PLAYSA film shows images on a screen. . .

PLAYSA piece of music is a sequence of chosen sounds . . .

PLAYSA painting is an image usually in two dimensions . . .

PLAYSCompared to all these, theatre is not so easy to define and categorize.

PLAYSOne dictionary says, Actions imitating life are performed, usually by human beings, before an audience, usually on a stage. The performance is usually designed to be repeated.

PLAYSOne dictionary says, Actions imitating life are performed, usually by human beings, before an audience, usually on a stage. The performance is usually designed to be repeated. This comes close, but, in fact, many aspects of theatre are completely flexible and open for interpretation.

PLAYSThe length of a performance is usually a few hours, but it does not have to be. Samuel Becketts play, Breath, is famous (or infamous depending on your opinion) for lasting only about 35 seconds.

PLAYSOn the other hand, some plays in India can last over a period of two or three days. This play, Aap Hamare Hain Kaun, is part of a four day festival in Chandigarh.

PLAYSMost of the time, performers are human, but they dont have to be.

PLAYSMost of the time, performers are human, but they dont have to be. Plays have been written with parts for dogs or monkeys, and non-human components are not that rare.

PLAYSMost of the time, performers are human, but they dont have to be. Plays have been written with parts for dogs or monkeys, and non-human components are not that rare.

PLAYSMost of the time, performers are human, but they dont have to be. Plays have been written with parts for dogs or monkeys, and non-human components are not that rare.

PLAYSMost of the time, performers are human, but they dont have to be. Plays have been written with parts for dogs or monkeys, and non-human components are not that rare. Some of you may remember the helicopter in the 1989 musical, Miss Saigon.

PLAYSWith the rise in technology, modern plays have been able to mingle film with performance or have complicated sound scores, automated moving scenery and laser lighting.

PLAYSWith the rise in technology, modern plays have been able to mingle film with performance or have complicated sound scores, automated moving scenery and laser lighting.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Over 2,300 years ago, there was a Greek philosopher, Aristotle.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Aristotle judged that there were two main kinds of drama:

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Aristotle judged that there were two main kinds of drama: Comedy

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Aristotle judged that there were two main kinds of drama: Comedy and Tragedy

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Now, no one would define plays into just these two, but it is important to touch on these two general categories.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Generally, his idea of a tragedy was that it was a play that narrated the downfall of a noble or great person. This person usually had some kind of fault or weakness (the tragic flaw) that lead to his downfall. Lastly, the tragedy ended in death or a series of deaths.

PLAYS

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Generally, his idea of a comedy was that it was a play with a happy ending.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Generally, his idea of a comedy was that it was a play with a happy ending. The concept that a comedy is full of laughs is a more modern concept.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Generally, his idea of a comedy was that it was a play with a happy ending. The concept that a comedy is full of laughs is a more modern concept. Most comedies in Aristotles time only promised that the characters would be better off at the end.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Old (Greek) Comedy These plays showed contemporary people, gods, and things together with one or two singing, dancing and speaking choruses. Often these plays involved a fantastical situation, usually of a combative or ceremonious nature. The plays presented a topical or social issue through burlesque, parody, invective, wit, obscenity and argument.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Old (Greek) Comedy The Birds - Aristophanes

PLAYSVarieties of Plays New or (Later) Roman Comedy In these comedies stock characters such as the old father, the witty servant, the shrew, or the marriageable widow are involved in a crisis that must be solved with dexterity or wit. The play usually ends happily with revelry.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays New or(Later) RomanComedy

PLAYSVarieties of Plays New or(Later) RomanComedy

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Comedy of Manners A mixture of intrigue and romantic narratives provides occasions in these plays for showing examples of social behavior. It is often greatly exaggerated but verbally inventive.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Comedy of Manners

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Comedy of Manners Tartuffe

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Romantic Comedy A romantic narrative provides opportunities for lyrical speech, song or dance. There may be subplots with crude humor or specialty acts. Settings are frequently magical or exotic. The main characters are young, beautiful, but unfortunate in love.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Romantic Comedy

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Romantic Comedy

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Farce In these plays, the story (usually involving sexual encounters) develops toward violent and exaggerated activity, bringing increasingly complicated problems and misunderstandings. All of it is designed to make the audience laugh.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Farce

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Farce

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Tragicomedy A play with a story that arouses both pity and fear, yet ends happily or has many comical or lyrical episodes.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Tragicomedy Shakespeares Cymbeline

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Expressionist Plays In this genre, a series of scenes express emotional states rather than everyday reality. These scenes represent the nature of human life, rather than a particular story.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Expressionist Plays Eugene ONeills The Emperor Jones

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Epic Plays The audience observes the epic play, rather than feeling a part of the story or sharing the feelings of the characters. Audience members are encouraged to think rather than feel.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Epic Plays Common production techniques in epic theatre include a simplified, non-realistic scenic design, as well as announcements or visual captions that interrupt and summarize the action.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Epic Plays Acting in epic theatre requires actors to play characters believably without convincing either the audience or themselves that they have "become" the characters. Actors frequently address the audience ("breaking the fourth wall") and play multiple roles.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Epic Plays Good Woman of Setzuan

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Absurdist Plays The subject matter of absurdist plays is surreal or hallucinatory, violent, playful or even crazy. Many of these plays are short, and most are designed to puzzle or affront their audience.

PLAYSVarieties of Plays Absurdist Plays Waiting for Godot,by Samuel Beckett

Plays - Theatre Appreciation - Dr. Wilkie*