Chapter 15: Drama

After practising the activities in this chapter, you should be able to:

• Analyse the themes and techniques of plays and basic drama terminology.
• Understand how drama skills and techniques are used to create characterisation, mood and atmosphere.
• Analyse events in plays to deepen understanding of themes and characters, and to enrich performance.

Keywords

• body language
• characters
• dialogue
• emphasis
• freeze frame
• monologue
• mood
• non-verbal
• communication
• pace
• pitch
• props
• perty
• stage directions
• theme
• tone

Introduction

In this chapter, you will explore Drama and how actors use their voices and bodies to convey ideas about the characters and theme of a play.

Both voice and body are powerful tools for actors. You have learnt about stage directions, which provide guidance for the way in which a play can be performed. The stage directions include descriptions of how the characters move around on the stage, as well as the emotions that they show on their faces and body language. It also helps actors to use the right voice for drama

When a play is performed, actors say the words the playwright wrote for them to speak, either in dialogue or monologue. They use their voices to convey meaning, mood and atmosphere for the drama.

While they say the words, the actors also use their bodies to add to meaning, mood and atmosphere. This is achieved through facial expressions, gestures and movement, which is called body language or non-verbal communication.

Voice

There are different vocal elements that actors can use in a drama to convey meaning through voice. Some of them are:

1. Pitch: this is the degree of highness or lowness in which a voice is used. A high-pitched voice usually conveys agitation or anxiety; a low-pitched voice can show sadness or tiredness.
2. Tone: this is the feeling the actor uses when saying the words. It conveys the mood and emotional state of the character. The meaning of a sentence can change dramatically through the use of tone.
3. Pace: this is the speed at which someone speaks.
4. Emphasis: this is when stress is placed on a word to make it stand out.
   Emphasis can change the meaning of a sentence as well as the feeling behind it.

Activity 7.1 Use your voice

1. In pairs, take turns reading the statement, using different voices:
I will never forget what you did. Never.
a) Try using an excited, nervous and angry voice. Can you think of any other voices to try?
b) What vocal elements did you use each time?

2. Work in pairs to read the passage to each other.

Hello, how are you? I heard you’d been ill but I see you’re better now. I’m glad. When are you going to be back in school?

a) Place an emphasis on the words in bold type.
b) Did you find the words in bold to be concerned and sympathetic? 

c) Say the passage again to your partner, but this time say the words in bold sarcastically. How does this have a different effect on the listener? 

d) Write a description of how you used vocal elements to express different meanings.

Activity 7.2 Follow stage directions for voice in a drama set

Work in groups.

1. Take turns to carry out the following stage directions for voice. Before you say each line, think of different vocal elements you can use.

a) (Sneeringly) Well now, what are you going to do about that?
b) (Weeping) I’m sure my little sister is lost forever!
c) (Sulkily) Leave me alone! I never stole it!
d) (Angrily) Well, do as you like then.
e) (Laughing) Did you hear what he just said? (Incredulous) Did you hear what he just said?
f) (With a sudden burst of passion) You say that you of all people!

g) (Quietly) So that is where you are going?
h)(With a great sigh of relief) So you are going after all?
i)(With a groan) If only I hadn’t asked you to stay!
j) (With a little dry laugh) Alright then, if that’s what you want.

k) (Soothingly) There, there! It will feel better soon; it really will.

l) (Startled) What? No, that’s impossible.
m (To herself in a low voice) Is this really happening?

n) (In a hard voice) This is not good enough!
o) (Under his breath) Just two more days…

2. Discuss whether the stage direction for each voice was used effectively.
If not, discuss how it can be improved.

Body language and facial expressions

Facial expressions and body language reveal mood and emotions. Actors use them to support the way they use their voices.

Facial expressions tell you about the characters and the way they react to the situation. They may also tell you about the situation, for example, if the character is very shocked when something happens.

A facial expression can also convey the character’s true feelings. A character may be flattering another character verbally but a mocking eye-roll will show the audience the character’s true emotion. An actor’s facial expression may reveal a subtext or deeper meaning that contradicts what they say or do in the scene.

Body language reveals a lot about what a person is really thinking. Gestures, posture and body movements are therefore powerful tools for actors in a drama set

Activity 7.3 Describe facial expressions and body language
1. Practise facial expressions in groups.
a) Each group member should get a turn to use facial expressions for two emotions, while the other group members interpret the expressions. b) Did you succeed in conveying the emotions you wanted to? Or were some of your facial expressions too similar, for example, was your puzzled face too similar to your surprised face?

2. Your teacher will show you a short video clip from a film.
a) Look at the actors’ facial expressions, and how they change over a short space of time, to enhance the performance.
b) Look closely at the body language. Discuss your observations in groups.

3. Your teacher will freeze frame three separate frames for you. For each of
the frames:
a) Describe the facial expression shown and what it conveys. b) Describe the body language shown and what it conveys.

4. Write stage directions for the facial expression and body language needed to portray this line effectively in two different ways for a drama set:
I will never forget what you did. Never.

Activity 7.4 Read and think about an extract from a play

1. Read the extract from a play called, The Man on the Corner of the Street. Take note of the character’s feelings, and how they are conveyed.
Extract from The Man on the Corner of the Street
Miria: (Wistfully) Nothing, Ezra?
Ezra: Nothing. Not a shilling. Nothing. (Miria turns away and stifles a moan)
Miria: Well, there is still this afternoon.

Ezra: (With a sour laugh, as he sits down on the bed) Oh yes! Always so ready with their lectures, aren’t they? Shouldn’t beg, my man! Never give to beggars in the street! They should work!
Miria: (Laying a hand on his arm) My dear, dear darling. (Then exclaims) Oh, Ezra! You’re wet!
Ezra:
Yes, it was pouring most part of the morning while I was standing there, a miserable beggar on the corner of the street.
Miria: (Stroking his hand) You’ve done nothing to deserve this,
Ezra –

Ezra: (With sudden fury) Deserve it! What have I done wrong? Wasn’t my fault the factory went bankrupt and closed down. I have tried all possible ways to get another job. I’m respectable – what’s the use? I want to work – they won’t let me!
Miria: (Edging closer to him) Ezra –

Ezra: (Turning) Well?
Miria: Ezra, Ezra, we’ve tried very hard, haven’t we?
Ezra: Tried! Is there a job in this world we’d refuse? Is there anything we’d turn up our noses at? Is there any chance we’ve neglected?
Miria: (Glancing nervously to him and laying a hand on his arm)
Ezra: (Raising his head and looking at her) Yes – what is it? (She stands timidly with downcast eyes) Well? Out with it, Miria!
Miria: (Suddenly) It’s this, Ezra.
(She goes feverishly to the mattress, and from underneath it she pulls out a big, fat wallet which she hands him.)
Ezra: (Staring) A wallet!

Miria: (Nodding) Yes
Ezra: You – ?
Miria: Found it.
Ezra: (Looking at her) Found?
Miria: (Awkwardly) In a way I did – yes. He just left it there. As if he didn’t care.
Ezra: (Sadly) Oh, Miria, I didn’t think we’d ever come to this. (Desperately) I had to do something! You’ve not had a decent meal for a month – nor have I.

Ezra: (Under his breath) My Miria, a thief! (Covers his face with his hands) (Lifting his head as he is on the point of opening the wallet) That’s a policeman passing. (Turning to the wallet again) First time in my life I’ve been afraid when I heard of a policeman.
(He has his finger on the catch of the wallet when he pauses for a moment – then acting on a sudden impulse, makes a dart for the door, opens it, and is out, and up the area steps.)
Miria: (With a despairing cry) No!
(She flings herself on the bed, and sobs silently)

2. Answer these questions in your exercise book.

a) How did Miria get the wallet?
b) Why is Ezra scared of the policeman?
c) What does Ezra decide to do at the end of the scene?
d) What do you think happened before the events in this scene? Write a short scene of the events.

3. Write a short description of the characters and their feelings.
4. Predict what will happen next and how you think the play will end. Write your own ending for the play.

Activity 7.5 Act out the extract from the play

1. You are going to work in groups to act out the extract from the play, The man on the corner of the street.

2. Take turns to work in pairs to act out the extract of the play, to the rest of the group, who will act as the audience. Use facial expressions and body language to convey the theme and portray the characters. You will need the following props:

• a bed (use anything that you can sit on, or lie down on)
• a wallet (use anything that suggests a wallet, you can make one from cardboard, or shopping bags).

3. Assess the performances done in your group. Give your opinion of how effectively the actors used:

• facial expression body language
• vocal elements