The machine in the theatre. Changing the scenes -- Intermezzo: Moving pictures -- A theatre of machines -- Intermezzo: Artificial weather -- The automata of Hero of Alexandria -- The machine in the garden. Artificial creatures -- Intermezzo: Talking heads -- Water in the air -- Intermezzo: Surprise soakings -- Artificial music -- A garden and an opera. The 'garden of marvels' at Pratolino -- Mercury and Mars in Parma, 1628 -- Reprise: Hero as unlikely hero.
Summary
Renaissance Fun explores the technology of Renaissance entertainments in stage machinery and theatrical special effects; in gardens and fountains; and in the automata and self-playing musical instruments that were installed in garden grottoes.
