Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
Humorously indecent or risque, often found in Shakespearean and Restoration comedy.
Characterized by kindness or doing good, often used in theatre to describe morally upright or generous figures in contrast to villains.
Comedy that treats disturbing or taboo subjects with irony, often found in satire or plays with existential themes.
The act of coercion through threat, often central to dramatic conflict and manipulation in thrillers or tragedies.
A poetic or dramatic listing of a person's attributes or characteristics, often used to praise or mock.
Describes characters or artists who reject conventional norms, often romanticized in theatre and musicals.
A character who enjoys the pleasures of life, particularly food and social activity, often portrayed as charming and sociable.
In musical theatre, the script or spoken text of the show, not including the music or lyrics.
A fictional persona invented to escape social obligations, coined from Oscar Wilde’s play *The Importance of Being Earnest*.
The internal transformation of a character over the course of a play.
A character who contrasts with another, usually the protagonist, to highlight specific traits or themes.