Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
A form of Thai shadow puppetry using large, elaborately carved figures to narrate epic stories in silhouette.
An early form of Chinese drama that combined music, dialogue, and action, influencing the evolution of Kunqu opera.
A self-centered character trait often dramatized to explore vanity, manipulation, and personal downfall.
Spoken commentary that provides exposition or transitions within a play. Narration often bridges scenes and guides audience understanding.
A character or voice that tells part of the story, offering commentary or background. Narrators are frequently used in children’s theatre and epic productions.
A term referring to Thai classical dancers who perform in stylized theatre forms like Khon and Lakhon.
A traveling production that performs in cities across a country, typically following a Broadway or regional theatre run. Tours expand access to major theatrical works.
A political ideology that has shaped theatre by promoting cultural identity, tradition, and patriotic themes.
A philosophical concept of universal moral principles, sometimes invoked in plays about justice or moral dilemmas.
Naturalism is a theatrical style that seeks to depict life with accuracy, focusing on everyday speech, behavior, and settings. It often highlights ordinary people in realistic environments, emphasizing authenticity over theatricality. Emerging in the late 19th century, naturalism remains influential in contemporary drama.
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.
An ancient Sanskrit treatise detailing the principles of classical Indian dance and theatre, attributed to Bharata.