HOW DOES A PLAYWRIGHT BEGIN WRITING A PLAY TO CAPTURE THE INTERESTS OF

THE AUDIENCE?

The success of any play depends on the audience and its response. This is because though a play may work
well as a written piece of literature, the ultimate aim of drama is that it must succeed when performed before
an audience. So, when we write a play, we must always keep in mind the performance aspect.

Fig 1.: Elements of Drama

Writing a play is not completely different from writing fiction. In both, there is a dependence on the plot; a
revelation of character through action and dialogues; a distinctive tone, and some kind of central concern or
theme. While writing a play, a playwright must keep in mind the taste of the audience so that they are able to
connect to what is shown on-stage.
Developing a Plot:
The plot of any story lays the foundation of the entire play. A plot is a sequence of events where each event
affects the other through the principle of cause and effect. All the events are linked or connected through the
plot. A plot has various components:

 Characters: The first and the foremost step for dwelling into writing a play is to develop realistic
and believable characters. The characters are the essence of the play, and the entire plot would
revolve around them. The traditional way of developing characters was to make a protagonist and
antagonist. However, the notion has now been changed. Each character plays an essential role
throughout the play, and they keep the audience engrossed with the events happening on-stage. The
central character struggles against (i) some other person or a group of persons (ii) some external
force - physical nature, society or fate (man against environment). All these forces are referred to as
antagonists.
 Settings: The story's setting refers to the story's period and place (or when and where). It's a literary
element found in novels, short tales, plays, and films, and it's generally presented alongside the
characters at the story's exposition (beginning). The story's environment, which might be made up of
the physical location, climate, weather, or social and cultural influences, is also part of the setting.
The Disney film "Cinderella" is a good illustration of how to comprehend the setting. The scene begins as
follows:
Time: Cinderella as a little girl, many years ago.
Place: Cinderella's castle in a faraway land.

Fig 2.: Cinderella (A play)

 Narrative: A narrative is a tale that tells a story of a series of events that occur in place and time.
They do not unfold in a random order, but rather as a sequence of events linked by cause and effect
logic. Narratives are as old as, if not older than, human civilisation. Cave paintings have been used to
convey stories for at least 30,000 years, according to historians. And before that, people were telling
each other stories.

Fig 3.: Narrative of a play

 Dialogues, Actions, Technical Aspects: In a layman's language, a dialogue can be defined as a

conversation between the characters. Dialogues carry information and are also a device for
exposition. Character is revealed via dialogue. The words of a character reveal a lot about their
social/cultural background, education, and emotional/psychological condition. A dramatist must
make crucial aesthetic judgments about how a character talks when exposing a character via
dialogue.
There are other non-verbal elements that a dramatist must keep in mind; these are the visual images of
scenery, lighting and costumes, and the very environment created by a particular theatre space. All these
along with the play itself completes the theatre experience for the spectators whose focus may be on the
performers, but on whom all the other elements of drama that are present, create an equally strong impact.

Fig 4.: The Technical Aspects of a Play

After writing your play, edit and rewrite!
After you've finished your first draft, go over the whole play script and make any necessary changes. If your
conversation, for example, seems a little flat, you should rework it to make it sound more realistic. Consider
how people speak in real life and attempt to give your characters a genuine and emotional quality.
Interruptions and tangents, for example, can help it sound more authentic.
 REFERENCES

o Writing a Play, Nashville Film Institute.

o A Book of Creative Writing; A Beginner’s Manual
o Wikipedia