Understanding the Core Elements of Theatre and Drama

Posted on Jul 7, 2025 in English Studies

The Essence of Theatre and Drama

Drama comes from the Greek word that means action. The origin of theatre, like poetry, is in classical Greece. This particular genre distinguishes itself by the absence of a narrative voice (unlike lyrical poetry or novels), with the story unfolding directly through characters’ actions and dialogue. The ultimate goal of theatre is, therefore, its live representation.

The Dual Nature of Theatrical Text

Theatre requires a dual-text approach:

  • The Dramatic Text: Verbal and literary in character, this is the fixed and stable main text, primarily consisting of dialogues.
  • The Secondary Text (Stage Annotations): This text guides the theatrical representation, being dynamic and open to interpretation. It includes:
    • Gestures, voices, movement
    • Make-up, costumes
    • Scenery
    • Lighting
    • Music, sound

Formally, dramatic texts can be expressed in both verse and prose.

Dramatic Genres

Major Dramatic Genres:

  • Tragedy: Features characters of high status. The hero suffers due to adverse fate, leading to a catastrophe. This evokes catharsis in viewers.
  • Comedy: Depicts everyday situations with ordinary characters, typically ending happily.
  • Tragicomedy (17th-century drama): Explores painful conflicts but with normal characters and language.

Lower Dramatic Genres:

  • Farce: Short pieces of humorous character.
  • Jests, Dance, Masquerade, Loa: Short pieces, often serving as intermissions for major works.
  • Auto Sacramental / Mystery Plays: Works of religious content.

Musical Genres:

  • Opera
  • Operetta
  • Zarzuela
  • Musical Comedy

Unique Characteristics of Dramatic Texts

Dramatic texts share many characteristics with narrative and poetic texts but also possess unique features:

  1. Absence of a Narrator: The action unfolds directly through the characters, without the intervention of an external narrator.
  2. External Structure Units: Unlike novels or poetry, dramatic works are structured into:
    • Acts (or Days): Major units corresponding to thematic clusters or significant shifts in action. Works are traditionally divided into three acts, mirroring a three-part structure.
    • Tableaux: Intermediate units, not always present, usually corresponding to changes in environment or place.
    • Scenes: Smaller units defined by the entrances and exits of characters.
  3. Concentrated Action and Time: The action is typically very concentrated and homogeneous to facilitate public understanding. For the same reason, time also tends to be condensed, avoiding long periods and temporal jumps. To further aid staging, there are usually few scenes (often only one primary setting).
  4. Dramatic Speech Techniques: These are more limited than narrative techniques:
    • Dialogue: The key element, representing conversation between characters.
    • Monologue: A character speaking alone on stage, often revealing inner thoughts.
    • Aside: A character speaks directly to the audience, while other characters on stage pretend not to hear.
    • Chorus: A collective voice, often commenting on the action.
    • Voice-over: A voice originating from off-stage.
  5. Stage Directions: A basic and crucial element in dramatic texts. These are small textual inclusions by the author to indicate aspects of the representation. They can be categorized into two types:
    • Relating to the Scene: Descriptions of the setting, lighting, music, scenery, etc.
    • Relating to the Characters: Instructions for entrances and exits, gestures, attitudes, movements, costumes, etc.