Elements Of Drama.

Front 1

Relationships

Back 1

Relationships are central to all dramatic action:
relationships between people
the relationship between people and ideas
the relationship between people and the environment

Front 2

Tension

Back 2

Tension is the force that drives the drama. There are four main types of dramatic tension:
the tension of the task
the tension of relationships
the tension of surprise
the tension of mystery

Front 3

Focus

Back 3

Exploring one aspect of the situation which we wish to develop and staying clear about our intention - driving our character and associated contents forward in the performance.

Front 4

Time

Back 4

In drama we ask ourselves the following Time in action:
closed and open time frames
messages of period
associations of period
constraints of period
exploring causes
exploring effects

Front 5

Place

Back 5

Aspects of place include:
the range of characters
closed and open settings
contrasting settings
messages of place

Front 6

Language

Back 6

In drama we express our ideas, our feelings and our needs to each other by:
the words we say
the way we say them
our body language

The language of the drama:
the situation
the roles
the relationships
the images

Front 7

Movement

Back 7

images in action
stillness and contrast

Front 8

Mood

Back 8

This is the feeling or atmosphere that is created by, and emerges through, the dramatic action.

Front 9

Symbol

Back 9

Symbols are what the drama makes you understand - they sum up the meaning of the play, sometimes even on a subconscious level. Symbols can be expressed through language, movement, visual images.
We can see symbol through:
gestures
objects

Front 10

Dramatic Meaning

Back 10

In drama, we are the creators. The elements are the bones which make up the entire body of dramatic action. The story, the situations, the people and the tension which drives it, breathes life and spirit into our creation.