Play (theatre): Difference between revisions

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}

{{otheruses}}

{{short description|Dramatic literary form}}

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[[ImageFile:RomeoMacbeth and juliet brown(32280144787).jpg|thumb|300px|right|200px|A performance of ''[[Romeo and JulietMacbeth]]'' by [[Ford Madox Brown]](2018)]]

{{literature}}

A '''play''' is a form of [[drama]] that primarily consists of [[dialogue]] between [[Character (arts)|characters]] and is intended for [[theatre|theatrical]] [[performance]] rather than mere [[Reading (process)|reading]]. The creator of a play is known as a [[playwright]].

Plays are staged at various levels, ranging from London's [[West End theatre|West End]] and New York City's [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] – the highest echelons of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world – to [[Regional theater in the United States|regional theatre]], [[community theatre]], and academic productions at universities and schools.

A '''play''' is a [[form]] of [[literature]], usually consisting chiefly of dialog between characters, and usually intended for [[performance]] rather than [[Reading (activity)|reading]]. However, many scholars study plays in this more academic manner, particularly [[classicism|classical]] plays such as those of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]] (rare authors, notably [[George Bernard Shaw]], have had little preference whether their plays were performed or read). The term ''play'' refers both to the written works of [[playwright]]s or dramatists and to the complete theatrical performances of such.

A stage play is specifically crafted for performance on stage, distinct from works meant for broadcast or cinematic adaptation. They are presented on a stage before a live audience. Some dramatists, notably [[George Bernard Shaw]], have shown little preference for whether their plays are performed or read. The term "play" encompasses the written texts of playwrights and their complete theatrical renditions.<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/play "Play"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222110/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/play |date=3 March 2016 }}: [[Dictionary.com]] website. Retrieved on 3 January 2008.</ref>

Plays are generally performed in a [[theater]] by [[actor]]s. To better communicate a unified interpretation of the text in question, productions are usually overseen by [[theatre direction|directors]], who often put their own unique interpretation on the production. (''See [[theatre]] and related topics for more detailed information on the process of producing plays for performance''.)

== Comedy ==

The interpretive nature of drama is what makes it so appealing to so many performers and audience members alike — because a playwright is incapable of presenting the play in its intended format (a performance) without the aid of the actors and a director (though he may choose to take any of these roles himself — [[Molière]], for example, often acted in his own plays), a play is by definition undergoing constant rebirth and renewal as new experiences and interpretations are brought by new contributors.

{{Main|Comedy}}

Comedies are plays designed to elicit humor and often feature witty dialogue, eccentric characters, and unusual situations. Comedies cater to diverse age groups. [[Comedy|Comedies]] were one of the original two genres of [[Ancient Greece|Ancient Greek]] drama, the other being tragedies. Examples of comedies include [[William Shakespeare]]'s ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'', and in the modern day, ''[[The Book of Mormon (musical)|The Book of Mormon]]''.<ref name="anarchon">{{cite web|url=http://anarchon.tripod.com/indexGREEKTH.html|title=THE ANCIENT GREEK DRAMA & THEATRE HISTORY PAGE|publisher=anarchon.tripod.com|access-date=16 June 2008|archive-date=2 March 2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010302154047/http://anarchon.tripod.com/indexGREEKTH.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=theatrehist>{{cite web|url=http://www.theatrehistory.com/ancient/bates001.html|title=Origin of Comedy|publisher=www.theatrehistory.com|access-date=16 June 2008|archive-date=20 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120155754/http://www.theatrehistory.com/ancient/bates001.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Farce ===

[[Image:Proposals.JPG|frame|thumb|150px|left|A [[1999]] production of ''[[Proposals (play)|Proposals]]'' by [[Neil Simon]]. From left to right are the characters Ray, Sammii, Ken, and Josie]]

{{Main|Farce}}

Farces constitute a nonsensical subgenre of comedy that frequently involve humour. They often rely on exaggerated situations and slapstick comedy. An example of a farce is [[William Shakespeare]]'s play ''[[The Comedy of Errors]]'', or [[Mark Twain]]'s work ''[[Is He Dead?]]''.

=== Satire ===

One kind of play, the [[closet drama]], is written in a dramatic form but is not intended for performance. It consists of dialogue between characters, but it is meant to be read, either silently to oneself or aloud to a group in a "closet" (a private domestic room). Some closet dramas have gone on to be performed.

{{Main|Satire}}

Satirical plays provide a comic perspective on contemporary events while also making political or social commentary, often highlighting issues such as corruption. Examples of satirical plays are [[Nikolai Gogol]]'s ''[[The Government Inspector]]'' and [[Aristophanes]]' ''[[Lysistrata]]''. Satire plays are a distinct and popular form of comedy, often considered a separate genre in themselves.

=== Restoration comedy ===

Plays are written in a variety of genres. There are six basic genres of plays:

{{Main|Restoration comedy}}

Restoration comedy is a genre that explores relationships between men and women, often delving into risqué themes for its time.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Vernon|first1=P.F.|title=Marriage of Convenience and the Moral Code of Restoration Comedy|journal=Essays in Criticism|date=1962|issue=4|pages=370–387|doi=10.1093/eic/XII.4.370}}</ref> The characters in restoration comedies frequently embody various stereotypes, contributing to the genre's consistent themes. This similarity also led to a homogeneity of message and content across most plays in this genre. Despite this, restoration comedy's exploration of unspoken aspects of relationships fostered a more intimate connection between the audience and the performance.

Restoration comedy's origins are rooted in [[Molière]]'s theories of comedy, although they differ in tone and intention.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Ornament of Action|url=https://archive.org/details/ornamentofaction0000holl|url-access=registration|date=1979|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521220484}}</ref> The misalignment between the genre's morals and the prevailing ethics of its era is a point of interest when studying restoration comedy. This dissonance might explain why, despite its initial success, restoration comedy did not endure through the 17th century. Nonetheless, contemporary theatre theorists have been increasingly intrigued by restoration comedy as they explore performance styles with unique conventions.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Styan|first1=J.L.|title=Restoration Comedy in Performance|date=1986|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]}}</ref>

#[[Tragedy]] — A play in which a hero comes to a sad end due to fate, a tragic flaw or the work of the gods

#[[Comedy]] — A play in which, despite hindrances and problems along the way, everything works out happily at the end. This usually includes funny material, even jokes.

#[[Domestic]] [[drama]] — A play that reflects the world of the domestic, the family and the relationships that emerge out of the ordinary happenings of life.

#[[Tragicomedy]] — A play that contains elements of both tragedy and comedy.

#[[Melodrama]] — A play of heightened emotion in which a hero and often a heroine overcome a villain to right wrong. Usually has a happy ending.

#[[Symbolic]] — A play in which the characters and the actions have symbolic function and the main concern is the development of ideas

==Pricing Tragedy ==

{{Main|Tragedy}}

Many [[Film director|movie directors]] and [[production house]]s pay varying prices for different scripts varying on the suspected success of the script as well as the previous success of its writer, making any question about the standard pricing of a script erroneous. In the case of a stage play, theatres usually license a playwright's written work or commission a play to be written for their theatre company.

Tragedies delve into darker themes such as death and disaster. The central character, or [[protagonist]], often possesses a [[tragic flaw]] that leads to their downfall. Tragic plays encompass a wide range of emotions and emphasize intense conflicts. Tragedy was the other original genre of Ancient Greek drama alongside comedy. Examples of tragedies include William Shakespeare's ''[[Hamlet]]'', and [[John Webster]]'s play ''[[The Duchess of Malfi]]''.<ref name="anarchon" />

==External linksHistorical ==

{{Main|History (theatrical genre)}}

* [http://www.playwriting101.com/ Playwriting 101] - A playwriting tutorial written by playwright and screenwriter Jon Dorf.

[[File:An actress performs a play in front of 2 statues from the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Room 21, the British Museum, London.jpg|thumb|An actress performs a play in front of 2 statues from the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Room 21, the British Museum, London]]

* [http://www.newplays.org.uk NewPlays.org.uk] - Popular online resource for new plays.

[[File:NMT Automatic performing a play in front of the Nereid Monument.jpg|thumb|An actor and actress performing a play in front of the Nereid Monument, Room 17, the British Museum, London]]

* [http://www.scriptcrawler.net/ ScriptCrawler], [http://www.imsdb.com/ The Internet Movie Script Database] - Search engines for movie scripts.

Historical plays center on real historical events. They can be tragedies or comedies, though often they defy these classifications. [[History]] emerged as a distinct genre largely due to the influence of William Shakespeare. Examples of historical plays include [[Friedrich Schiller]]'s ''[[Demetrius (play)|Demetrius]]'' and Shakespeare's ''[[The Life and Death of King John|King John]]''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V3b2tlWBBUsC&q=%22Shakespeare+popularised%22+historical+play&pg=PA11 | title=The Three Richards: Richard I ... – Google Book Search|access-date=17 June 2008| isbn=978-1-85285-521-5| year=2006| last1=Saul| first1=Nigel| publisher=[[A & C Black]]}}</ref>

== Musical theatre ==

[[Category:Literature]]

{{Main|Musical theatre}}

[[Category:Plays| ]]

Ballad opera, a popular theatrical style of its time, marked the earliest form of musicals performed in the American colonies. The first indigenous American musical premiered in Philadelphia in 1767, titled "The Disappointment", which never progressed beyond its initial stages.

[[Category:Drama]]

Modern Western musical theatre gained prominence during the Victorian era, with key structural elements established by the works of [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] in Britain and [[Harrigan 'N Hart|Harrigan and Hart]] in America. By the 1920s, theatre styles began to crystallize, granting composers the autonomy to create every song within a play. These new musicals adhered to specific conventions, often featuring thirty-two-bar songs. The Great Depression prompted many artists to transition from Broadway to Hollywood, transforming the essence of Broadway musicals. A similar shift occurred in the 1960s, characterized by a scarcity of composers and a decline in the vibrancy and entertainment value of musicals.

[[cs:Drama]]

[[de:Dramatik]]

Entering the 1990s, the number of original Broadway musicals dwindled, with many productions adapting movies or novels. Musicals employ songs to advance the narrative and convey the play's themes, typically accompanied by choreography. Musical productions can be visually intricate, showcasing elaborate sets and actor performances. Examples of musical productions include ''[[Wicked (musical)|Wicked]]'' and ''[[Fiddler on the Roof]]''.

[[el:Δράμα]]

[[eo:Dramo]]

== Theatre of Cruelty ==

[[es:Drama]]

This theatrical style originated in the 1940s when [[Antonin Artaud]] hypothesized about the effects of expressing through the body rather than "by socially conditioned thought". In 1946, he wrote a preface to his works in which he explained how he came to write as he did.

[[fi:Draama]]

[[fr:Drame (théâtre)]]

Foremost, Artaud lacked trust in language as an effective means of communication. Plays within the theatre of cruelty genre exhibit abstract conventions and content. Artaud intended his plays to have an impact and achieve a purpose. His aim was to symbolize the subconscious through bodily performances, as he believed language fell short. Artaud considered his plays enactments rather than re-enactments, indicating that he believed his actors were embodying reality, rather than reproducing it.

[[fy:Toaniel]]

[[he:דרמה]]

His plays addressed weighty subjects such as patients in psychiatric wards and Nazi Germany. Through these performances, he aimed to "make the causes of suffering audible". Audiences who were taken aback by what they saw initially responded negatively. Much of his work was even banned in France during that time.

[[hr:Drama]]

[[it:Dramma]]

Artaud dismissed the notion that conventional theatre of his era could provide audiences with a cathartic experience that would aid the healing process after World War II. For this reason, he gravitated towards radio-based theatre, where the audience could personally connect the words they heard with their own bodies. This approach made his work more intimate and individualized, which he believed would enhance its effectiveness in conveying the experience of suffering.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Finter|first1=Helga|last2=Griffin|first2=Matthew|title=Antonin Artaud and the Impossible Theatre: The Legacy of the Theatre of Cruelty|date=1997|publisher=[[MIT Press]]|pages=15–40}}</ref>

[[ja:ドラマ]]

[[ka:დრამა]]

== Theatre of the Absurd ==

[[ko:드라마]]

This genre typically presents metaphysical portrayals of existential questions and dilemmas. Theatre of the absurd rejects rationality, embracing the inevitability of plunging into the depths of the human condition. Rather than explicitly discussing these issues, theatre of the absurd embodies them. This leaves the audience to engage in personal discussion and contemplation of the play's content.

[[lv:Dramaturģija]]

[[mk:Драма]]

A central aspect of theatre of the absurd is the deliberate contradiction between language and action. Often, the dialogue between characters starkly contrasts with their actions.

[[nl:Drama]]

[[pl:Dramat]]

Prominent playwrights within this genre include [[Samuel Beckett]], [[Jean-Paul Sartre]], [[Eugène Ionesco]], [[Arthur Adamov]], and [[Jean Genet]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Esslin|first1=Martin|title=Theatre of the Absurd|date=2001|publisher=[[Random House|Knopf Doubleday Publishing]] |isbn=1-4000-7523-8}}</ref>

[[pt:Drama]]

[[ru:Драма]]

== Terminology ==

[[sk:Dráma]]

The term "play" can encompass either a general concept or specifically denote a non-musical play. In contrast to a "[[musical theatre|musical]]", which incorporates [[music]], [[dance]], and [[song]]s sung by characters, the term "straight play" can be used. For a brief play, the term "playlet" is occasionally employed.

[[sv:Drama]]

[[uk:Драма]]

The term "script" pertains to the written text of a play. After the [[front matter]], which includes the title and author, it usually begins with a ''[[dramatis personae]]'': a list introducing the main characters of the play by name, accompanied by brief character descriptions (e.g., "{{smallcaps|Stephano}}, a drunken Butler").

[[yi:פארשטעלונג]]

In the context of a musical play ([[opera]], [[light opera]], or [[Musical theatre|musical]]), the term "[[libretto]]" is commonly used instead of "script".

A play is typically divided into [[act (drama)|acts]], akin to chapters in a novel. A concise play may consist of only a single act, known as a "one-acter". Acts are further divided into [[scene (drama)|scenes]]. Acts and scenes are numbered, with scene numbering resetting to 1 at the start of each subsequent act (e.g., {{smallcaps|Act 4, Scene 3}} might be followed by {{smallcaps|Act 5, Scene 1}}). Each scene takes place in a specified ___location, indicated at the scene's outset in the script (e.g., "{{smallcaps|Scene 1}}. Before the cell of {{smallcaps|Prospero}}.") Changing locations usually requires adjusting the [[scenery]], which takes time – even if it's just a painted backdrop – and can only occur between scenes.

Aside from the text spoken by actors, a script includes "stage directions" (distinct from the term's use in [[Stage directions|blocking]], which involves arranging actors on stage). Common stage directions include the entrances and exits of actors, e.g., "[''Exeunt'' {{smallcaps|Caliban, Stephano}}, and {{smallcaps|Trinculo}}.]" (''[[wikt:exeunt|Exeunt]]'' is the Latin plural of ''exit,'' meaning "[they] leave"). Additional stage directions may dictate how lines should be delivered, such as "[Aside]" or "[Sings]", or specify sounds to be produced off-stage, like "[Thunder]".

== See also ==

{{commons|Theatre}}

* [[Canovaccio]]

* [[Closet drama]]

* [[Drama]]

* [[Dramatis personæ]]

* [[Playwright]]

* [[Staged reading]]

* [[Theatre]]

* [[History of theatre]]

* [[Screenplay]]

* [[Musical theatre]]

* [[L'Équarrissage pour tous|''L'Équarrissage pour tous'']]

=== Lists ===

* [[List of basic theatre topics]]

* [[List of American plays]]

* [[List of Canadian plays]]

* [[List of Romanian plays]]

* [[List of films based on stage plays or musicals]]

* [[List of plays made into feature films]]

== References ==

{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==

*{{Wikiversity-inline|Collaborative_play_writing}}

{{Theatre}}

{{Fiction writing}}

{{Portal bar|Society|Theatre|Literature}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Play (Theatre)}}

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[[Category:Plays]]

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