Dramatic Features and More…

by S.L.Lewington 
 Drama is a genre that is deliberately written for performance. The
audience’s understanding of the characters and plot depends on the skill
of the writer, the actors and director whose task it is, to bring those
words on the page, to life.
 You are encouraged to interpret a script with imagination
and confidence. It is important to be aware of intonation and
the intention of the character when speaking.

There is enormous difference between reading a

script and reading a novel.

Reading is usually a private activity but a play is written to be

performed.

A novel will typically include plenty of

descriptions to stir the readers’ imagination,
enabling them to ‘see’ the events.

A play contains mainly dialogue and very little description. It

is opposite to a novel, the audience can see what is
happening but the reader cannot.
Dramatic techniques are used by the playwright to enhance
meaning and understanding amongst the audience .
 Dramatic techniques include:
Stage Directions Accents
Asides Characterisation
Entrances and Exits Intertextuality
Scenes and Acts Monologues
Symbolism Repetition
Speech Directions Intonations
Language Rhythm
Dialogue Body Language
Verse/Rhyme Subtext
Conflict Intonation/Inflection
 Stage Directions
1. Text apart from dialogue
usually written in italics.
2. Includes directions about
movement on stage and
details about the actor’s
physical actions and
psychological intentions.
3. May refer to lighting, musical
or technical changes too.
 Scenes and Acts

 These have dramatic

significance as they signal
the beginning or ending of
a situation or climax of
some kind.

 They may also indicate a

change of physical setting
e.g. Inside a room changes
into an outdoor scene.
Dialogue
The playwright
must rely upon
the dialogue and
interaction of the
characters to
explain the plot.
The director
decides how it
should be
interpreted. The
actor will try
different ways.
 Staging

The spectacle a play presents in performance,
including the position of actors on stage, the scenic
background, the props and costumes, and the
lighting and sound effects.
 Style
The way an author chooses words, arranges them in
sentences or in lines of dialogue or verse, and develops
ideas and actions with description, imagery, and other
literary techniques.
 Language

Much about the plot can be

derived from the language
of the characters. The
language used may
represent social status,
nationality, education,
emotional state and the
‘intentions’ of the
characters.
 Asides
During as aside, the actor jumps
out of character for a moment
and speaks directly to the
audience or camera, and then
reverts to being their character
again.
 Interpretation
Just as in normal conversation, the spoken words of the
play are only a small aspect of what the audience ‘reads’
from the performance.
In normal conversation, we derive only 7% of the
meaning of the words spoken, 38% from the way the
words are said, and 55% from body language.
B0dy Language

Facial expressions, gestures,

stamping a foot or shaking a
fist, can communicate emotions
and thoughts in the same way
as an adjective does in a
narrative.
 Subtext
Subtext or undertone is content of a book, play, musical work, film, video
game, or television series which is not announced explicitly by the
characters (or author) but is implicit or becomes something understood by
the observer of the work as the production unfolds. Subtext can also refer to
the thoughts and motives of the characters which are only covered in an
aside.
 Entrances and Exits
❖ Important to notice these
as they introduce the
arrival or departure of the
characters onstage.

❖ Actors are encouraged to

make colourful exits and
entrances on stage rather
than wandering on and off.

❖ Interesting entrances and

exits become a sign of good
direction.
 Symbolism
1. Objects may be used as devices to represent various
elements e.g. A moon, a knife, a broken glass.
2. They are always included deliberately and never randomly
included as part of the set.
3. Props are meaningful and symbolism may also be a part
of the script.
 Speech Directions

These are sometimes but not always

included by the playwright. They
may suggest ways for the actor to
speak a line e.g. (whispers) or
(shouts)
 Conflict
A state of disharmony between incompatible persons,
ideas or interests.
 Repetition.
Used within the dialogue – repeated words, phrases and images.
Used for emphasis or to create a mood.
Also used to add to the characterisation.
 Prose or Verse
In some of Shakespeare’s plays, it is possible to tell the
status of a character or the mood of the scene by whether
it is written as poetry or in everyday speech, e.g. characters
of low status do not speak in verse and comic scenes are
often written in prose.
The Manuscript
 Accents
Accents are an obvious indication of the character’s
background and nationality e.g. Provincial English,
European, American etc.
 Intonation
The change in tone and dialogue, indicating
different emotions or sarcasm.
 Inflection
A sudden change in pitch or tone
 Characterisation
The creation of a character is a combined product of the
creativity of the playwright, the director and the actor.
The latter two arrive at a decision at the beginning of
rehearsals about the way they want to present the
character. They try to stay true to the intention of the
playwright.
 Intertextuality
Plays within plays and references to other works
often included in a script.
Technical Features of Drama
 Sound Effects – SFX  Lighting Effects - LFX
 Music  Costumes
 IT Technology  Make-Up
 Music
A very important feature
used to lead the audience
into a mood or situation.
Highly effective.
 Costumes/Set
Visual signs that contribute to the overall effect of the
story that is being told or presented. May be simple or
complicated.
Make-Up
 Technology
Today we have many
technological effects that
may be utilised within a
production e.g.
projections, electronic
devices, special effects.
Sound Effects - SFX
Important component of
every production e.g. bells,
voices, barking, footsteps
etc.
Lighting Effects - LFX
Lighting is so important it is often considered to be another actor.
It is an integral part of every theatrical production.
It sets the mood.
The End