Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A British theatrical movement from the 1950s–60s that depicted working-class life with gritty realism and domestic conflict.
A literary and theatrical style blending realistic narrative with fantastical elements to explore complex truths.
A large Christian congregation, sometimes satirized or critiqued in theatre for spectacle and commercialization.
A dramatic form where a character recalls past events, often blurring reality with subjective perception.
A region in central England that contributed significantly to industrial development and working-class theatre traditions.
A generational label explored in contemporary theatre to examine values, anxiety, and identity in modern life.
A theatrical style that emphasizes simplicity in staging and dialogue to focus attention on core themes and performance.
Hatred or prejudice against women, a theme often critiqued in feminist and realist plays to explore gender roles and oppression.
A movement emphasizing accurate, detailed depictions of everyday life, rejecting theatricality for authenticity.
Naturalistic drama is a theatrical style that seeks to present life on stage with heightened realism, portraying characters, dialogue, and settings as close to everyday reality as possible. It often emphasizes the influence of environment, heredity, and social conditions on human behavior, inspired by scientific and sociological ideas of the late 19th century. Productions typically use detailed, lifelike sets and natural speech patterns to immerse audiences in an authentic slice of life.
A trait or condition affecting character behavior, often portrayed to reflect internal conflict or societal pressures.
A UK region with rich working-class theatre traditions, contributing to the rise of realist and political drama.