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{{short description|Dramatic literary form}} |
{{short description|Dramatic literary form}} |
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[[File:Macbeth (32280144787).jpg|thumb|300px|right|A performance of ''[[Macbeth]]'' (2018)]] |
[[File:Macbeth (32280144787).jpg|thumb|300px|right|A performance of ''[[Macbeth]]'' (2018)]] |
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A '''play''' is a form of [[drama]] that primarily consists of [[dialogue]] between [[Character (arts)|characters]] and is intended for [[theatre|theatrical]] [[performance]] rather than mere [[Reading (process)|reading]]. The creator of a play is known as a [[playwright]]. |
A '''play''' is a form of [[drama]] that primarily consists of [[dialogue]] between [[Character (arts)|characters]] and is intended for [[theatre|theatrical]] [[performance]] rather than mere [[Reading (process)|reading]]. The creator of a play is known as a [[playwright]]. |
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Plays are staged at various levels, ranging from London's [[West End theatre|West End]] and [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] |
Plays are staged at various levels, ranging from London's [[West End theatre|West End]] and New York City's [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] – the highest echelons of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world – to [[Regional theater in the United States|regional theatre]], [[community theatre]], and academic productions at universities and schools. A stage play is specifically crafted for performance on stage, distinct from works meant for broadcast or cinematic adaptation. Stage plays are presented on a stage before a live audience. Some dramatists, notably [[George Bernard Shaw]], have shown little preference for whether their plays are performed or read. The term "play" encompasses both the written texts of playwrights and their complete theatrical renditions.<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/play "Play"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222110/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/play |date=3 March 2016 }}: [[Dictionary.com]] website. Retrieved on 3 January 2008.</ref> |
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== Comedy == |
== Comedy == |
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{{Main|Comedy}} |
{{Main|Comedy}} |
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Comedies are plays designed to elicit |
Comedies are plays designed to elicit humour and often feature witty dialogue, eccentric characters, and unusual situations. Comedies cater to diverse age groups. [[Comedy|Comedies]] were one of the original two genres of [[Ancient Greece|Ancient Greek]] drama, the other being tragedies. Examples of comedies include [[William Shakespeare]]'s ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'', and in the modern day, ''[[The Book of Mormon (musical)|The Book of Mormon]]''.<ref name="anarchon">{{cite web|url=http://anarchon.tripod.com/indexGREEKTH.html|title=THE ANCIENT GREEK DRAMA & THEATRE HISTORY PAGE|publisher=anarchon.tripod.com|access-date=16 June 2008|archive-date=2 March 2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010302154047/http://anarchon.tripod.com/indexGREEKTH.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=theatrehist>{{cite web|url=http://www.theatrehistory.com/ancient/bates001.html|title=Origin of Comedy|publisher=www.theatrehistory.com|access-date=16 June 2008|archive-date=20 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120155754/http://www.theatrehistory.com/ancient/bates001.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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=== Farce === |
=== Farce === |
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{{Main|Farce}} |
{{Main|Farce}} |
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Farces constitute a nonsensical |
Farces constitute a nonsensical subgenre of comed that frequently involve humour. They often rely on exaggerated situations and slapstick comedy. An example of a farce is [[William Shakespeare]]'s play ''[[The Comedy of Errors]]'', or [[Mark Twain]]'s work ''[[Is He Dead?]]''. |
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=== Satire === |
=== Satire === |
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Restoration comedy is a genre that explores relationships between men and women, often delving into risqué themes for its time.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Vernon|first1=P.F.|title=Marriage of Convenience and the Moral Code of Restoration Comedy|journal=Essays in Criticism|date=1962|issue=4|pages=370–387|doi=10.1093/eic/XII.4.370}}</ref> The characters in restoration comedies frequently embody various stereotypes, contributing to the genre's consistent themes. However, this similarity also led to a homogeneity of message and content across most plays in this genre. Despite this, restoration comedy's exploration of unspoken aspects of relationships fostered a more intimate connection between the audience and the performance. |
Restoration comedy is a genre that explores relationships between men and women, often delving into risqué themes for its time.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Vernon|first1=P.F.|title=Marriage of Convenience and the Moral Code of Restoration Comedy|journal=Essays in Criticism|date=1962|issue=4|pages=370–387|doi=10.1093/eic/XII.4.370}}</ref> The characters in restoration comedies frequently embody various stereotypes, contributing to the genre's consistent themes. However, this similarity also led to a homogeneity of message and content across most plays in this genre. Despite this, restoration comedy's exploration of unspoken aspects of relationships fostered a more intimate connection between the audience and the performance. |
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Restoration comedy's origins are rooted in [[Molière]]'s theories of comedy, although they differ in tone and intention.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Ornament of Action|url=https://archive.org/details/ornamentofaction0000holl|url-access=registration|date=1979|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521220484}}</ref> The misalignment between the genre's morals and the prevailing ethics of its era is a point of interest when studying restoration comedy. This dissonance might explain why, despite its initial success, restoration comedy did not endure through the 17th century. Nonetheless, contemporary theatre theorists have been increasingly intrigued by restoration comedy as they explore performance styles with unique conventions.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Styan|first1=J.L.|title=Restoration Comedy in Performance|date=1986|publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref> |
Restoration comedy's origins are rooted in [[Molière]]'s theories of comedy, although they differ in tone and intention.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Ornament of Action|url=https://archive.org/details/ornamentofaction0000holl|url-access=registration|date=1979|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521220484}}</ref> The misalignment between the genre's morals and the prevailing ethics of its era is a point of interest when studying restoration comedy. This dissonance might explain why, despite its initial success, restoration comedy did not endure through the 17th century. Nonetheless, contemporary theatre theorists have been increasingly intrigued by restoration comedy as they explore performance styles with unique conventions.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Styan|first1=J.L.|title=Restoration Comedy in Performance|date=1986|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]}}</ref> |
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== Tragedy == |
== Tragedy == |
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[[File:An actress performs a play in front of 2 statues from the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Room 21, the British Museum, London.jpg|thumb|An actress performs a play in front of 2 statues from the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Room 21, the British Museum, London]] |
[[File:An actress performs a play in front of 2 statues from the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Room 21, the British Museum, London.jpg|thumb|An actress performs a play in front of 2 statues from the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Room 21, the British Museum, London]] |
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[[File:NMT Automatic performing a play in front of the Nereid Monument.jpg|thumb|An actor and actress performing a play in front of the Nereid Monument, Room 17, the British Museum, London]] |
[[File:NMT Automatic performing a play in front of the Nereid Monument.jpg|thumb|An actor and actress performing a play in front of the Nereid Monument, Room 17, the British Museum, London]] |
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Historical plays |
Historical plays centre on real historical events. They can be tragedies or comedies, though often they defy these classifications. [[History]] emerged as a distinct genre largely due to the influence of William Shakespeare. Examples of historical plays include [[Friedrich Schiller]]'s ''[[Demetrius (play)|Demetrius]]'' and Shakespeare's ''[[The Life and Death of King John|King John]]''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V3b2tlWBBUsC&q=%22Shakespeare+popularised%22+historical+play&pg=PA11 | title=The Three Richards: Richard I ... – Google Book Search|access-date=17 June 2008| isbn=978-1-85285-521-5| year=2006| last1=Saul| first1=Nigel| publisher=[[A & C Black]]}}</ref> |
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== Musical theatre == |
== Musical theatre == |
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His plays addressed weighty subjects such as patients in psychiatric wards and Nazi Germany. Through these performances, he aimed to "make the causes of suffering audible." However, audiences initially responded negatively, as they were taken aback by what they saw. Much of his work was even banned in France during that time. |
His plays addressed weighty subjects such as patients in psychiatric wards and Nazi Germany. Through these performances, he aimed to "make the causes of suffering audible." However, audiences initially responded negatively, as they were taken aback by what they saw. Much of his work was even banned in France during that time. |
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Artaud dismissed the notion that conventional theatre of his era could provide audiences with a cathartic experience that would aid the healing process after World War II. For this reason, he gravitated towards radio-based theatre, where the audience could personally connect the words they heard with their own bodies. This approach made his work more intimate and individualized, which he believed would enhance its effectiveness in conveying the experience of suffering.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Finter|first1=Helga|last2=Griffin|first2=Matthew|title=Antonin Artaud and the Impossible Theatre: The Legacy of the Theatre of Cruelty|date=1997|publisher=MIT Press|pages=15–40}}</ref> |
Artaud dismissed the notion that conventional theatre of his era could provide audiences with a cathartic experience that would aid the healing process after World War II. For this reason, he gravitated towards radio-based theatre, where the audience could personally connect the words they heard with their own bodies. This approach made his work more intimate and individualized, which he believed would enhance its effectiveness in conveying the experience of suffering.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Finter|first1=Helga|last2=Griffin|first2=Matthew|title=Antonin Artaud and the Impossible Theatre: The Legacy of the Theatre of Cruelty|date=1997|publisher=[[MIT Press]]|pages=15–40}}</ref> |
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== Theatre of the Absurd == |
== Theatre of the Absurd == |
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A central aspect of theatre of the absurd is the deliberate contradiction between language and action. Often, the dialogue between characters starkly contrasts with their actions. |
A central aspect of theatre of the absurd is the deliberate contradiction between language and action. Often, the dialogue between characters starkly contrasts with their actions. |
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Prominent playwrights within this genre include [[Samuel Beckett]], [[Jean-Paul Sartre]], [[Eugène Ionesco]], [[Arthur Adamov]], and [[Jean Genet]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Esslin|first1=Martin|title=Theatre of the Absurd|date=2001|publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing |isbn=1-4000-7523-8}}</ref> |
Prominent playwrights within this genre include [[Samuel Beckett]], [[Jean-Paul Sartre]], [[Eugène Ionesco]], [[Arthur Adamov]], and [[Jean Genet]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Esslin|first1=Martin|title=Theatre of the Absurd|date=2001|publisher=[[Random House|Knopf Doubleday Publishing]] |isbn=1-4000-7523-8}}</ref> |
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== Terminology == |
== Terminology == |
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The term "play" can encompass either a general concept or specifically denote a non-musical play. In contrast to a "[[musical theatre|musical]]," which incorporates [[music]], [[dance]], and [[song]]s sung by characters, the term "straight play" |
The term "play" can encompass either a general concept or specifically denote a non-musical play. In contrast to a "[[musical theatre|musical]]," which incorporates [[music]], [[dance]], and [[song]]s sung by characters, the term "straight play" is often used. For a brief play, the term "playlet" is occasionally employed. |
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The term "script" pertains to the written text of a play. After the [[front matter]], which includes the title and author, it usually begins with a ''[[dramatis personae]]'': a list introducing the main characters of the play by name, accompanied by brief character descriptions (e.g., "{{smallcaps|Stephano}}, a drunken Butler"). |
The term "script" pertains to the written text of a play. After the [[front matter]], which includes the title and author, it usually begins with a ''[[dramatis personae]]'': a list introducing the main characters of the play by name, accompanied by brief character descriptions (e.g., "{{smallcaps|Stephano}}, a drunken Butler"). |