Drama is the specific mode of
fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning
“action”, which is derived from the verb “to do” or “to act”.
The enactment of drama in theatre,
performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative
modes of production and a collective form of reception.
The
early modern tragedy Hamlet (1601) by Shakespeare and Oedipus the King (c.
429 BCE) by Sophocles are among the masterpieces of the art of drama.
The
structure of dramatic texts is directly influenced by this collaborative
production and collective reception.
Drama is often combined with
music and dance: the drama in opera is generally sung throughout; musicals
generally include both spoken dialogue and songs; and some forms of drama have
incidental music or musical accompaniment underscoring the dialogue.
In certain periods of history
some dramas have been written to be read rather than performed.
Musical theatre
Music and theatre have had a close
relationship since ancient times—Athenian tragedy, for example, was a form of
dance-drama that employed a chorus whose parts were sung, as were some of the
actors’ responses and their ‘solo songs’ (monodies). Modern musical theatre is
a form of theatre that also combines music, spoken dialogue, and dance.
Musical theatre may be produced on an
intimate scale Off-Broadway, in regional theatres, and elsewhere, but it often
includes spectacle.
India has
always been a cultural hub and has welcomed all forms of art with open arms be
it cinema, theatre, music, art installations or any other form of art. Musical
theatre in India may be seen as a fairly new genre which Indians are waking up
to but one cannot forget the dance dramas which have been around forever.
The
biggest musical India has seen has to be Disney’s famous Broadway musical-The
Beauty and the Beast. This production was presented in Mumbai and Delhi in 2016
with an all-Indian cast and crew. Though this might be considered to be the country’s
first brush with international standard musical theatre, but in reality, India
has always been the hub of dance and drama and classical Indian musical theatre
theory can be traced back to the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni back in 400 BC.
Kathak is a form of classical dance which is performed on a gentle
rhythm and the dancer tells storied with his/her expressive powers only-the
face and the hands. Kathakali artistes take at least twelve years to master the
dance form. They use facial expressions to convey emotions and are so
accomplished that one side of their facial muscles can cry whilst the other
side laughs. The dance dramas which are henceforth produced are vigorous and
require years of training and practice. Classical dance forms use mudras or
hand gestures which are used by artistes to express their feelings.
Indian
musical theatre also includes Sanskrit drama which combines music, dance and
gestures to create an artistic unit which is called ‘natya’. Natyas basically
use dance and mime to create a dramatic experience or spectacular dance dramas.
Around the 10th century then
came traditional folk theatre which included the Yatra of Bengal, the Ramlila
of Uttar Pradesh, the Terukkuttu of Tamil Nadu and even Parsi theatre. All
these dance drama forms included a fantastic blend of music, dance, narrative,
dialogues and lavish stage presentations. The ritual dance-drama of Kerala
known as Kuttiyattam is still performed today in some theatres in Kerala.
When it comes to musical theatre, one cannot forget the
effervescent Ram Lila which has been interpreted and showcased across the
country from years. It is the finest example of musical theatre in India. Then
there is also the Raas Lila depicting Lord Krishna’s early life. Open air
community theatre performances with large crowds in atmosphere as vibrant as
amphitheatres, musical theatre in India can be found in every nook and cranny
of the country.
India
has always had its fair share of musical theatre and now is a good time for
meaningful productions which are topical with issues that can resonate with
local audiences. Though adapting foreign concepts and stories also work, the
time is ripe for exploring more indigenous stories and ideas. Indian dance
dramas have been around for centuries and are a unique unbroken tradition still
going strong and there are a number of professional and amateur productions
across the country creating art worth remembering. Musicals are a combination
of music, dance and drama and are pure entertainment and like all art forms it
has the power to bring people and society together.
Comedy
Theatre productions that use humour as a
vehicle to tell a story qualify as comedies. This may include a modern farce
such as Boeing Boeing or a classical play such as As You Like It. Theatre expressing bleak,
controversial or taboo subject matter in a deliberately humorous way is
referred to as black comedy.
Low Comedy requires
little skill in the scripting (if there is a script at all). Often a visual or
highly physical work. Appropriate for all year levels.
Slapstick is
knockabout, physical humour. Media examples include The Three
Stooges, The Marx Bros, Laurel and Hardy and Mr
Bean. Appropriate for all year levels.
Satire is
comedy that sends up people and events, ridiculing and mocking weaknesses to
create the humour. Most suitable for the middle and senior years.
Parody is
similar to satire as it is a work that deliberately imitates another work for
comic effect, sometimes delivering a message. See YouTube for many
examples of parodies of contemporary people and world events. Suitable for
middle and senior year levels.
Stand-up is
a type of comedy normally involving one person performing a comic routine
before a live audience. Suitable for the middle and senior years.
Revue / Variety Show / Vaudeville typically
involve a collection of songs, sketches, dances etc. into a single show.
Sometimes related subject matter, though often not. Suitable for all year
levels.
Black Comedy / Black Humour is humour that
makes fun of serious subject matter such as death and religion. Offensive
to some, hilarious to others. Requires intelligent scripting. Suitable for
senior year levels.
Commedia dell’arte is
historical, improvised physical comedy, originating in Italy around the year
1550. Arlecchino the harlequin servant made it famous! Most suitable for middle
and senior year levels.
Travesty is
a work that misrepresents serious subject matter via parody. Suitable for
senior year levels.
Tragicomedy as
the name suggests is a work comprising a mixture of both comedy and tragedy.
Samuel Beckett’s absurdist play Waiting for Godot is a classic
example. Suitable for all year levels.
High Comedy is
intellectual (normally literary) comedy works displaying a sophisticated wit,
such as Oscar Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Earnest.
Suitable for senior year levels.
Comedy
of Manners are literary, artistic works
comprising sophisticated society satires. From 1660 to about 1700, these
plays were also known as Restoration comedies (William Wycherley, etc.). The
form was later revived in the 1770s (Richard Sheridan, Oliver Goldsmith) and
then again in the 1890s (Oscar Wilde). Suitable for senior year levels.
Tragedy
“Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an
action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language
embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found
in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; through
pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions.”
Tragedy refers to a specific tradition of
drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the
self-definition of Western civilisation.
Tragedy, branch of drama that treats in
a serious and dignified style the sorrowful or terrible events encountered or
caused by a heroic individual. By extension the term may be applied to other
literary works, such as the novel.
Tragedy is a genre of story in which
a hero is brought down by his/her own flaws,
usually by ordinary human flaws – flaws like greed, over-ambition, or even an
excess of love, honor, or loyalty.
In any tragedy, we start with the tragic
hero, usually in his prime. The hero is successful, respected, and happy. But
he has some tragic flaw that
will ultimately cause his downfall. Usually, the plot of the
story follows a gradual descent from greatness to destruction. It’s especially
important that the hero end up isolated from all of his friends and companions.
In the end, we feel deep sadness and pity (also called pathos) for the hero. But we also feel a sense of
understanding – the story warns us to guard against the ordinary flaws that
brought down the hero.
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