Elements of drama

The elements of drama are discrete but should not be studied in isolation as they are interrelated. Dramatic meaning and action is created when
they are integrated and contrasted within dramatic perspectives. The elements include:
1 role
2 relationship
3 situation
4 tension
1 language
2 focus
3 time
4 place
1 space
2 symbol
3 mood
4 movement
Styles and their conventions
Dramatic styles have related dramatic conventions that should be used and applied to produce relevant action and meaning.
Form and style are interrelated and at times overlap. Form provides structure to organise and represent dramatic action and dramatic meaning.
Style
For the purposes of this syllabus !style" is understood and defined in relation to heritage dramatic styles and contemporary dramatic styles.
Heritage styles
#eritage styles arise from historical and cultural characteristics such as language class social conventions setting and values of a period$s
bac%ground. These characteristics are made e&plicit through the dramatic conventions appropriately associated with the style. 'nderstanding of
various styles generally emerges through interactions with playte&ts written by playwrights(practitioners of a particular historical era. )tyles are an
outcome of a combination of conventions.
*&amples of heritage western dramatic styles may include but are not restricted to:
1 absurdism
2 +ncient ,ree% tragedy and comedy
3 comedy of manners
4 -ommedia dell$+rte
1 epic theatre
2 e&pressionism
3 .acobean theatre
4 melodrama
/ musical theatre
1 realism
2 0estoration
comedy
3 *li1abethan theatre
Contemporary styles
-ontemporary styles arise from an engagement with changing conditions in the world in particular new class structures economies cultural
relationships and the collapse of the monocultures of the past. The term refers to te&ts that are written and created after 1234 by a playwright
and(or arts practitioner. -ross5arts forms e&plore and combine many styles and are often the result of a collaborative process.
These contemporary styles are created through using particular conventions associated with each style. 6any heritage styles can be appropriated
and re5developed through a contemporary conte&t to form an innovative interpretative approach to style.
*&amples of contemporary western and non5western styles may include but are not restricted to:
1 +ustralian gothic
2 collage drama
3 cross5arts drama
4 cross5cultural drama
/ intercultural drama
7 contemporary circus and mime
1 documentary drama
2 forum theatre
3 mas% and new
puppetry
4 physical theatre
/ playbac% theatre
7 post5dramatic
theatre
8 process drama
1 readers$ theatre
2 street theatre
3 theatre for
development
4 verbatim theatre
/ visual theatre
7 applied theatre.