The Show Must Go On

Western theatre has an extensive and complex history - from its Ancient Greek origins, through to the Elizabethan era which gave literature its most studied and celebrated playwright, William Shakespeare.

This rich milieu means it becomes near impossible to deny theatre its relevance in today's society as an imperative and eminent art form.

Theatre holds a particular significance with students as not only can it extend our historical knowledge, but it is also important in understanding popular culture as it can seriously influence current affairs.

For some, theatre is something which is seen as a form of entertainment from a by-gone time and it may be questioned as to where theatre belongs in this technologically advanced era of special effects and CGI films.

The place of theatre in society lies in its universality, giving it a timeless quality and a continuing relevance to students.

To deny theatre and its relevance would be to deny our very history and one of the worlds greatest art forms

Natalie Lambert

If we are to take the plays of Shakespeare we can see the popular themes of love, death and war and the genres of romance, comedy and tragedy, all of which are still very much relevant at present as they were in the 16th Century.

We just have to look at the films being released in cinemas today and the novels being published to see an abundance of these themes and genres.

This suggests that as audiences we seek these common characteristics, making theatre a relevant source to quench our thirst for entertainment.

Oscar Wilde once said that "theatre is the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being."

It could be argued that theatre remains relevant to students and society because of the strong emotions that it provokes. 12»