Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A trait or condition affecting character behavior, often portrayed to reflect internal conflict or societal pressures.
Non-verbal theatre communicates ideas, emotions, and stories without the use of spoken words. It often relies on movement, music, mime, or visual imagery to engage the audience. This form emphasizes universal human expression and can transcend language barriers.
A UK region with rich working-class theatre traditions, contributing to the rise of realist and political drama.
A family unit of parents and children that often forms the societal backdrop for dramatic conflict and generational themes.
A one-sided emotional connection audiences form with performers or fictional characters, referenced in media-themed drama.
A period piece is a theatrical work set in a specific historical era, recreating its fashions, manners, and cultural atmosphere. Costumes, sets, and dialogue are often designed to reflect the chosen time period as accurately as possible. Period pieces allow audiences to step into another age and experience its unique style and traditions.
A toxic substance historically used in match factories, referenced in realist plays about labor and injustice.
A dramatic form dealing with social issues in a realistic way, often associated with Ibsen and Shaw.
A genre exploring internal conflict, motivation, and emotion, often rooted in realism and character study.
A psychological thriller is a dramatic genre that emphasizes the mental and emotional states of its characters, often exploring themes of obsession, fear, guilt, or manipulation. Rather than relying solely on external action, it builds tension through suspense, mind games, and the gradual unraveling of hidden motives. These works keep audiences on edge by blurring the line between reality and perception, often leading to shocking twists or revelations.
The inclusion of racially diverse casts and themes, reflecting social progress and realism in theatre.
A radioactive element dramatized in plays like 'Radium Girls' to explore industrial exploitation and health issues.