Drama and Theatre Arts (and Film)

Items

• absurdism

  A specific branch of existentialist philosophy most often associated with the work of Albert Camus. A philosophy in theatre highlighting life’s lack of inherent meaning, e.g., as in the works of Samuel Beckett and Ionesco.
• act

  Subdivisions between sections of a play. A short play is a “one-acter” / a play with one interval has two acts, etc. Acts are subdivided into scenes.
• acting

  The art of portraying a character or emotion in a play, film, or other form of performance, using voice, body, and imagination.
• acting area / acting space (also playing area)

  The area within the performance space within which the actor may move in full view of the audience.
• actor / actress

  A person who performs a role in a performance.
• ad-lib

  To improvise lines or actions not in the script during a performance.
• adaptation

  Rewriting or changing a text to suit a new medium or concept (e.g., novel to stage play).
• aerial shot

  A shot filmed from above, usually from a drone, helicopter, or crane, giving a bird’s-eye perspective.
• aesthetic distance

  The emotional and intellectual distance between the audience and the performance, allowing the audience to see the play as an artwork, and to observe critically.
• Africanisation

  The process of centring African values, traditions, and performance aesthetics within theatre practice and study.
• alienation (a.k.a. estrangement)

  Bertolt Brecht’s technique of making the familiar strange – using narration, song, or superficiality – preventing the audience from becoming emotionally involved, but instead encouraging social reflection rather than emotional escape.
• amplifier / PA

  Equipment used to amplify sound in the theatre (public address system).
• angle

  The position from which the camera observes the subject (high angle, low angle, eye level, etc.).
• animation

  A filmmaking technique that creates the illusion of movement by displaying a series of individual frames or drawings. Additionally, a genre that involves transforming something static into something in motion.
• Applied Theatre

  Theatre practices used for social or political change, education, or community development / often in non-traditional venues or spaces (e.g., prisons, schools, social work settings).
• apron

  The part of the stage that extends past the proscenium arch toward the audience.
• arena / Theatre- in-the-round

  A form of stage where the audience is seated on all four sides of the acting area.
• arts entrepreneurship

  The business skills for creating and managing artistic ventures in theatre and film, and other performance genres.
• aside

  A short remark by a character to the audience or to themselves, not heard by other characters.
• aspect ratio

  The ratio of the width to the height of a film frame or screen image.
• assessment (module assessment)

  The methods used to evaluate student learning, including exams, practical assessments, and portfolios.
• assistant stage manager (ASM)

  The assistant stage manager is the most junior member of the stage management team and is often responsible for sourcing and running properties during the run of a show, and is also a member of the stage crew.
• audience etiquette

  Expected behaviour of audience members during a performance (silence, phones off, applause conventions, etc.).
• audition

  A short performance by an actor to demonstrate their suitability for a role.
• auditorium

  The area in the theatre designated for audience seating, facing the acting area / stage. Also referred to as “the house”.