Throughout history, authors and playwrights have attempted to encapsulate history and popular culture into theatrical performances. Whether a play was expressive of the general ideologies of the time in which it was performed or it offered a futuristic view of a historical event, theater maintains the same effect: shaping collective memory. Collective memory functions when a group of people share a macro narrative. No matter the time or place a historical play is performed, it shapes the way the audience views the historical events that the play is discussing. Dramatic representations of history function by taking the micro narratives of individual audience members and intertwining them with the collective memory. A major fragment of historical collective memory is the ways in which this memory is portrayed in the present, since it shapes the memorialization and remembrance of the events that unfolded.
The manner in which a play is received by the audience is just as significant as the content itself. When historical dramas espouse a certain portrayal of the past, the audience usually has some prior knowledge of the historical context that the play is based on. When the opinions of the audience are taken into consideration, the political neutrality (or lack thereof) becomes evident. Therefore, looking at the outcome and reception of plays provides a closer look at the predominant ideologies of the nation both at a specific time and as time progresses.
Reception and Political Melodramas