Drama in ESL

TSL 1064
Presenter:
Zeety Brenda
Criscy Clarissa Aldrin
En’lyss Gimpuhut Itoh
Jacqueeny James
 Exposition
Rising Action
Dramatic Climax
Structure Falling Action
Catastrophe
  The setting is fixed in a particular place and time,
the mood is set, and characters are introduced. A
backstory may be alluded to. Exposition can be
Exposition conveyed through dialogues, flashbacks,
characters' asides, background details, in-universe
media, or the narrator telling a back-story
  An exciting force or inciting event begins
immediately after the exposition (introduction),
building the rising action in one or several stages
Rising toward the point of greatest interest. These events
are generally the most important parts of the story
Action since the entire plot depends on them to set up
the climax and ultimately the satisfactory
resolution of the story itself.
  The climax is the turning point, which changes the
protagonist's fate. If things were going well for the
protagonist, the plot will turn against them, often
revealing the protagonist's hidden weaknesses. If
Climax the story is a comedy, the opposite state of affairs
will ensue, with things going from bad to good for
the protagonist, often requiring the protagonist to
draw on hidden inner strengths.
  During the falling action, the hostility of the
counter-party beats upon the soul of the hero.
Freytag lays out two rules for this stage: the
number of characters be limited as much as

Falling possible, and the number of scenes through which

the hero falls should be fewer than in the rising
Action movement. The falling action may contain a
moment of final suspense: Although the
catastrophe must be foreshadowed so as not to
appear as a non sequitur, there could be for the
doomed hero a prospect of relief, where the final
outcome is in doubt.
  The catastrophe is where the hero meets his logical destruction.
Freytag warns the writer not to spare the life of the hero.[20] More
generally, the final result of a work's main plot has been known in
English since 1705 as the denouement . It comprises events from
the end of the falling action to the actual ending scene of the drama
or narrative. Conflicts are resolved, creating normality for the
characters and a sense of catharsis, or release of tension and
anxiety, for the reader. Etymologically, the French word dénouement
is derived from the word dénouer, "to untie", from nodus, Latin for
"knot." It is the unraveling or untying of the complexities of a plot.

Catastrophe  The comedy ends with a denouement (a conclusion), in which the

protagonist is better off than at the story's outset. The tragedy ends
with a catastrophe, in which the protagonist is worse off than at the
beginning of the narrative. Exemplary of a comic denouement is the
final scene of Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It, in which couples
marry, an evildoer repents, two disguised characters are revealed
for all to see, and a ruler is restored to power. In Shakespeare's
tragedies, the denouement is usually the death of one or more
characters.
 Plot
Fractured Narrative
Dramatic Forms
Climax and anti-climax
Drama Characterisation
Elements Dramatic Convention
Using Symbols
  This is the story, or through-line of your piece. A
storyline is often called a narrative. Without any
narrative the work might be on one level, failing to

Plot keep the interest of the audience. The sequence of

the plot is something that can be explored once
you have brainstormed and improvised your
narrative.
  Some drama contains many stories and moves between them.
This is called a fractured narrative. The BBC soap opera,
EastEnders is an excellent example where various scenes play
out between different characters with the action cutting
between them.

 The characters in the work you create are also an important

part of your plot development. Look at Developing characters
for more information.
Fractured  The action of the drama is the events that are contained within

Narratives it. It’s what happens between characters in a scene and in the
play. It could be a sword fight in Macbeth or a tense discussion
during which neither character moves physically at all.

 Content
This is what your drama is about. It’s the themes, issues and
ideas it contains. For example, the action of the piece might be
two sisters arguing, but the content is the exploration of sibling
rivalry.
  A form is the method you select to tell your story
and explore themes when presenting your work.
For example, you may choose to present a piece
of work in the form of a mime, where the actors
don’t speak, or as Physical theatre, where abstract
Dramatic movements symbolize relationships.

Forms
 Remember, form is the thing itself and the style is
the way you present it. In the case of a ‘comical
mime’ the dramatic form used is mime and
comical is the style in which it’s done.
  This is the building and release of tension in drama.
Tension is a growing sense of expectation within the drama, a
feeling that the story is building up towards something exciting
happening. Without tension in a scene it is hard to keep the
audience engaged with what is happening so the work may be
flat and dull.

A climax is when the tension within a scene builds to its highest

Climax and point. It’s the most exciting moment. An anti-climax is the
release of tension. It happens after the tension has reached its

Anti-Climax highest point and then suddenly drops.

 anti-climax.
The tension has built and has been released. Serial dramas and
television soap operas such as EastEnders often finish just
before or at the point of climax so that the audience will tune in
again to see what happens next. This is called a cliffhanger or
the ‘duff duff’ moment on account of the music at the end of
each episode.
  The act of changing voice, body language, movement,
gesture etc. when in role is called characterization.
 Voice: Does your character have an accent? What is
the tone of their voice like? How quickly do they speak?
Do they have any vocal mannerisms that are particular
to them?

Characterisa  Body language: This is what your character’s

movements and way of using their body says about
tion them. A character who is very nervous and stressed
may fidget a lot or have their shoulders hunched up
tight to indicate tension.
 Facial expression: Does your character move their face
a lot? What does their facial expression say about their
character? Do they have a very expressive face or do
they try not to give much of themselves away?
  A convention is a technique employed regularly in
the drama so that the audience come to attach
specific meaning to it. When a technique is used
repeatedly in a drama the audience recognize its
significance. They buy into it as an established

Dramatic way of telling the story.

 Example: slow motion
Convention soliloquy

adding narration
breaking into songs
split role or multi role
  A symbol is something which stands for, or
represents something else. Symbols are often
used in drama to deepen its meaning and remind
the audience of the themes or issues it is
discussing. A prop often has a particular
significance that an audience will instantly
recognize when used symbolically in the work.

Using What might the following things symbolize or

represent?
Symbols  Movement and actions can be symbolic too,
particularly if you’re using Physical theatre as a
form. In Mark Wheeler’s play, Too Much Punch for
Judy, the keys being thrown are significant in
certain important moments in the play. Remember
that the meanings behind symbols can sometimes
change within the same play.
Thank You!