GCSE Drama glossary

Antagonist

A character who causes trouble for the protagonist.

Apron

A part of a stage that extends beyond the curtain.

Backdrop

A large cloth that is hung at the back of the stage. It often has scenery painted on it.

Backstory

The events that have happened to a character before the action of the play.

Barndoor

A metal flap that can be attached to a stage lantern and used to shape its light beam.

Birdie

A small stage lantern which casts a bright, soft-edged beam of light.

Black box theatre

A small theatre with a black interior. The seating can be rearranged to suit the performance.

Body language

The way movements, posture and gestures can show how someone feels without speaking.

Brecht / Bertolt

A German theatre maker who played a major role in the development of epic theatre.

Catharsis

The sense of release felt by an audience when a play makes them feel strong emotions.

Characterisation

The way an actor interprets and preforms their character.

Choreography

A rehearsed sequence of steps or movements.

Composite set

A set which shows multiple locations on stage at the same time.

Convention

A feature of staging, design or performance that is associated with a particular style or time.

Cross- cutting

When two or more scenes which take place at different times or in different places are preformed on stage at the same time.

Cyclical structure

A plot structure which starts and finishes at the same point in the narrative.

Cyclorama

A curved screen at the back of the stage which can have scenery projected onto it.

Dialogue

The general term for any lines spoken between characters.

Diegetic sound

A sound that can be heard by the characters in a play.

Downlighting

When the stage is lit from above to highlight certain characters or cast shadows.

Dramatic irony

When the audience knows something that the characters don’t.

End-on stage

A proscenium arch stage without the arch to frame it.

Epic theatre

A style of theatre made famous by Bertolt Brecht. It tries to distance the audience from the action of the play so that they can concentrate on the overall message.

Flat

A wooden frame with canvas stretched over it which is painted and used as scenery.

Floodlight

A type of stage lantern which casts a broad wash of light onto the stage.

Flying rig

A piece of equipment that the actors or scenery can be suspended from.

Foreshadowing

When a playwright hints at something that is going to happen later in the play.

Form

The type of written drama(e.g. play, opera, musical, pantomime)

Fourth wall

The imagery barrier that separates the audience from the world of the play on stage.

Fresnel spotlight

A type of stage lantern which casts a beam with a softly defined edge.

Gauze screen

A cloth screen that can appear transparent or opaque depending on how it is lit.