Drama 12 Elements of Drama

1. FOCUS  It takes focus to portray a character in a believable way.  We have to look, move and sound like the character, and act and react in ways that are consistent with his/her personality and mannerisms... not our own!  It takes focus to be consistent in our vocal and physical characterisation at all times during the performance.  We also have to be focussed in order to achieve the objectives of the performance whether to entertain, inform and educate, or to change the audiences thoughts, feelings, or behaviour.

 Timing refers to the choreography of movements, gestures and interactions in a performance.  Timing is always carefully planned for maximum dramatic effect. 2. TIMING

 Rhythm refers to the speed and regularity of the action in a performance.  It is created through the pace of our delivery (i.e. how slowly or quickly you say or do something).  Often the rhythm of the performance follows the emotional state of a character.  A fast pace suggests action or excitement and builds tension.  A slow pace suggests contemplation or repose and allows reflection.  Varying the rhythm during a performance keeps the audience interested. 3. RHYTHM

 Contrast is created when things change from one state of being to another within a performance.  Examples of contrast are to follow a sad scene with a happy one OR to change the setting or rhythm from one scene to another.  Without contrast, a performance can be monotonous and lack tension. 4. CONTRAST

 Whatever space is available to the actors must be used effectively.  Not only must the props be meaningfully arranged, but the entries and exits of the characters, as well as their interactions on stage, must be carefully planned for maximum dramatic effect.  The whole space should be used, not only upstage and downstage, but also at different levels (e.g. sitting, standing, lying down, crawling). 5. SPACE

 Language isn’t only the spoken / chanted / sung words (verbal) that we hear.  It is also the unspoken messages (non-verbal) that we communicate through body language.  It is the medium we use to communicate a message to the audience.  Even a nonsensical language (e.g. mumbling or ranting) can communicate a message powerfully. 6. LANGUAGE

 Sound is everything that the audience hears during a performance.  It includes the words spoken and sounds made by the actors (using their bodies or props), as well as pre-recorded sound effects and music.  Sound helps to create the mood of a scene (e.g. happy / creepy / sad / violent music)  Sound communicates information to the audience (e.g. knock at the door / telephone ring) and emphasises events in the play.  Sound (e.g. music) can also indicate the start or end of a performance. 7. SOUND

 A symbol is an object, word or action that has a figurative meaning attached to it.  Props can provide symbolic meaning to the audience, e.g. a rose (symbol of love) or a gun (symbol of war).  Colours can be used symbolically, e.g. red = desire, black = evil, white = innocence.  A gesture or phrase can also become a symbol if it is repeated throughout a performance. 8. SYMBOL

 Mood is the emotional feeling of a performance.  The mood of a performance can be anything from joyful and hopeful to angry and despairing.  Setting, sound, lighting, movement, rhythm, and contrast should all work together to set the mood.  Moods include:  Bitter, bored, cold, compassionate, confident, confused, crazy, curious, depressed, desperate, excited, frustrated, gloomy, grateful, guilty, happy, jealous, playful, sad, serious, shocked, silly, surprised 9. MOOD

 Tension is the emotional strain that an audience feels (suspense / uncertainty / anticipation) as the performance builds towards the climax.  Tension builds up when the audience:  is not sure what will happen next;  is worried about a character;  is surprised by an unexpected twist in the story.  Timing (pace / pause) is critical in building tension. 10. TENSION

 Conflict is an essential ingredient for all dramatic performances. Without it, the performance lacks excitement.  Conflict can be between two (or more) characters, or the inner conflict of one character.  Conflict can be communicated verbally, physically or symbolically. 11. CONFLICT

 The climax is a key moment of dramatic tension and conflict in a play.  It is the OMG moment for the audience!  The play builds towards the climax through a series of conflicts that results in ‘the big showdown’.  It is the ultimate crisis that (usually) occurs toward the end of a performance. 12. CLIMAX