Relationships

Relationships are central to all dramatic action:

• relationships between people
• the relationship between people and ideas
• the relationship between people and the environment

 

Tension

Tension is the force that drives the drama. There are four main types of dramatic tension:

• the tension of the task
• the tension of relationships
• the tension of surprise
• the tension of mystery

 

Focus

Exploring one aspect of the situation which we wish to develop and staying clear about our intention - driving our character and associated contents forward in the performance.

 

Time & Place

Dramatists need to carefully choose the place where the action takes place as this can greatly affect the events and tensions within the drama.

Aspects of place include:

• the range of characters
  
• closed and open settings
  
• contrasting settings
  
• messages of place

 

In drama we ask ourselves the following Time in action:

• closed and open time frames
• messages of period
• associations of period
• constraints of period
• exploring causes
• exploring effects

 

Language

In drama we express our ideas, our feelings and our needs to each other by:

• the words we say
• the way we say them
• our body language

 

The language of the drama:

• the situation
  
• the roles
• the relationships
• the images

 

Movement

• images in action
• stillness and contrast

 

Mood

This is the feeling or atmosphere that is created by, and emerges through, the dramatic action.

 

Symbol

Symbols are what the drama makes you understand - they sum up the meaning of the play, sometimes even on a subconscious level. Symbols can be expressed through language, movement, visual images.

We can see symbol through:

• gestures
• objects
  

 

All this combines to make

Dramatic Meaning

In drama, we are the creators. The elements are the bones which make up the entire body of dramatic action. The story, the situations, the people and the tension which drives it, breathes life and spirit into our creation.