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Elements
of drama
Beryl
Clarke, Contributor
The
rungs of success are not meant to
be rested on but to support us until
we are able to climb higher. (Borrowed)
We return today to the consideration
of some elements of drama. Last week
we looked briefly at dialogue and
soliloquy. There is an element or
device used in this play through which
members of the audience sometimes
have information that a character
on the stage does not have. This helps
to pull in the members of the audience
and to maintain their interest, but
it does more. (The interaction between
the actors on one hand and the audience
on the other is strong in this Trevor
Rhone drama.) The character who is
unaware of certain things, like Miss
Aggy for instance, does and says things
which while they move the action of
the play forward, may have negative
repercussions.
Do
you know the name of this device?
There are different types: verbal,
attitudinal, dramatic and situational.
Have you got it yet? When you do,
please identify the types that occur
in this work then make a note of where
they are and their effect on characterisation
and the themes.
Let
us 'talk' now about stage directions.
These, as you know, are tips given
by the playwright concerning how he
or she wants the play to be put on
the stage. These guidelines include
the props, lighting, costumes, music,
sound effects and scenery. You have
probably been discussing the quantity
of stage directions that are in Old
Story Time. Let us briefly examine
the first set. Imagine that you are
in the theatre. You would have entered
when the lights were on, everything
was visible, then the lights are turned
off and in the darkness you hear voices.
Soon you see light approaching; the
source is a lantern held by a man.
What would you have learnt from the
director's implementation of the stage
directions?
1.
That the action of the play begins
at night.
2.
That there is more than one actor
on stage and at least one of them
is a man.
3.
That either there is a power cut or
the area has no electric supply at
all.
This
last would be a way of informing us
that the area is either deep rural
or underdeveloped or both. In such
an area, therefore, it is not surprising
that the villagers would gather to
listen to a storyteller. This would
be their source of entertainment.
I
want you to consider the information
supplied by the tips. Just look at
these. Why do we see Pa Ben dancing,
see a pregnant Pearl? What do we learn
from directions that tell us of Mama
that 'She drags him up'; 'As she pushes
him to the ground again' and 'shoves
him off home'. Remember that stage
directions can tell about condition
of clothing, their colour, length
and even fit. They can inform the
director and actors how the actors
should walk and talk, when to laugh,
when to cry, when to look happy and
when not to look happy. We also get
descriptions of characters as well
as information about off-stage incidents,
like the one in which Len is flogged
for his presumption in writing a love
letter to Margaret.
It
is said that the plot in drama should
be simple, excluding numerous characters,
twists and turns and many subplots.
If there is a subplot it should connect
easily with the main plot. You can
trace the plot through the conflicts,
which do not only reveal character
but help the forward movement of the
play. Here we have conflict between
Miss Aggy and her son, Miss Aggy and
Pearl, Miss Aggy and Pa Ben, Miss
Aggy and Lois; Len and his schoolmates,
particularly George, and Miss Aggy
and George.
Finally,
I would like you to do the following.
Please choose one of the conflicts
and trace its development through
to its resolution. Include in your
essay, for I want you to actually
write, how and why the conflict started,
between whom, how it affected those
involved in it as well as others,
what it led to and, finally, the outcome.
When you are finished, share your
work with someone else and I hope
that you will benefit from his/her
comments.
Think
about the quote at the top of the
lesson. My intention is that you will
be inspired by it. Reflect on it again
and God bless!
Beryl
Clarke is an independent contributor.
Send questions and comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com
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