A-level Drama Terminology

Acoustics

The quality of the sound produced in a venue and influenced by its size and shape

Antagonist

A charcter in a play whose function is to oppose or block the main character (protagonist)

Archetype

A perfect example of a certain type of character

Atmosphere

Used interchangeably with ‘mood’ and signifying the mood or ambience of a scne

Auditorium

The space where the audience sits or stands when listening to or wathing a performance

Black box Theatre

a small studio space where the ‘stage’ area is defined by black drapes or ‘black legs’

Blocking

The precise planning of how the actors will move about the stage

Box set

a naturalistic set, depicting a room created with three continuous walls with working doors and windows, the fourth wall is the division between the actors and audience

Business

a piece of action or interplay between characters that is not scripted but added usually to create a comic effect

Cartoon style

an exaggerated style of playing; a performance styles usually found in comedies or melodrama

Catalyst

an agent for change

catharsis

a purgation of emotions; in greek tragedy, specifically the purging of pity and fear

characteristics

what makes a character behave as they do

Chorus

a group of actors, performing in unison who mediate between the action and the audience

Climax

the highest point of a drama after which the action falls away into the resolution

collaborators

in artistic terms, a couple or group of people who work together on a piece of art, drama or literature

colour palette

in design terms a range of colours used in a production for costume and/or set

commedia dell’arte

a traditional italian comic style which includes slapstick humour and stock characters that emerged in the 16th century

conventions

tradtional ways of doing things

creative adaptation

a piece of drama that is created out of an existing piece of art and/or staging elements

design concept

usually a director’s vision of a play in production which includes all staging elements

design fundamentals

the basic principles behind design techniques

Dialectal theatre

a play conducted through or based on a debate between two opposing viewpoints

Diegetic sound

sounds that emanate from the action on the stage

distressed

set or costume items that are deliberately ‘aged’ to look worn

ekkeklema

classical greek theatre technology whereby a wheeled platform can be used on stage to display, for example, a dead body

ensemble

a group of performers (and/or designers), who work together on a piece of drama in a capacity of ‘equals’

epic theatre

political drama; episodic in nature, aimed at communicating a message to the audience

expressionism

an art form which explores the world through a subjective vision with no attempt to achieve realism

farce

a comedic genre involving ludicrous situations which become increasingly ludicrous as the play proceeds; often includes slapstick routines

fourth wall

the imaginary ‘wall’ between actors and audience in proscenium arch style theatre

gait

the manner in which a character walks

genre

a specific ‘species’ of drama, for example, tragedy, comedy, farce

gestic acting

a performance style which embodies a social attitude

gobos

metal cut-out shapes places into a lantern to project a shape, pattern or image on stage

hubris

in greek tragedy, the ‘pride’ of the protagonist

improvise

to create drama spontaneously with no reference to a script

lazzi (plural of lazzo)

set pieces of cemic business in commedia works; often including acrobatics

malcontent

a discontented character who has a grudge against an individual or society

mood

the dominant emotional tone or temper of a scene on stage

naturalism

a type of drama with its origins in the 19th century which presented characters as being formed by heredity or environment

pace

the speed at which lines are spoken or movement is made

pitch

refers to the exact height and depth of a sound

political theatre

drama with a political stance or message

promenade theatre

where the audience follow the actors around the theatrical setting

proscenium arch

the arch that frames the opening between the stage and the audience

protagonist

the ‘first actor’ in greek classical drama; the main charcter in a work of literature

realism

the faithful representation of life in drama and other literature revolves

revolve

a large circular are of the stage that may be rotated as part of the action or to reveal new settings

stage directions

the playwrights description of characters, setting or costumes as well as some indication of exits and entrances and suggestions for the delivery of some lines or reactions to unfolding events

stage machinery

any machinery installed to facillitate set changes or ‘flying’ of characters

stance

the way on which a character stands

stasima

the Odes delivered by the chorus in greek tragedy

Stichomythia

the rapid exchange of dialogue, derived from greek tragedy

stock character

a character who is immediately recognisable as a sterotype, for example, the Old Miser, the Young Lover

Subtext

The meaning behind the lines

Symbolism

A theatrical movement in which concrete symbols represent aspects of a character’s inner life or personality

theatre in the round

a theatre configuration in which the stage is urrounded by the audience with aisles to allow for entrances and exits of the actors

total theatre

a term applied to drama in which all facets of production and performance are included; offering a ‘total’ effect, both visual and auditory for the audience

transition

the moment of cross-over between one scene and another

transposition

a relocation in time or locale of the action of the play

venue

where the piece is performed

workshops

rehearsals in preparations for performances that are produced in less than full performance conditions