Drama Glossary

In theatre, addiction may refer both to a character’s struggle with compulsive behavior as a theme and to the real-life issue affecting performers or audiences. Plays about addiction often explore psychological, social, and moral dimensions. It is a recurring motif in modern drama due to its human intensity.

A character in their teenage years, often portrayed as navigating identity, rebellion, and emotional growth.

An anxiety disorder involving fear of open spaces or crowds, explored in theatre to depict psychological conflict.

Describes dialogue or situations open to multiple interpretations, used in symbolic and modern drama.

A theme in theatre representing hope, success, and its disillusionment, particularly in realist and symbolist plays.

A British movement of the 1950s featuring working-class protagonists rebelling against social norms.

Anthropomorphism is when animals, objects, or natural forces are given human qualities, such as the ability to speak, think, or act like people. In drama, this technique allows playwrights to express human emotions and conflicts through non-human characters, often highlighting instincts, desires, or struggles in symbolic ways. By watching animals or objects behave like people, audiences can explore human issues from a fresh, imaginative perspective.

Prejudice against Jewish people, explored in dramatic works to reveal social injustices and historical persecution.

An anti-hero is a central character who lacks traditional heroic qualities such as morality, bravery, or idealism. Often flawed and complex, anti-heroes appear frequently in modern drama and literature.

A mental institution used in theatre to examine societal treatment of mental illness and the boundaries of sanity.

A genre of drama based on real people’s lives, exploring their challenges, accomplishments, and inner conflicts.

Exhaustion caused by overwork or stress, frequently portrayed in contemporary drama to explore modern mental health issues.