Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
The part of a play that provides background information on characters, setting, and prior events to ground the narrative.
A struggle between a character and outside forces such as society, nature, or other characters, driving the plot.
A moral tale with symbolic characters, used in theatre to deliver social commentary through simple storytelling.
A character who claims to heal through divine power, dramatized to explore belief, doubt, and deception.
The series of events following the climax, leading to the resolution of the plot.
To imagine unreal scenarios, often portrayed on stage through dreams, desires, or escapism.
A comedic dramatic genre featuring exaggerated situations, physical humor, and improbable events.
A Faustian bargain is a deal in which a person sacrifices moral integrity, values, or even their soul in exchange for power, knowledge, success, or another form of personal gain. The term comes from the German legend of Faust, who sold his soul to the devil for unlimited knowledge and pleasure. In theatre and literature, this concept often explores themes of temptation, ambition, and the consequences of greed. An example is Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, who agrees to feed Audrey II in exchange for fame and love.
A cinematic genre marked by moral ambiguity and visual starkness, influencing theatre with themes of fatalism and anti-heroes.
A dramatic device that transports the narrative to an earlier time to provide background or context.
A literary device in which hints or clues are given about future plot developments, building suspense or dramatic irony.