The spectator. Is he a comical type?

Abstract

Among the testimonies we have of ancient Greek theatre, the spectator is undoubtedly the agent we know least about. Even so, we are certain that the audience was numerous and heterogeneous – in age, origin, cultural background and, therefore, expectations. Ancient comedy opens up an important angle of vision in this respect, firstly because of the direct appeals it makes to the spectators, in this case extra-scenic spectators, those who occupy the theatre seats. But in addition to this evidence, there is another type of testimony, involving the intracenic spectator, the one who intervenes within the theatre fiction as a character. The cases of Dicaeopolis in Acharnians, Euripides in Thesmophoriazusae and, above all, Dionysus in Frogs are particularly expressive.