Live Theatre Production: genre

Live Theatre Production: genre

Understanding Genre in Live Theatre Production

• Genre refers to the category of a play, which often dictates its content, style, and structure.
• Genres include tragedy, comedy, drama, farce, melodrama, mystery, thriller, musical theatre, and many more.
• Determining the genre of a live production can assist in understanding many other aspects of the play, including theme, narrative structure, characterisation, and performance style.

Genre and Audience Expectation

• Genres carry certain expectations – they dictate what audiences can anticipate from a play. These can range from tone and mood, to conflict, resolution, and character types.
• The playwright’s adherence to or subversion of these expectations can ultimately influence audience reactions to the production.

Genre and Production Elements

• Genre influences all aspects of a production, from set design, costume, lighting and sound, to the style of acting and directorial choices.
• For instance, a tragedy may require somber lighting, a musical might need elaborate costumes and choreography, a farce might call for outrageous set pieces and exaggerated physical comedy.

Genre and Societal Context

• Each genre often reflects and responds to its societal context. Theatre is a mirror, holding itself upto the society it is part of - thus when studying genre it’s important to consider the period and societal context the production was created in.
• For example, social realism might tackle issues about class and inequality, while absurdist theatre might reflect existentialist philosophies.

Crossing Genres

• Some plays blend multiple genres together. This can create unexpected dynamics and open room for novel narrative structures and themes.
• Such a ‘genre-bending’ approach often delivers a fresh perspective and keeps the audience engaged and surprised. Becoming comfortable with crossing genres can allow for innovative and richly-layered productions.

Genre in Adaptation Process

• In adapting a play from one medium to another (like from a novel to a play), or from one cultural context to another, understanding the original genre is crucial, but new genres may be used to serve the new medium or context better.
• The choice of genre in such adaptations offers insights into the creative and interpretive decisions of the playwright or director.

Remember, a deep understanding of genre can add depth to your characterisation, direct a clear vision for your design team, guide your rehearsal process, and even help you choose the next play you want to work on or study.