The Problem of Amateurism and Exclusion in the Classical Greek Theatre

The paper intends to survey the question of amateurism and exclusion in Greek theatre that flourished in the fifth century B.C. The definition of ancient actor is often confused with our contemporary understanding of amateur artist. In order to understand the phenomenon of Greek theatre, it is necessary to define the position of the ancient hypokritēs. Citizens chosen to play the part in the play obtained money from polis in order to undertake actor studies in the months preceding the production. The state paid the actors who had main speaking roles and the chorēgos paid for chorus expenses. Another important element of ancient Greek theatre is its citizen oriented character. Every Attic citizen was expected to participate in the performances, despite expensive theatre entrance fees. Even the poorest could afford tickets for the festivals, such as the City Dionysia, because polis subsidised visits to the theatre with allowance called Festival Fund (theōrikon). It was established in order to eliminate the problem of social exclusion. Theatrical performances were very important part of life in Ancient Greece. The essential element was not only spectacle itself, but also the whole long process of preparation for the Festival and its founding policy. The artistic effect was one of many purposes of Greek theatre, of equal importance was that of enabling the community to partake and thus feel integral.