Page 45 - Year 7

FDP Equivalence Maths: 10 of 10 Performing Arts: 1 of 3

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P Performing arts terminology
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Script Terminology
Plot The main events of the play, and the order in which
they’re presented.
Character The people in the play and who they are (age,
name, personality)
Context The 5 W’s: Who, What, Where, When, Why? The
situation. Context of a play can also refer to what was
happening at the time the play was written (social, cultural,
historical)
Themes The recurring ideas in the play. For example,
themes in Harry Potter would include: witchcraft/wizardry,
magic, friendships
Genre The type of drama: comedy, tragedy, political,
romance
Style The way it is presented: naturalistic, non-naturalistic,
physical theatre, surrealism
Stage Directions Usually written in italics or inside
brackets, this information tells the actor where to go or what
to do.
Structure The way the play is set out: Chronological,
STYLES OF PERFORMANCE: Naturalism v Non-Naturalism cyclical, episodic
Playwright The person who has written the play.
Naturalism = A style of drama that aims to create the illusion of real life. It
should come across as completely believable to the audience. Roles in the Theatre
Set Designer: A set designer is in charge of designing and creating the sets that appear in films, on
Non-Naturalism = A style of performance that uses a range of dramatic television programmes as well as in the theatre.
conventions, such as still images or monologue. In real life, these conventions Costume Designer: The costume designer is in charge of designing and selecting the costumes the
don’t happen, which is why they make the drama ‘non-naturalistic’. actors will wear, in order to reflect who the characters are.
You can also use a mixture of both styles! You could create a piece of drama Lighting Designer: Designs the lighting in order to create atmosphere, and reflect the time of day for
where some scenes are naturalistic, and others make use of drama conventions. the production in response to the text, while keeping in mind issues of visibility, safety, and cost.