Elements of Drama Flashcards
Dramatic elements
Components essential to every drama work that create, communicate and increase dramatic meaning.
Role
Is a part in a theatrical peice that is either somewhat two-dimensional, highly stereotyped, represents an abstract concept, displays a specific human trait (such as emotion, vocation, personality type or human quality)
or functions to personalise a plot event (such as an act of nature).
Character
IN GENERAL:
A person or some other creature in a dramatic or literary work.
IN REPRESENTATIONAL DRAMA:
A three dimensional, complex character with an active inner life.
Three-dimensional character
A well-rounded, multi-layered part within a drama that has an active inner life and a detailed history.
Relationships
The connection (or absence of connection) between characters, based on previous experience, association or awareness (or the lack thereof)
Situation
The set of circumstances and states of being that characters or roles in a play experience that typically change from the beginning to the end of the work.
Voice
The utilisation of the vocalisation system and vocal techniques to audibly express meaning, create role or character, and have an impact on the other elements of drama.
Movement
The utilisation of the body to physically express meaning or take action, create role or character, and have an impact on the other elements of drama.
Time
The year, month, date, day and hour of the inner world of the play. It includes, whether actual or imagined, the environmental, physical and contextual factors of the period.
Space
The geographical place, such as the room, building, suburb, town, city, state and country of the inner world of the play. It reflects, whether actual or imagined, the
Suspension of disbelief
The acceptance of something unreal being real for a period of time.
Non-linear time
Time that doesn’t move forward in a logical flow
Linear time
Time that moves forward in a logical flow
Symbol
An object, person, activity or event that represents something else.
Metaphor
The naming of or indication that on object, person, activity or event is another.
Mood
The emotional states and attitudes of the characters and roles during performances as the dramatic action unfolds.
Atmosphere
The impact and interaction of the performance mood on the audience.
Language forms
PROSE: Language in its ordinary form without metre
VERSE: Writing arranged with metered rhythm
Arias
A melodious, often emotional song writeen typically for one to four persons in an opera or classically-based musical theatre work.
Metre
The flow of poetry and verse by alternating stressed and unstressed syllables.
Iamb
A unit of language in poetry or dramatic verse consisting of an unstressed and stressed consonant.
Blank Verse
Non-rhyming poetic text written iambic pentameter.
Direct address
Where a character turns away from the dramatic action towards the audience in order to speak specifically to them.
Narration
Giving an oral or written account of a series of related and usually sequential events.
Aside
Where a character uses direct adress to speak to the audience and is unheard by the other characters or roles.
Reported speech
A device to comment on action, thoughts and feelings where the speaker talks about oneself using third person language.
Dramatic tension
The emotional or psychological pressure that builds during performance as the dramatic action unfolds.
Elements of drama
- role, character and relationships
- situation
- voice
- movement
- space and time
- language and texts
- symbol and metaphor
- mood and atmosphere
- dramatic tension
