Dramatic Technique

This book treats drama which has been tested before the public or which was written to be so tested. It does not concern itself with plays, past or present, intended primarily t...

What is the common aim of all dramatists? Twofold: first, as promptly as possible to win the attention of the audience; secondly, to hold that interest steady or, better, to inc...

_1. Gent._ His daughter, and the heir of's kingdom, whom He purpos'd to his wife's sole son--a widow That late he married--hath referred herself Unto a poor but worthy gentleman...

_Aline and maids; to whom Fiddlers; afterwards Dumont and Charles. As the curtain rises, the sound of the violin is heard approaching. Aline and the inn servants, who are discov...

_To these all the former characters, less the Notary. The fiddlers are heard without, playing dolefully. Air: "O, dear, what can the matter be?" in time to which the procession...

_Prince._ Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel,-- Will they not hear?--What, ho! you men, you beasts, That quench the fire of your pe...

_Rosalie._ Well, then, last evening I followed the Prince, who went to the Western Railway, as he had told Madame that he would do, to take the train at half past nine; only, in...

_The stage is cut in two by an old wall, mossy and garlanded by luxurious vines. To the right, a corner of Bergamin's park; to the left a corner of Pasquinot's. On each side, ag...

seated on the wall, with a book on his knees, from which he is reading to Sylvette. She stands on the bench in her father's park, her chin in her hands, her elbows against the w...

A play may start from almost anything: a detached thought that flashes through the mind; a theory of conduct or of art which one firmly believes or wishes only to examine; a bit...

Frederick, which is in the hands of the hated Yankees. By the sentimental talk of the Southern girls sitting on the steps we learn that Barbara Frietchie is carrying on a flirta...

friend, Sue Royce, appear all aflutter and, with the minister's wife, Mrs. Hunter, await the arrival of the bridegroom and the divine. News comes that the Confederates are swoop...

Confederates have re-taken the town. Barbara is in despair, her father exultant, not speaking to her until she tells him that she is not married to the Union officer. She pleads...

peacefully on the bed. Mammy Lu, the colored nurse, is dozing as Barbara enters. They listen for the invalid's breathing, hear none, and find that he is dead. Half crazed, Barba...

soldiers, headed by Stonewall Jackson, are heralded by a large crowd! Barbara, hanging the Union flag out on the balcony, is discovered by the mob, who begin to stone her, urgin...

Dumas the younger, at twenty, wishing to write his first play, asked his father for the secret of a successful play. That man of many successful novels and plays replied: "It's...

_Countess._ The plot is laid. If all things fall out right I shall as famous be by this exploit As Scythian Tomyris by Cyrus' death. Great is the rumour of this dreadful knight,...

preparatory material and the great scene which ebbs and flows about the following situation. Mrs. Dane, in love with Lionel, the adopted son of Sir Daniel Carteret, at the openi...

situation before us. A young married man without children, though happy enough in his marriage, is so weary of the sordidness of his small means and limited opportunities that h...

A dramatist, proportioning his rough story for performance in the limited space of time the stage permits, faces at once the question: "How many acts?" If inexperienced, noting...

_Elvira._ He'll come, that's certain; young appetites are sharp, and seldom need twice bidding to such a banquet;--well, if I prove frail,--as I hope I shall not till I have com...

to transfer a group of people from the exact setting in which an occurrence took place to another which makes possible other important action. In Haraucourt's adaptation of _Les...

What this French use of the word "scene" leads to, when logically carried out so that even servants entering or leaving the stage create a scene, the following from Act IV of _G...

_Thorowgood._ For you, whose behavior on this occasion I have no time to commend as it deserves, I must ingage your farther assistance. Return and observe this Millwood till I c...

This French division of scenes is, of course, made for the convenience of the dramatist as he composes and for the reader, not for the actor or the audience. Though somewhat cop...

_Chorus._ Now all the youth of England are on fire, And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies. Now thrive the armourers, and honour's thought Reigns solely in the breast of ever...

_Gloucester._ Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York; And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house In the deep bosom of the ocean buried....

The plays just cited are of very different lengths: _Kismet_[42] took nearly three hours in performance; _Candida_[43] and _The Silver Box_[44] are so short that they force a ma...

It is a fine adventurous career to depict dramatically. But of course you would have to get farther away from your story first. You perhaps think this a barbarous and inhuman su...

The chief desideratum of a dramatist beginning to arrange his material within a number of acts already decided on is to create interest as promptly as possible. To that end neit...

_Evening of a June day. John Hathaway's Study. Door at right and at left back. Heavy, old-fashioned library furnishings. Walls lined with shelves of books. General disorder of b...

_Lady Macbeth_. (_Reads._) "They met me in the day of success; and I have learn'd by the perfect'st report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burn'd in desire...

_Hippolytus._ My mind is settled, dear Theramenes, And I can stay not more in lovely Troezen. In doubt that racks my soul with mortal anguish, I grow ashamed of such long idlene...

_The Lyons railway station at Paris. At the back, a turn-stile opening on the waiting-rooms. At the back, right, a ticket window. At the back, left, benches, a cake vender; at t...

_Majorin._ (_Walking about impatiently._) Still this Perrichon doesn't come! Already I've waited an hour.... Certainly it is today that he is to set out for Switzerland with his...

_Perrichon._ Here we are! Let's keep together! We couldn't find each other again.... Where is our baggage? (_Looking to the right; into the wings._) Ah, that's all right! Who ha...

Such careful emphasizing makes sure that Lord Windermere's instant recognition of the significance of finding the fan in Lord Darlington's rooms, in the critical scene of the th...

_Fitz Urse._ Not for my love toward him, but because he hath the love of the King. How should a baron love a beggar on horseback, with the retinue of three kings behind him, out...

(_The soldiers sing the air of what is now called "Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms." Hale stands listening for the sound of Alice's coming. The Sentinel retires t...

Mariamne killed. Completely infatuated by her, he has done this only when her enemies have forced him to believe that she is utterly false. Almost instantly his love overwhelms...

In drama, undoubtedly the strongest immediate appeal to the general public is action. Yet if a dramatist is to communicate with his audience as he wishes, command of dialogue is...

_Enter Hubert de Burgh with _Enter Hubert and two Attendants_ three men_ _Hub._ Heat me these irons hot, _Hub._ My masters, I have and look thou stand shewed you what warrant I...

_Sir John._ Then, Sirrah, you love Lying by your Religion, and Theft by your Trade: And so, that your Punishment may be suitable to your Crimes--I'll have you first gagg'd--and...

_Waiter. (Entering anxiously through the window._) Beg pardon, ma'am; but can you tell me what became of that--(_He recognizes Bohun, and loses all his self-possession. Bohun wa...

[Laurence and Raymond, her first husband, meet by chance by the sick bed of their little boy, M. de Girieu, the second husband, who is madly jealous of Raymond, and of Laurence'...

Modern dramatic dialogue had beginnings far from realistic. It originated, as the Latin tropes show, in speeches given in unison and to music--a kind of recitative. What was the...

_Jarvis._ I can't help being blunt, and being very angry, too, when I hear you talk of disinheriting so good, so worthy a young gentleman as your nephew, my master. All the worl...

_The scene is triangular, representing a corner of the living-room of No. 137, Burnley Road, Hindle, a house rented for about 7s. 6d. a week. In the left-hand wall, low down, th...

_Cinna._ What is my name? Whither am I going? Where do I dwell? Am I a married man or a bachelor? Then, to answer every man directly and briefly, wisely and truly: wisely I say,...

_Uncle._ O Death, thou strange mysterious power,--seen every day, yet never understood but by the incommunicative dead--what art thou? The extensive mind of man, that with a tho...

_Young For._ Do you not know me? From resolution; but when, with advice _Rains._ Keep off, upon the And with foresight we purpose, peril of thy life. our intents Come not within...

_Helmer._ Give it here. (_He _Helmer._ Give it to me. (_Seizes seizes the letter and shuts the letter and shuts the door._) Yes, door._) Yes, from him. Look from him. You shall...

If the voice does not deftly stress "now" in Lady Darby's first speech, and the "upstairs" and the "downstairs" of the footman, this opening will fail of its desired effect. Eve...

_Becket._ Friend, am I so _Becket._ Friend, am I so much better than thyself much better than thyself That thou shouldst help me? That thou shouldst help me? Thou art wearied ou...

_Ernest._ (_Seated at a table and preparing to write._) Nothing--impossible. It is striving with the impossible. The idea is there; my head is fevered with it; I feel it. At mom...

_Lady Windermere._ How horrible! (_Lady Windermere sits left I understand now what of centre, looks toward Lord Darlington meant by the desk, rises, starts toward imaginary inst...

_Lady Windermere._ (_Standing_ (_Lady Windermere discovered _by the fireplace._) Why doesn't at fireplace, L., crosses he come? This waiting is horrible. to chair, L. of C., tak...

Mr. Henry Arthur Jones protests against complete disuse of the aside. "In discarding the 'aside' in modern drama we have thrown away a most valuable and, at times, a most necess...

_1st Bystander._ (_To Luitolfo._) You, a friend of Luitolfo's? Then, your friend is vanished,--in all probability killed on the night that his patron the tyrannical Provost was...

There is frequent and decided divergence of opinion among dramatists as to the value of a scenario,--the outline of a play which the dramatist purposes to write or has already w...

_Dan Howard comes home discouraged. He cannot get work. Christmas is approaching. His wife keeps his courage up and that of the family. The Minister calls and is not received ki...

_A year later. Things have changed. The home is better. All are happy tonight. The father has had steady work and so they are to have a good Christmas this year. The boys are do...

_In brief scene with Phronie, he shows the essential part she plays in his life as one on whom he can absolutely depend; but when he expresses his disapproval of her admirer, Ke...

_Right--Judge's bench. It extends up and down stage. Below it Clerk's bench upon which are two card catalogue filing cases for court records for children. At L. of Judge's bench...

SCENE. _The Island of Saint Endellion, off the Cornish Coast. At the back is a line of low rocks, and beyond, the sea. A pathway leads through the rocks down to the sea. On the...

_Next day, White Oaks. Late twilight. Night falls during early part of scene. Later, moonlight. The great dining hall. It opens at the back on a terrace with a large door at cen...

_Miss North is discovered in a very much starched gown, big apron, dusting-cap, and gloves; arranging the chairs more evenly and dusting. Expression of heavy responsibility in h...

_The Captain and Mrs. North discovered, the Captain with his harmonica trying to teach Mrs. North the old airs. Enter Mary at right door, from outdoors. Consternation ensues and...

_Asleep on a large stone which juts out from the angle of the wall C. sits Hajji wrapped in his beggar's cloak. On the minaret of the Mosque appears the priest, a venerable whit...

[In the play, the Said to be a dreamer and a poet. shopkeepers have a The real ruler said to be the Executioner, scene of explanation A favourite of late Sultan, before Hajj You...

[_Marsinah works._ This Old Woman reprimands her for not working. was altered when She has changed in last three days. writing play, because Zira, who hides her wools, says her...

Executioner (Mansur). Executioner very discontented. His Scribe (Afife), Young Sultan means to curtail Executioner's an old man prerogatives. [Kafur his Sworder,-- Executioner w...

_Hajji. Executioner and Scribe seated on a platform Executioner. drinking coffee and smoking. Scribe._ Hajji seated below them entertaining them [Coffee and smoking with amorous...

_Zira. / Zira tries to get the Old Woman to go out Old Woman._ | that night. [Cut when play was < Old woman suspicious written.] | Zira calms her fears \ Coaxes her, pets her

_The Sultan's Audience Hall (The Caliph's Diwan). (Large set.) Sultan seated on a Divan. His Vizier by his side. Dances of Women. Sultan melancholy. He says to Vizier that all t...

_A Dungeon. A massive door at the back leads to an endless flight of shallow steps. It is dark: Hardly any light except from one barred window high up: through this come the ray...

_Zira's house. Same scene as Act I, Scene 3. Small courtyard. The sun has just set. It is dusk. The gate is opened from the street. Old Woman I (Narjis) enters, locks the gate,...

_Up five marble steps (almost fifteen feet up stage) a colonnade. Beyond it a courtyard, with a large swimming bath. The front part of the stage, couches and pierced screens. Do...

Probably most dramatists have found that any play, either as a scenario or a completed manuscript, is not a matter of writing but of frequent re-writing. Study _From Ibsen's Wor...

Characterization-- by type, 234-237. by intimate knowledge of characters, 239-247. in historical plays, 246. good but not needed, 247. by motivation, 248-276. bad methods, 276-2...