What are the three basic characteristics of a theatrical space? Explain how each influences the audience

experience. What are the four common physical arrangements of the actor-audience relationship?

What will be an ideal response?

ANSWER:One
of the three basic characteristics of a theatrical space is the degree of formality.
A formal, elaborate theatre building suggests refinement, permanence, and extensive
resources; it may arouse expectations of elaborate design, skilled acting, and polished
productions.
A less formal space such as a bare, stark warehouse suggests roughness, temporariness
(perhaps a deliberate break with tradition), and limited resources; it may arouse
expectations of experimentation and the need for imagination to supply what can only be
suggested.
The second of the three basic characteristics of a theatrical space is size.
Very large spaces may make it difficult for all members of the audience to see and hear
all that the performers are doing or saying; small details are likely to go unnoticed, stage
business may be simplified or enlarged, spectacle may be given increased emphasis, and
sound may require amplification.
More intimate spaces permit greater subtlety in the use of voice, gesture, and facial
expression, as well as the effective use of greater detail in costumes and properties.
The third of the basic characteristics of a theatrical space is the configuration or
arrangement of the actor-audience relationship.
This characteristic defines the physical relationship of the performer to the audience, but
also shapes how production elements can be used.
The four common physical arrangements of the actor-audience relationship are the
proscenium-arch stage, the thrust Stage, the arena stage, and a flexible space.