Drama as a

production
 Stagecraft

The meaning of a
play is
communicated to
the audience in the
production or
performance on
stage.
 The director

The director takes overall artistic responsibility for a play.

The director advises the actors on their performance according
to the interpretation of the play that he or she wishes to put
forward.
The idea of interpretation is important. The same script may be
changed almost beyond recognition by the combination of
choices a director makes about how to stage it.

For example, a director may:

• Wish to stress a particular theme in a play.

• Place emphasis on a minor character.
• Make the play more comic or tragic than it first appears.
• Slow down or speed up the pace of a scene or the whole play.
 The production team

• The set designer has the job of creating the set (scenery / furniture /
props) for the play, taking into account the stage directions given by the
playwright and also space and resources.

• The costume designer aims to match the actors’ costumes to their

characters, taking into consideration their age, occupation, the historical
period etc.

• The make-up artist works with the costume designer to decide how the
characters should appear i.e. older or younger etc.

• The lighting designer helps create mood and atmosphere on stage.

Decisions must be taken about brightness / darkness, spotlights and special
effect lighting.

• Another person is in charge of music and sound effects which also greatly
affect the mood or atmosphere on stage.

• The stage manager is responsible for seeing that everything is in order for
the performance.
 The actors

• The actors play the parts of characters and perform the

drama following the script.

• They also work on the following aspects of performance:

• Voice
• Gestures and body language
• Movement
• Reactions
• Position on stage
 Positions on stage

• Relationships on stage may be shown by isolating

a character by positioning him or her away from
everyone else on stage to show unhappiness or
suggest difference.
• Placing an important character on centre stage or
even a raised platform.
 Types of stage

• Proscenium arch:
the most common
type of stage.
Faces the audience
directly. Has a
large rectangular
opening.
 Types of stage

Thrust stage: The

floor juts out into
the auditorium
where the audience
is seated.
 Types of stage
Theatre in the
round: The
audience surround
the action on all
sides like a circus
or boxing ring.
More intimacy is
possible with this
kind of stage.
 Exam Questions
• This extract is to be staged and you are
the Director. How would you direct this
scene with reference to one of the
following:
• Gestures by the actors
• Costume/Dress to be worn by the actors
• How the characters should speak their
lines
(15/30 marks Unseen Drama 2006 HL)
 Sample answer
I have chosen to answer on the costume/dress to be worn by the characters.
From my reading of this extract I think this play is set in an exotic country a
few decades ago. I have come to this conclusion because they use foreign
names and talk about gifts of record players. I would want the costumes to
reflect the setting.

Everyman is an extremely rich and extravagant man. His costume should

reinforce this. I would dress him in long colourful robes of very expensive
silks. I would give him very expensive and ostentatious jewellery so that his
wealth is strikingly obvious.

I would like to create a strong contrast between his wealth and the poor
neighbour's poverty. I feel this contrast could be displayed visually through
costume. I would dress the poor neighbour in a dull grey or faded black
colour. His clothes would be ragged and threadbare, this would show just how
poor he is. He would have no jewellery and no shoes on his feet.

I feel the Companion character acts as a friend to Everyman but he is a minor

character. His dress should be comfortable but should not in any way upstage
the other characters. He should also have expensive long flowing robes
because I'm sure his friend would provide for him. However, I would dress him
in muted tones and he would not have the same luxurious jewellery. He would
wear shoes because his position is obviously better that that of the poor man.
 Exam Questions

• If you were directing this play how

would you want the stage to look
like? Base your answer on evidence
from the extract.
(Unseen Drama 15/30 marks 2007
HL)
 Exam Questions
• You are a member of the audience at a
performance of this play. Describe what
you see on stage during this scene.
• You may wish to consider the following.
• Set and props
• Costumes
• Lighting and sound effects
• The actors’ performances
• Etc
(Unseen Drama 15/30 marks 2008 HL)
 Sample answer
An audience member would be treated to many strong visual images when
watching this scene. The set will reflect the barren countryside. There
would be little on the stage except, perhaps, some rocks that indicated a
shelter.

A wind and rain machine could portray the storm. This would be extremely
effective and the audience would actually see the raging storm. The
characters on stage would actually get wet and their costumes would blow
in the wind. The stage would be quite dark to mirror the storm but the
lights could be set up to portray lightning. This would be visually very
dramatic. In addition to this, you would hear all of the sound effects of the
storm.

King Lear would still have a crown on but his clothes would be soaked and
he would be unsteady on his feet. The pain and betrayal he is feeling
should be obvious. The visual impact of him crying and sinking to the
ground would be very powerful. His servants should look very concerned
and at times, should help to support him.

I would feel very sorry for King Lear as I watched this scene.
 Exam Questions
• Imagine you are directing this play.
IN the context of the extract you
have just read explain how you
would make use of two of the
following in your production: setting,
sound effects, props, costumes.
(Unseen Drama 15/30 marks 2009
HL)