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CREATIVE LEARNING
What are the Key Elements

of Drama?
03 September 2021
 5 min read Share 
CREATIVE LEARNING
03 September 2021
 5 min read
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What are the Key Elements of Drama? Why is Hamlet

so dramatic? What makes a murder mystery like The
Mousetrap so compelling?
Many people have written about what constitutes drama. One of the
first and most influential was Aristotle, who concluded that there
were 6 elements to drama: plot, character, thought, diction, spectacle
and song.
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Since then many people have had their say. What about symbols and
metaphors? Or mood and atmosphere? Are tension and suspense
important? Are these key elements of drama?
When you see an amazing show at the theatre, you may leave thinking
“What made that so great? Why did that play move me or make me
nervous?” A play, film or TV show can only become great when all the
key elements of drama work together.
In this blog we’ll explore some of the key elements of drama and what
makes them so important to the way we tell stories.
Plot
The plot is about the order of events and the progression of the play.
Without a plot, it is difficult to create a compelling drama. To a large
extent, the success of a dramatic play depends on how the events of
the play unfold. Plot is essential to drama because it takes the
audience on a journey. We become immersed and want to know the
outcome.
A plot can have many shapes. It is often represented as a curve in a

graph, as the plot builds up to a climax and then returns to some new
state of calm and stability. Plot is not just about one thing happening
after another. In a good play, each action or event happens for a
reason. A plot can serve a theme and will influence the growth or
decline of the characters.
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Aristotle identified plot and character as the two most important
elements of drama. And still today you’d be hard-pressed to find
anyone who believes that plot is not a key element of drama.
Key Elements of Drama
Character
If Plot = What, then Character = Who. The protagonists, the
antagonists, and the supporting cast are essential to drama. They are
the elements of plays, TV shows and films that audiences can
connect to.
They make decisions, influence the plot and inhabit the fictional
universe that has been created by the writers, directors and crew. By
merely looking at the list of characters in Romeo and Juliet you will
be able to see how the relationships between characters influence the
plot, the tension and the atmosphere in stories and how they form a
key element of drama.
Page 3 of 15
Tension/Suspense
The director Alfred Hitchcock once said, “There is no terror in the
bang, only in the anticipation of it.” You can hold an audience’s
attention if they are anticipating something scary, or significant or
dramatic. This is tension.
Will Romeo and Juliet get together and live happily ever after?
Although the relationship may seem doomed from the beginning,
Shakespeare creates tension in the way their story unfolds. You want
the audience to be asking, “What will happen next?” And this is best
achieved through tension and suspense. If the audience is not
interested in what happens next then it is difficult to create true
drama.
Language
Stories can be elevated through language. A play can have a simple
plot and uncomplicated characters but can become compelling and
beautiful through the use of language. With language you can hide
clues, inspire humour and create subtext.
Characters express themselves with language, action is propelled

with words and tension can be built through conversations. Language
is also a key element of drama because it can connect with people in
unique ways.
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Spectacle/Atmosphere
Aristotle’s fifth element of drama was Spectacle, which is about the
setting and what the audience sees. Drama needs a visual element.
Spectacle and atmosphere can bring new meaning to the language
and characters.
Atmosphere and spectacle can make a drama memorable. Often

when you go to see a play or watch a film you will remember how it
made you feel.
Throughout the years the plot, character and language of

Shakespeare’s play might remain the same but theatre companies will
experiment with staging and visuals to create a fresh and exciting
spectacle or atmosphere.
What Makes Great Drama?

Drama is created when all these key elements come together. In
some plays, TV shows or films, they might focus more on one
element than the other. But both character-driven and plot-driven
stories require creative and competent people to make them work.
Plot, character, tension, language and spectacle are evident in all of

the best plays, TV shows and films. These elements form the basis of
any great drama and it is interesting to see how different artists use
them to tell a story.
Meta-description: What makes a great dramatic play, film or TV

show? What is the special ingredient? In this blog learn about the key
elements of drama.
Page 5 of 15
Get your tickets

18 TO 26 TICKETS PLAYS AND DRAMA
The Woman In Black
Susan Hill’s acclaimed ghost story, The Woman in Black,

comes dramatically alive in Stephen Mallatratt’s stage
adaptation. “One British theatre's biggest and scariest hits”
(The Guardian).
24 Sep - 25
Sep
 Tickets from
£24 to £42
 Save this
performance
Book Tickets 
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Home  What are the Key Elements of Drama?

What are the Key Elements

 5 min read Share 

 Share this article

What are the Key Elements of Drama? Why is Hamlet

A plot can have many shapes. It is often represented as a curve in a

Key Elements of Drama

Characters express themselves with language, action is propelled

Atmosphere and spectacle can make a drama memorable. Often

Throughout the years the plot, character and language of

What Makes Great Drama?

Plot, character, tension, language and spectacle are evident in all of

Meta-description: What makes a great dramatic play, film or TV

18 TO 26 TICKETS PLAYS AND DRAMA

The Woman In Black

Susan Hill’s acclaimed ghost story, The Woman in Black,

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

VAT No. GB 306710334

Blackpool Grand Theatre Trust Ltd

Box Office 01253 290190

(check our Opening Times page for times)

Competition Terms And Conditions

Involuntary Noise Policy

Schools Risk Assessment

Single Equality Policy

Social Media Policy

Press and Filming

Our Funders and Partners

Vision, Mission and Values

Recruitment & Volunteering

Working At The Grand

Employee Video Diaries

Get Into Theatre

Our Volunteers Work

© 2024 The Grand Theatre Blackpool, All Rights Reserved.

Designed & Built by

You might also like