Live Theatre Production: structure
Live Theatre Production: structure
Understanding Structure in Live Theatre Production
- Structure refers to the arrangement of scenes and acts in a play and the sequence of events in the story.
- This encompasses aspects like exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement, and even stylistic choices like flashbacks and non-linear narratives.
The Role of Structure in Storytelling
- Structure is critical in shaping the rhythm of a play, guiding the audience through the ebb and flow of the narrative, creating tension and providing resolution.
- A well-structured story can successfully keep the audience engaged and emotionally invested.
Interplay of Structure and Style
- The structure of the play often goes hand in hand with its style or genre – a comedy might be structured around comedic set-pieces, while a thriller may employ suspenseful cliffhangers at the ends of scenes.
- Some styles might demand non-traditional structures, such as absurdism’s rejection of typical narrative conventions.
Structure and Character Arcs
- Structure serves to highlight character development; the changes a character undergoes throughout a play is often intricately tied to the sequence of events.
- The character’s arc can shape the structure of the drama, and vice versa.
Structure and Production
- The arrangement of scenes can have major implications on production elements – set changes, costume changes, lighting cues, all of which need to be considered when planning the play’s structure.
- A scene might be written to allow time for a complex set change, or the flow of scenes might be rearranged to suit the logistics of the physical production.
Structure in Contemporary Theatre
- Contemporary theatre often plays with traditional structures, using techniques like fragmentation, non-linear narratives, multiple plotlines, and meta-theatricality.
- These innovations offer opportunities for exciting and unpredictable storytelling that keep an audience on their toes.
A balanced interplay of structural elements not only helps in delivering a compelling story but also in the seamless execution of the production. Thus, understanding structure is fundamental to the study and exploration of drama in theatre.