UNIT 6

GENRE, STYLE AND LOCALITY

TIME ALLOCATION: 2 X 1,5”

MEDIUM: ZOOM AND HANDOUTS

BACKGROUND:
Play Performance can be wrapped into different genre and styles. It can also introduce itself into local
performance with all supporting attributes. This unit will deal with the samples of local theatres
performing plays with some interesting style and genre.

PLAY GENRE
Play Genre refers to the kind of story of a play. If a play story is about a ghost, we can be sure it is a
horror. A play about kingdom and wars can be categorized into colossal genre. A story of play script
about murder can be classified into thriller or mystery. Other genre can be mentioned is historical,
comedy or tragedy. We can classify them based on the story line.

PLAY STYLE
Play style is very much classified into how the story or script is presented or performed in a stage. A
horror story can be presented by comedic style, which is called black comedy. A tragedy can be also
performed in comedy style too. This depends on the creativity of a play director.

HOW TO DECIDE WHICH STYLE TO USE

A director and produce can decide which style to based on some consideration:

 Target Audience: children, young adults, adults or mixed

 Complexity: property, setting, costumes etc.
 Capability: level of difficulty in adapting the play
 Public Acceptance: which style is acceptable (trend)
The following are some styles of play:

1. THEATRE IN EDUCATION
Theatre in education (TiE) often has a very clear moral or social message for young people, who
are its target audience. It a very compact actors (not many) who can play more than one
character/role. This play is usually performed in schools. This commonly engages and involve
audience.

2. PHYSICAL THEATRE
Physical theatre emphasizes the use of physical movement for expression, and can include:

 Precise gestures and body language
 Ensemble work
 Mime
 Physicalizing of emotional states, including the use of levels, facial
expressions, groupings and specific body language

Physical Theatre

3. POLITICAL THEATRE
Political theatre can be used to present a campaign or show an injustice to an audience in the
hope of making changes to the situation shown. It can be a useful style in raising awareness
about a particular subject but it is important to research a range of issues, and establish the
message that will be conveyed to the audience, at the outset of the devising process.

Political satire is a genre of theatre in which political themes are made fun, often with the intent to
create change in a situation through the shaming of individuals or governments. Comedy
The comedy genre uses humor as a driving force, with characters and storylines designed to make the
audience laugh. Some elements of comedy include surprise, repetition, opposite expectation,
misunderstanding and ridicule. It is important to consider what the target audience find funny. Visual
humor can be very effective, ie the way a character moves or stands and
the gestures or mannerisms they employ.
 4. TRAGEDY
Tragedy almost always demonstrates some sort of human suffering by the central character,
with the intention of invoking catharsis within an audience. Tragic pieces are mostly serious and
include an unhappy final scene, e.g. the downfall or death of a character. It is important to
consider whether this would be appropriate for the target audience.

5. MELODRAMA
Melodrama is a style of theatre that was prominent in the Victorian era. It
uses exaggeration and stereotyped characters to appeal to the audience’s emotions. It can be
useful when working within the melodrama genre to explore stock characters, eg an evil villain,
a wronged maiden or a noble hero. Very clear and loud vocal delivery is needed in a melodrama,
facing out to the audience, combined with large gestures and exaggerated facial expressions.
The plot for a melodramatic devised piece would ideally be very sensational, designed to evoke
emotion within the audience, with lots of dialogue.

LOCAL CONTENT IN PLAY STYLE

Local content is often used in performing a play. A script is usually adapted into local taste such as
setting, naming, costume and language. In some performance, audience is sometimes involved into the
performance and sitting close to the actors (for example Lenong).

The consideration of adapting a play into local style:

 A way to highlight local wisdom

 To simplify a play for local audience
 To engage local audience
 To overcome language barrier
 To introduce a play to public in an efficient way
 To spread good value through a play/theatre
 To modernize the script fitting the current era
 To make easy in setting property

EXERCISE
Please mention some play and its genre (Education, Politic, Comedy, Tragedy, History and Physical)

1. Romeo and Juliet: Tragedy

2. Waiting for Godot: ……………………
 3. Si Manis Jembatan Ancol: …………………..
4. Lenong Bocah: ………………….
5. Sam Pek Eng Tay: …………………..
6. Colombus: …………………
7. The Count of Monte Cristo: …………….
8. Pelacur dan Presiden: ………………
9. Opera Kecoa: …………………..
10. Beauty and the Beast: ………………….
11. Hamlet: ………………..
12. Grease: …………………..
13. The Hairspray: ………………………
14. Rojali dan Juleha” ………………..

REFERENCE
BBC. Selecting a Genre or Performance Style. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/
zmn9382/revision/1