Theatre

Theatrical Terms

100

I am the space in which an actor may move around, in full view of the audience

Acting area

200

I'mt he internal or external struggle between opposing forces, ideas, or interests that creates dramatic tension

Conflict

300

Any movement of the actor’s body that is used to convey meaning, attitude or feeling

Gesture

400

The organised movement of actors and dancers, often to music

Choreography

500

The spontaneous and imaginative use of movement and speech to create a character or object in a particular situation and develop the scene. It is also a form of live theatre in which plot, characters and dialogue are made up on the spot, often based upon a suggestion from the audience

Improvisation or 'improv'

Theatrical Terms

100

A play that has been created using material from another artistic medium such as a novel, short story or poem

Adaptation

200

Spoken conversation used by two or more characters to express thoughts, feelings and attitudes

Dialogue

300

A flat surface, the width of the stage, on which a scenic design is painted or projected

Backdrop

400

The physical surroundings visible to the audience, in which the action of the play takes place

Set

500

I'm the time that a play takes to perform

Running time

Theatrical Terms

100

I'm the main character/hero of the drama

Protagonist

200

I'm a  person portrayed in a scripted or devised play, novel, or other artistic piece

Character

300

I'm the lights that illuminate the auditorium before and after the performance and during intermission

House lights

400

Any style of drama where the emphasis is on movement rather than dialogue

Physical theatre

500

An approach to theatre-making that focuses on the combined output of all the members of a group of performers working together, rather than emphasising individual performances

Ensemble

Theatrical Terms

100

I am the clarity or distinctness of speech

Articulation

200

An extreme form of comedy that depends on quick tempo and flawless timing and is characterised by improbable events and far-fetched coincidences

Farce

300

I'm a peculiarity of speech or behaviour

Mannerism

400

I'm the point of greatest intensity in a series or progression of events in a play, often forming the turning point of the plot and leading to some kind of resolution

Climax

500

I'm a light, good-humoured parody of a particular genre or style of drama

Spoof

Theatrical Terms

100

I'm the part of a theatre, concert hall, or other space in which the audience sits

Auditorium

200

We are a group of performers who sing, dance, or recite in unison

Chorus

300

The art of portraying characters and acting out situations or creating narratives through gesture and body movement without the use of speech

Mime

400

I'm not the protagonist, but I most actively compete with (or oppose) the protagonist in the drama/play

Antagonist

500

I'm a play in which irony, exaggerated characters and ridicule are used to expose or attack such aspects of society as foolishness, social snobbery or hypocrisy. Often used to criticise political figures or regimes.

Satire