Y8 EOY Drama: Techniques and Terminology

A collection of vocabulary terms and definitions related to drama techniques and terminology, useful for understanding performance and expressive techniques.

Facial Expression

The position of your face to convey emotion.

Gesture

An action that communicates a specific meaning.

Posture

The position in which someone holds their body when standing or sitting.

Gait

The way you walk.

Stance

The way in which someone stands, especially when done deliberately.

Mannerism

A habitual, often unconscious, character action.

Eye Line

The direction the actor is looking in.

Body Language

The movement or positioning of your body to communicate meaning.

Tone

The emotion used in the voice.

Pitch

How high/low a sound is.

Pace

The speed of something.

Pause

A break between speech using silence.

Volume

How loud/quiet a sound is.

Emphasis

Stressing a particular word/part of a word to make it stand out.

Projection

Supporting your voice to ensure it travels and can be heard.

Intonation

The rise and fall of your voice when you speak.

Levels

Using the vertical space on stage.

Proxemics

The distance between two things/people.

Stage Directions

Specifically designated spaces on the stage from the actor's perspective when facing the audience.

Mood & Atmosphere

The emotional setting created in a performance.

Status

How important someone is/seems in comparison to others.

Tension

How stretched or flexed your muscles are OR mental or emotional strain.

Still Image

A picture created by performers using stillness.

Exaggeration

When something is over-emphasized or over the top.

Physical Theatre

A style of theatre where movement is more important than words.

Narration

Telling the story to the audience.

Dialogue

Speech between 2 or more people.

Objective

What a character is trying to achieve.