What is Drama All About?
by Drama is a product of evolution through the ages. It is relevant we understand it more in our contemporary age.
The word drama is often used in a general sense to refer to a situation and and events which involve intense conflict. Webster defines drama as a “composition in verse or prose intended to protray life or character or to tell a story usually involving conflicts and emotions through action and dialougue and typically designed for theatrical performance”.
Webster touches on some of the core ingredients of drama, namely ACTION, CONFLICT, DIALOGUE and CHARACTER.Drama is therefore any work of art created to be performed on stage, wehich through the aid of characters and action, convey a message to an audience, for the purpose of education, entertainment and information.
The nature of drama depends on ACTION to propel it’s plot. Plot refers to the sequence of events, the development of the story line. Action leads to CONFLICT, which generates anxiety or controversy and stirs people to take further actions, then there will be a CLIMAX, where which is the highest point of turning point in the action. Drama is usually divided into Acts and Scenes, just as a novel is often in chapters. Thus thethe units of drama are acts and scenes.
Drama sometimes uses crowd scenes, a scene in wehich there are several or many people e.g a market scene. In spite of the big crowd, the playwright should be able to manage the characters and ensure that the right message is put across. Drama also uses stage directions, which are notes made by the playwright to indicate certain actions meant to be taken by the characters in the play.
In summary it is important to note that ACTION is the propelling force in drama. Drama is all about taking actions and facing the consequences.It is through action that we judge a character and action provides entertainment.
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