Thalia and Melpomene: Comedy, Tragedy

History
[caption id="attachment_7319" align="alignright" width="440"] Masks based on Thalia and Melpomene[/caption] Who are Thalia and Melpomene? Born in the 40s, I watched black and white movies. They had few special effects. Still, they offered top notch acting. Some of the movies were from the 20s. Some were older. These were the silents. Silent Movies To convey emotion, gestures and facial expressions were exaggerated. Today, this would be overacting. Many scenes were filmed at a distance, but directors soon realized audiences wanted closeups of their favorite actors. Ancient Greeks used different means to gain audience engagement. The Stage and Back to Greek Drama In the 19th and early 20th century, entertainment featured live performances. The faces of actors were not readily seen. Greek theater with its large audiences, used contorted facial masks.…
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