{"id":1187,"date":"2020-09-22T13:31:31","date_gmt":"2020-09-22T12:31:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/gc\/createresources\/?page_id=443"},"modified":"2021-01-14T19:44:20","modified_gmt":"2021-01-14T19:44:20","slug":"glossary-drama","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/gc\/createresources\/glossary-drama\/","title":{"rendered":"Glossary of Drama Terms"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\n Glossary of Drama Terms <\/h3>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Movement<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Naturalistic Movement <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

These are the most common movement skills because they are believable and used by everyone. Naturalistic movement reflects real-life people, from their status, to age, personality and emotions. The vocabulary below is all to do with this style of movement.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Body Language\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nMessages given by the position or movement of the body.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI used closed body language by turning away from them, folding my arms and putting my head down to show that I didn\u2019t like them\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Facial Expression\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nLook on the face which shows emotion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI used facial expression by smiling to show I was happy and pleased by the decision.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Gesture\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nThe use of hands or arms which communicates a meaning or emotion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI used gesture to point in his face to show I was angry.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Eye Contact\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nIf, and how much, you look at someone. (You should always say who the eye contact was with\/ avoided with)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI used eye contact by staring at the latecomer as he walked into my classroom to show I was annoyed\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Posture\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nPosition of the body, how it is held.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI used poor posture to slouch down in my seat to show how bored I was\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Use of Space\/ Proxemics\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nThe amount of space used to show personality \/ mood. How close or far you are from your co-performers can be a source of very powerful impact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo show we were a scary group we stood closely together, taking up most of the space\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cTo show I was scared of the bully I used proxemics to stand downstage left whilst they were standing upstage right.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Use of Levels\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nUse of space between the floor and ceiling. Often used to make the status of characters clear.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/i><\/b>As the King I was seated on my throne, using a high level as the thief was crouched at a low level on the ground.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n

Stylised Movement<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

This is a style of movement which shows that you don’t have to use words to express ideas. You can use techniques such as movement, mime, gesture and dance to explore complex social and cultural issues, symbolic movement or even narrative movement.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Balance\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nKeeping an even distribution of weight\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Speed\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nPace of movement\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Timing\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nMoving on an exact cue\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Positioning\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nPlace and way in which an actor stands in the acting space\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Proxemics\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nUse of space and positioning to have meaning\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Use of Levels\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nUse of space between the floor and ceiling\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rhythms\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nMovement that follow a pattern or beat\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stance\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nAttitude or position of the body\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Use of Direction\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nUse of space e.g. diagonals, forwards, backwards\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Motif\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nThis is repeated use of a movement pattern which has meaning and reminds us of the central theme of the work\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mannerisms\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nMovements developed for a specific character\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

Voice<\/strong><\/span>
Language<\/strong> is what<\/strong> we say and\/or write. Voice<\/strong> is how<\/strong> we communicate verbally. The use of language and voice can also reflect the status<\/strong> of characters.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Language\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nThe words spoken\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo show my high status as the Queen I used very formal language as I spoke to my subjects.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cTo show I was a teenager I used informal language like \u2018aye\u2019 and \u2018no bother\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Accent\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n\u201cI used an American accent to make my character more realistic.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cI used a well spoken Scottish accent to show that the character is well educated.\u201d The drama is set in Scotland during WWII.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Dialect\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nWay of speaking used in a local area.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI used a Glaswegian dialect to show I lived locally\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Pace\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nSpeed of speech.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I played the part of a tired person, I used a slow pace to speak slowly\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Volume\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nLoudness or quietness of the voice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs the mother, I whispered to my sleepy baby to try to get her to sleep.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Clarity\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nClearness of the voice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will use good clarity to ensure the audience can hear me\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Emphasis\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nThe stress on a word or phrase\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI emphasised the word \u201cwon\u2019t\u201d to make it clear I wouldn\u2019t do my homework\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Pause\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nA break in speaking, period of silence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo create suspense, I used a long pause before announcing the winner\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Pitch\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nHow high or low the voice is.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I played a child, I made my pitch higher to show I was young\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Tone\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nChange of voice to express emotion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI used a cheeky tone towards the actor playing the teacher to show I didn\u2019t care\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Articulation\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nClear pronunciation of words.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo play a teacher giving instructions, I articulated all my words perfectly.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Fluency\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nNatural, flowing speech.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I commented on the football game I spoke fluently and didn\u2019t say em… or er…\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Register\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nAppropriate speech for the person being spoken to, or for the situation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI used a formal register when I spoke to my commanding officer to show respect towards his authority over me.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Projection\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nSpeaking loudly enough to be heard by the audience\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI projected my voice towards the audience even though I was using a stage whisper, allowing the audience to hear the dialogue.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Rhythm\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nObserving the rhythm of the dialogue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe speech was written in verse so in rehearsal we tapped out the rhythm so that the entire chorus could speak together in the same rhythm.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Intonation\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nRise and fall of the voice\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI used a varied intonation to express how happy and excited the character is at this point.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n

Rehearsal & Characterisation Techniques <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You can use some or all of these techniques to help develop a character. The more believable a character is, the more the audience will connect with your performance.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Character Card\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nA guide to help you imagine and describe your character e.g. name, age, occupation, appearance, personality etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Improvisation\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nTrying out how the same characters would behave\/ react at different times or in different situations.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Role-Play\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nExploring other people\u2019s attitudes and beliefs. These attitudes and beliefs need not be your own.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hot Seating\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nQuestioning a character in role\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

e.g. \u201cWhy did you eat the porridge?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Voices in the Head\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nRecalling words said by others <\/b>about a character or situation e.g. \u201cShe\u2019s making a big mistake\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Writing in Role\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nWriting as a character e.g. a diary, a letter.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Thought Tracking\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nA character speaks their thoughts out loud\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

e.g. \u201cShould I keep the money, or hand it in?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n

Purpose <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The purpose, or purposes, of a drama are the reasons the drama was created \u2013 not to be confused with the purpose of a character. A target audience is an identifiable group of people at whom a drama is aimed. This could be a direct result of the purpose of the drama. For example, a pantomime aimed at primary one pupils.<\/p>\n

A drama can be used for the following purposes, singly or in combination to:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • communicate a message<\/li>\n
  • entertain<\/li>\n
  • tell a story<\/li>\n
  • educate<\/li>\n
  • explore and experience (e.g. through audience participation)<\/li>\n
  • explore a theme or issue<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
    \n
    \n
    \n

    Genre <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Genre is the style\/ type of drama being presented. There is some similarity here with film or book genre.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

    \n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n
    Comedy\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nA funny play with a happy ending\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Tragedy\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nA play about unhappy events, with an unhappy ending\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Docudrama\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nA documentary-style staged play that features dramatised re-enactments of actual historical events.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
    \n
    \n
    \n

    Structure <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Structure is the way in which the action unfolds. Structure can be linear, non-linear or episodic.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

    \n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n
    Linear\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nEvents unfold in chronological order e.g. morning, afternoon and night.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Non-linear\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nThere are changes in time between the present, past and sometimes future.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Episodic\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nThe play does not have one plot line but is a series of connected scenes to communicate a theme or issue.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
    \n
    \n
    \n

    Form<\/strong><\/span>
    The form<\/strong> of a drama is how<\/strong> the story is told, the way the characters play their parts and\/or the way the themes are explored. Forms can include the following.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

    \n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Play: scripted\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nThe playwright has written down what each character will say. Actors learn and deliver these lines.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Play: a rehearsed improvisation\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nThe actors make certain planning decisions about what the story will be about and what characters will be involved. Then they make up the words as they go along then they rehearse it until it\u2019s ready to perform\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Dance drama\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nA drama told through dance moves. The movement tends to be symbolic, not realistic.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Mime\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nA stylised form of movement which creates an illusion of reality. In other words, actions and objects can be mimed and made to look believably real. The story is told without props, everything is mimed, and there is no speech.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Forum Theatre\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nWhen audience suggest changes to a drama to affect outcomes. The audience watch a play, and then suggest changes which alter the original plot. The audience can be invited to take the place of the actors to act out the ideas they have suggested for changes in the plot.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
    \n
    \n
    \n

    Conventions<\/strong><\/span>
    Conventions are alternative ways of presenting part(s) of a drama, and usually enhance an element of the drama to make it better\/ clearer or more enjoyable for an audience. However, too many conventions can be confusing for an audience and the drama can end up looking false, so this is to be avoided if possible. The following are examples of conventions.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

    \n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Flashback\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nActing out an event in the past\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Flash-forward\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nActing out of a future, or imagined, event.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Freeze frame\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nThe action is frozen in time e.g. a reaction. Or an event difficult to act out is frozen before it happens.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Slow Motion\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nMovement performed at a slowed down speed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    This can be used to highlight a point in the drama to build tension and give more visual impact.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    Narration\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nPart(s) of the drama are told as a story by a narrator. A narrator can be a character in the play, or someone playing only the narrator.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Voice-over\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nRecorded speech played during a drama.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    A voice is heard, but the character(s) on stage do not speak the lines.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

    Aside\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nA remark to the audience only.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Tableau\/ Frozen Picture\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nA stage picture, held without movement. Can replace dramatising part of the story e.g. a birthday party, prize award.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Glossary of Drama Terms Movement Naturalistic Movement These are the most common movement skills because they are believable and used by everyone. Naturalistic movement reflects real-life people, from their status, to age, personality and emotions. The vocabulary below is all to do with this style of movement. Body Language\u00a0 Messages given by the position or …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10538,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-builder.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1187","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/gc\/createresources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/gc\/createresources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/gc\/createresources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/gc\/createresources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10538"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/gc\/createresources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1187"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/gc\/createresources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1187\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1417,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/gc\/createresources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1187\/revisions\/1417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/gc\/createresources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}