Elements of Drama- definitions

Question 1

Plot

Answer 1

The narrative/ story line of your piece i.e. with a beginning, middle, and end.

Context: ‘We used a non-linear plot to create a contrast between the past effects of war and the modern effects’

Question 2

Characterisation

Answer 2

The act of changing voice, body language, movement, posture, facial expressions, gesture, etc when in a role to portray a character.

Context: ‘For your characterisation you could consider hunching your shoulders tightly, indicating tension, to portray their shyness’

Improvisation and hot-seating are good ways of developing your characterisation.

Question 3

Action

Answer 3

The action of the drama is the events that are contained within it. It’s what happens between characters in a scene and in the play. It could be a sword fight in Macbeth or a tense discussion during which neither character moves physically at all.

Question 4

Content

Answer 4

This is what your drama is about. It’s the themes, issues and ideas it contains. For example, the action of the piece might be two sisters arguing, but the content is the exploration of sibling rivalry.

Question 5

Dramatic Forms

Answer 5

The method you select to explore themes when presenting your work (NOT the same as style i.e. mime is a form- the thing itself, whereas comedy is a style- how you present the form)

Forms of drama to consider:
Mime/mute
Choral work
Physical theatre
Musical theatre
Farce
Satire
Commedia dell’arte (not the same as comedy)
Dance

Remember you can use a combination!

Question 6

Climax and anti-climax

Answer 6

The building and release of tension in drama.

Climax= tension at highest point (could be in scene or in whole of production)
Anti-climax= the release of this tension- happens after climax when tension suddenly drops

Can come in the form of cliff hangers

Question 7

Contrast

Answer 7

Contrast is a marked difference between two or more things placed side by side for dramatic effect, eg stillness next to activity.

When two OPPOSING things are placed NEXT to each other their impact is strengthened. You could use contrast as a way of highlighting differences in your drama and keeping the audience interested.

For example, a woman is lonely and miserable after the death of her beloved husband. Creating a flashback memory of their joyous times together, laughing, and playing with their children contrasts with the present and makes her loss more intense and moving for the audience. They fully understand what she’s lost.

Question 8

Cross-cutting

Answer 8

Moving from one scene to another and back again

Effective at exploring contrasts

Question 9

Dramatic Conventions

Answer 9

A convention is a technique employed regularly in the drama so that the audience come to attach specific meaning to it, buying into it as an established way of telling the story.

e.g. narration, breaking into song, split role or multi-role etc

Question 10

Symbols

Answer 10

A representation of something often used to deepen the drama’s meaning and remind the audience of something else.

I.e. A prop, such as a dove, could represent innocence.
Movements: In Too Much Punch for Judy, the keys being thrown are significant in certain important moments in the play. Remember that the meanings behind symbols can sometimes change within the same play.