In Search of Scent in Theatre

Theatre is an art form that brings together visual, auditory, and physical elements, establishing a strong connection between the audience and the performance. This synesthetic art employs an aesthetic language that engages all the senses, creating a unique experience for the audience, where the amalgamation of scent, sound, and visuals offers a multi-sensory journey. The audience experience plays as a holistic bodily encounter, ensuring active engagement. In theatre, the sense of smell is often overlooked. However, in recent years, experimental, innovative, and avant-garde theatrical works have opened up new possibilities for using scents on stage. Surprisingly, the use of scent in theatre can be traced back to ancient times. This study aims to explore the history of the sense of smell, its origin and its use in theatre. Furthermore, it traces how scent has influenced the theatrical experience and evolved into a fundamental element from the ancient era to the early modern period.