Lecture One

What is Drama?
Introduction to history of
drama
 Drama
• A specific mode of fiction that is
meant for performance.

• Types of drama can be a play, opera,

ballet and mime.
 History of Western Drama
Greek Theatre
Major characteristics:
1- Event: Plays were organized in honor of Gods specifically
Dionysus; the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking and
wine, of fertility.
2- Setting: plays were held in market places.
3- Actors: both performers and audience cooperated in the
performance
4- Theme: The Greek audience attended the theater, as all
participants do, to be instructed and delighted, but at the
same time, to experience communion with the gods. The
space was filled with spirits who the Greeks believed
influenced human action.
5- Playwrights: Sophocles
Original play types of ancient Greece

Drama
Comedy Tragedy

• Witty remarks • Plays that involve

• Strange characters death, sadness,
and circumstances conflict and
• Innumerous play emotions
 Mystery/ Miracle Plays
1- Event: with the dawn of Christianity new type
of theatre emerged; miracle plays.
2- Setting: inside churches.
3- Actors: the performers were clergy men of
the church.
4- Theme: representing stories from the Bible
like Adam and Eve.
 Renaissance Theatre
1- Event: plays are written by major dramatists and
made to be performed before an audience of
ordinary men.
2- Setting: play houses/ theatre buildings.
3- Actors: people who professed the art of acting.
4- Theme: tackling problems of mankind like
greediness , love, family issues etc…
5- Playwrights: Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe,
Ben Jonson and Moliere.
 Modern Drama
1- Event: modern man attended theatre to be
enlightened.
2- Setting: theatre buildings in the shape of
proscenium.
3- Actors: performers who professed the art of
acting.
4- Theme: realistic drama, naturalist drama, epic
theatre, theatre of the absurd and political
theatre.
5- Playwrights: Henrik Ibsen, Pirandello, Bertolt
Brecht, Samuel Beckett and David Hare.
 Lecture Two
Dramatic Techniques
 Dramatic Techniques
• Dramatic techniques are the literary
devices used by the playwright in order
to formulate his/her work of art.

• In drama there is a great number of

literary devices like: Stage directions,
characters, space/setting, time and
dialogue.
 Stage Directions
Notes left by playwright that guide the
reader, producer or director

StageDirections

Primary text
Secondary text

The dialogue The notes left by the

exchange among playwright to guide the
characters stage designer or actor
 Examples of stage directions
• Primary text:
• Daniel: hello Emmy you look great in red
• Emmy: oh thanks Daniel. You too. You are
handsome without the beard… by the way did
you bring the money
• Daniel: yea the money. Am sorry. I totally. Forget
about it.
• Emmy: no problem but next I will have to report
you at the police. Understood.
• Daniel: yes sure of course.
 Secondary Text
• Daniel: hello Emmy.
• Emmy: (Wearing a red coat) oh thanks Daniel.
You too. You are handsome without the beard…
(in a firm voice) by the way did you bring the
money
• Daniel: (stuttering) yea the money. Am sorry. I
totally. Forget about it.
• Emmy: (turning her face) no problem but next I
will have to report you at the police. Understood
(aggressively).
• Daniel: yes sure of course
 A Model to identify Stage directions
Erika Fischer’s sign systems model
Types of sign
systems

Actor’s
Actor’s activities Spatial and
appearance as a
as a sign Acoustic signs
sign
 Actor’s activities as a sign

Actor’s activities
as a sign

(Language) (Kinesic)
Linguistic- Mimic-Gestures-
Paralinguistic Proxemic
Actor’s appearance as a sign

hairstyle

costume
 Spatial signs

Decoration

Props Lighting
 Acoustic signs

•Sounds

•Music