Drama is an important part of the school curriculum, or should be. Many schools have drama festivals while some give students the chance to write their own scripts. It's a lot of fun, isn't it? Some readers may have studied plays by William Shakespeare or may have attended a performance at a local theatre. Whatever your experience is with drama, no doubt it is one of the more pleasing experiences you've had.
Drama represents an attempt to make sense of our lives by acting out experiences or ideas. It is a form of creative expression which goes back many thousands of years and which can be seen in many different cultures. Modern western drama owes its beginnings to Greek theatre, which goes back at least 3,000 years.
'Rules' for drama performances keep changing. Western drama now incorporates many aspects of drama from other cultures, including mime, dance, puppetry, music and an absence of sets and traditional structures.
Did you know that many years ago only male actors were allowed to perform? They did all the female parts which would have been quite funny to watch.
Like poetry, drama has its own special language. Here are some common drama terms and their meanings.
- Action or plot: the story of the play