popularity of the Cult of Osiris was the promise of eternal life to each and everyone, commoner and king alike.” 

“For your handouts today, because I know you all love my packets, we have a schedule of the ritual, the legend itself, information about Isis, Osiris, and Set, and another Handout about the rituals. 

“Today, we are putting on the Abydos version.”  Ghanima looked around the class sternly. “There will be no actual dying, do I make myself clear?”

“Our actors for the day are…”  Ghani held up her candy dish, folded paper tags clearly visible inside as she began drawing out names.  “Hrm… for the staring role of Osiris, Valentine.  For the devoted wife, Isis, Teddy Altman.”  No, she wasn’t even attempting to hide her amusement at that.  Lucky Teddy.  “Last, but not least, as everyone’s favorite upstart, Set, Michael Guerin.  Gentlemen, if you’d be so kind as to come up to my desk in a moment?”

"We may not have the actual script, so you’ll get to make parts of it up, but we are lucky enough to have something possibly even more important.”  Ghanima drew one more name out of her bowl.  “Naminé, would you be kind enough to come forward and take the Stage Manager's prompt book and diary?  It will be your job to keep the actors on-task, and make sure the play reaches its proper end."

“Actors, there is a box over here with your costumes which can be modded to be maskless, slightly too small/big/etc.  Students, please read over the handouts, and familiarize yourself with the story.  The show will begin momentarily.”

[Please wait for my massive OCD is up!  Standard disclaimers apply, see store for details.  No students were harmed too badly during the making of this production.]

Comments

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"All right," Naminé said. She was in no mood to take any grief from actors; she'd already argued with her shoes today, after all. "Once you've finished putting on your costumes - and I don't want to hear about how much you don't like them, you'll be wearing them anyway - you shall be coming over to this table and having a banquet. Michael, you sit here, Teddy, over there, and Valentine, right there. Then you say your lines and the scene is over."

Poor, naive Naminé. She really thought that was going to work.

(OOC: Give her hell. What sort of actors actually listen to the stage manager, anyway? Puh-lease.)

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"I am not wearing a dress," Teddy insisted.

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Naminé said lightly. "I see. You're the director, then? The playwright? The stage manager? No, that's right, you're the actor. But you have, in your infinite wisdom, seen fit to change Isis's role and costume. You are, of course, a visionary, and we are cramping your artistic expression. Isis is a modern girl, she wears capri pants and tank tops and likes to hang out at the mall."

She pointed to the costume area. "Nevertheless."

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"And I'm a guy!" Teddy flailed a little. "I'm not wearing a damn dress."

Not after that one time in Aly's class with Molly.

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Naminé said patiently. "You're a guy. You're a high school student, and a teenager. You are not, in fact, an Egyptian goddess, and you're most assuredly not having an illicit fling with Valentine, as I'd have to kill you for that one. This is why it is called acting. You act as though you are an Egyptian goddess. This requires wearing the damn dress."

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"No boobs, no dress."

Oh yes, Teddy was being firm on this one.

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"Are you quite seriously suggesting that you can't wear the dress unless I find you a padded bra?" Naminé asked, raising an eyebrow. "It can be arranged."

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"I can't put the mask on in front of everybody", Michael insisted, still wearing his sunglasses. "It doesn't work."

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"Well." Naminé was attempting to stare him down. "Valentine can't take his mask off. This is because his mask is his face. If he removes it, there will be an identical copy left behind. If your sunglasses are similarly part of your facial structure, then I will accept that as a valid excuse. Otherwise, they're coming off, and you're putting the mask on."

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael leaned down, so only she could see, and tilted his sunglasses down.

"I'm not. Taking them off."

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

Naminé took in the eye witout changing expression. Really, she had expected worse.

"As I see it, you have two options," she said, lowering her voice. See, she could be nice. Ish. "You can step into the hallway with those sunglasses on and carrying your mask, and return immediately with the two having swapped positions. Your other option involves someone assisting you in making sure your facial markings are symmetrical, by fixing your other eye."

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

He straightened back up hastily, glaring down at her.

"You could try."

But he headed for the door.

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," she called after him. "And places, when you return."

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[dark_slippy_thing]

"Banquet means food, right? I rather like this scene already!" Valentine found his way to his seat, rather pleased with his enormous hat. It looked rather silly on him, but sssh, don't tell him that.

He fancies himself a hat person.

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"Valentine, my love?" Naminé said, very patiently. As patiently as was possible. "I adore you. You're even sitting in the correct spot, which means I don't need to kill you. Unfortunately, I feel it my duty to inform you that Osiris, the god of the dead, was not particularly fond of hats. He was anti-hat through and through."

She was going to bust out fake sources if she had to.

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[dark_slippy_thing]

"But it was sitting with the rest of the costume," Valentine protested.

He liked the hat!

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"It was placed there as anti-Osiris propaganda," she said smoothly. "If you wear it, you will be sending mixed messages to the audience. Are you pro-Osiris? Anti-Osiris? Are you mocking him in some underhanded way? Far too confusing."

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[dark_slippy_thing]

"If I put back the hat, will there be food?"

Valentine only asked the important questions in life.

Re: The Play: The Banquet

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"Loads of it," Naminé lied.

Re: The Play: The Banquet: Let's Try This Again

[palestshadow.livejournal.com]

"All right," she said icily. "You're all wearing costumes, well done. Sit here, here and here and have a banquet about how much you all loathe one another and Set, you set up the whole mess with Osiris and Isis ... sit there looking very chic indeed. Action!"

Re: The Play: The Banquet: Let's Try This Again

[dark_slippy_thing]

Valentine Valenteen Osiris was sitting, tall and grand, in the seat that his terrifying stage-manager and illicit affair had chosen for him. He was amazing. He was proud. He was putting his all into this performance.

He was expecting food.

"I am Osiris! A very important god indeed! And I am proud and strong and rather remarkable, and no other god can possibly compare!"

This wasn't, for the record, much different from Valentine's normal mindset, really.

Re: The Play: The Banquet: Let's Try This Again

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"And I'm his loving wife," Teddy said with absolutely no emotion behind the words.

He was almost certain Ghanima hated him.

Re: The Play: The Banquet: Let's Try This Again

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael was staring at him.

It was in character. Really.

"I'm... his brother. But I want to kill him."

Re: The Play: The Banquet: Let's Try This Again

[dark_slippy_thing]

"Because I am strong and brave and so very important," Valentine agreed. "And he is low and petty and jealous."

Valentine was a method actor. He'd been preparing for this role his entire life.

Re: The Play: The Banquet: Let's Try This Again

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Looking over at their illustrious stage manager, Teddy raised an eyebrow. "Now what?"