An incredibly useful tool teaching theatre studies at GCSE or A level. A great overview of each category

1. Drama Mediums
Salvatore Sorce

2. Drama Mediums
Refers to the different ways in which dramatic meaning is
communicated to an audience:
• Costume
• Mask And Make Up
• Sound And Music
• Lighting
• Space, Levels And Proxemics
• Set And Props
• Movement, Mime And Gesture
• Voice
• Spoken Language
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3. Costume
• Can be used to clarify the character’s
age, social class and rank
• Each period helps to dictate posture
and movement
• Props serve as an extension of touch
and clarify the relationship between
characters e.g. fan = flirting/anger
• Can be used to outwardly express the
character’s internal emotional state
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4. Masks
• Ancient Greeks –rituals became ritual
drama. Masks were exaggerated in
expression and fitted about the
mouth of the actor aiding voice
projection
• Middle Age – during the 12th -13th
Centuries, masks were worn to
dramatise the character to the
extreme. Masks were
grotesque, usually of Satan or one of
his minions.
• Renaissance Italy – in 15th Century
Commedia dell arte consisted of
characters so ridiculous in moral, that
mask choice had to be absurd.
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5. Make up
Make up can be used to:
• accentuate
• beautify
• disfigure
• age and
• emphasise aspects of a character
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6. Sound and Music
Music is most commonly used for
dancing and interludes of entertainment
for the audience
More recently sound has been used for
cinematic effects to underscore
emotional tempo of a scene both to
introduce and end
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7. Lighting
Correct choice of lighting can:
• Direct audience attention
• Focuses on particular elements of the
play: introducing character/event or
allows character/event exit
• Sets atmosphere, mood and
emotional tone for scene
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8. Space and Levels
Theatre in the round
– Original theatre, used by the
Greeks, adapted now to modern
spaces i.e. National Olivier and
Scarborough
– Consider using for large scale
productions – Olivier theatre
Proscenium stage
– Traditional theatre used late 17th
to early 20th. Considered the
norm, use of the 4th wall e.g.
Lyttleton theatre
– Has limitations in performance
and staging
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9. Space and Levels
Semi thrust stage
– Used in Elizabethan period – e.g.
Shakespeare’s Globe
– Audience can both watch the
main stage and surround the
apron on three sides e.g Globe
Two sided or traverse stage
– Audience is predominantly on
two sides of the stage, facing
each other.
– Ideally used to focus action on a
even level with audience and to
remind audience of theatrical
event. i.e. Brechtian productions.
e.g. Cottlesloe
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10. Proxemics
Proxemics refers to the positioning of
people in relation to each other and the
use of interpersonal space.
Reinforces the significance of
relationships between characters due to
their proximity
Can be extended to include the
positioning of the cast in relation to the
audience and the use of the space in the
auditorium section of the theatre
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11. Set and Props
Sets place the action of the play
Can be minimal or extravagant
Can suggest an environment or recreate
a complete one
Props – what is their purpose?
For set or for characters?
What is the significance of a prop used in
a scene i.e. a gun in Ivanov by Chekhov?
What does a prop tell the audience
about the character?
What does a prop reveal about the inner
workings of the character by the way
they relate to the prop?
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12. MMG
Movement, mime and gesture dictates
the audience perception of the character
Questions to ask: at what speed does the
character move?
Are the movements direct or indirect?
What manner of movement –
fluid, staccato, light, heavy etc?
What is the natural posture of the
character?
How much of the character can be told
through mime or dumb show?
What gestures are symbolic of this
character? What do the gestures
express?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laban_Mov
ement_Analysis
Is there a reason for the character to
adopt this form of movement or gesture?
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13. Laban Movement
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14. Voice
Voice dictates the audience perception
of the character
Questions to ask:
Where is the voice placed: chest, larynx
or head?
Is the voice resonant and deep or high
and nasal?
Vocal mannerisms? Specific emphasis?
Accent or dialect?
Pace of speech?
Volume?
How do all these contribute to the
audience perception of the character?
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15. Spoken Language
Following on from voice the choice of
language indicates the way the character
thinks:
How comfortable are they using
language?
Are they an energised or
expressive, loquacious speaker?
Are they a taciturn, short speaker?
Are they laconic? Low energy?
Are they an intelligent speaker? Is wit a
part of approach?
Are they mute? How do they express
themselves if so?
How do all these contribute to the
audience perception of the character?
Salvatore Sorce/ Drama Mediums 15

16. Drama Mediums
Refers to the different ways in which dramatic meaning is
communicated to an audience:
• Costume
• Mask And Make Up
• Sound And Music
• Lighting
• Space, Levels And Proxemics
• Set And Props
• Movement, Mime And Gesture
• Voice
• Spoken Language
Salvatore Sorce/ Drama Mediums 16

17. Drama Mediums
Salvatore Sorce