Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A narrative voice that knows all thoughts, actions, and events. Omniscient narration is used in epic theatre and storytelling to provide a broad, external perspective.
A character opposed to violence, featured in plays that explore ethics, resistance, and personal sacrifice.
A soldier deployed by parachute, sometimes used in war dramas to depict sacrifice, action, and historical conflict.
Devotion to one's country, portrayed in theatre to inspire pride or question nationalism and identity.
A collaborative process where a script is created through improvisation, interviews, or devising among a group of artists.
The executive committee of communist parties, dramatized in theatre to explore authoritarianism and ideological control.
Political theatre is drama that directly addresses social, cultural, or governmental issues with the aim of provoking thought, debate, or change. It often critiques systems of power, highlights injustices, and challenges audiences to reflect on their own roles within society. By blurring the line between art and activism, political theatre seeks not only to entertain but also to raise awareness and inspire action.
Describes a genre or setting in theatre that explores life after societal collapse, often raising existential themes.
A style characterized by fragmentation, irony, and questioning of narrative authority, often blending genres and styles.
A person who exploits situations for financial gain, often criticized in wartime or political theatre.
Characters or movements favoring reform and innovation, often highlighted in political or social drama.
A historical U.S. period (1920–1933) banning alcohol, often depicted in theatre through speakeasies, crime, and rebellion.