HEL. [calls out from his room]. Is that my little lark twittering out there?

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Angelica Greer
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1 Reading Drama In this tutorial, you will focus on understanding how to read plays. Plays come in many different forms. Some plays are short and direct, while others are long and more complex. Unlike novels and short stories, plays do not allow their authors to provide the audience with explanations or descriptions. Plays use the words and actions of the characters to tell their stories. For example, if a playwright wants the audience to know that a certain character is cruel, she cannot simply say, He is cruel. Instead, she must show the character s cruelty by having him say or do something cruel on stage. In plays, it is always important to show rather than to tell. Why? Plays are written to be performed and seen. When you read a play, try to imagine the action on stage. You need to be aware, when reading, what is being said aloud and what is written to direct the movements of the actors. Consider the following excerpt from A Doll s House by Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen: NORA. There is a shilling. No, keep the change. [The Porter, thanks her and goes out. Nora shuts the door. She is laughing to herself as she takes off her hat and coat. She takes a packet of macaroons from her pocket and eats one or two, then goes cautiously to her husband s door and listens.] Yes, he is in. [Still humming, she goes to the table on the right.] HEL. [calls out from his room]. Is that my little lark twittering out there? NORA. [busy opening some of the parcels]. Yes, it is! HEL. Is it my little squirrel bustling about? NORA. Yes! HEL. When did my squirrel come home? NORA. Just now. [Puts the bag of macaroons into her pocket and wipes her mouth.] Come in here, Torvald, and see what I have bought. If you examine this excerpt you can interpret how the play would look on stage. Here are some tips: Copying or distributing without K12's written consent is prohibited. 1 of 5

2 Who is speaking: Each line of the play begins with a name. This tells you who is speaking. In this example, the characters involved are Nora and Hel. The actors do not say the names of their characters before each line. The names are included so that the actors (and readers) know who is speaking. Sometimes, the names are written in bold print to set them off from the rest of the text. What is said aloud: You also need to be aware of which lines are spoken aloud, and which lines are directions to the actors. For example, Hel s first line is Is that my little lark twittering out there? What is not said aloud: The words that appear in italics between the brackets are not to be spoken aloud. These words are directions that shape the action of the play. Hel calls out his line from his room. Similarly, Nora s reply of Yes, it is! is meant to be said while she is opening some of the parcels she s brought home. In order to help you understand the way this scene would look on stage, try acting it out with a partner. Don t worry about memorizing the lines or having the appropriate props. Just read the lines while acting as if you are carrying out the actions described in italics. When you have finished acting out this brief scene, try the one below from The Importance of Being Ernest by Irish playwright Oscar Wilde: Enter Lane. Lane. Mr. Ernest Worthing. Enter Jack. Lane goes out. Algernon. How are you, my dear Ernest? What brings you up to town? Jack. Oh, pleasure, pleasure! What else should bring one anywhere? Eating as usual, I see, Algy! Algernon. [Stiffly.] I believe it is customary in good society to take some slight refreshment at five o clock. Where have you been since last Thursday? Jack. [Sitting down on the sofa.] In the country. Copying or distributing without K12's written consent is prohibited. 2 of 5

3 Algernon. What on earth do you do there? Jack. [Pulling off his gloves.] When one is in town one amuses oneself. When one is in the country one amuses other people. It is excessively boring. Algernon. And who are the people you amuse? Jack. [Airily.] Oh, neighbours, neighbours. Algernon. Got nice neighbours in your part of Shropshire? Jack. Perfectly horrid! Never speak to one of them. Algernon. How immensely you must amuse them! [Goes over and takes sandwich.] By the way, Shropshire is your county, is it not? The actions of the characters are described by the sections of the text written in italics. The names of the characters are in bold print. The more you practice reading plays, the more accustomed you will be to their style and the better you will become at distinguishing what would be done on stage and what would be said on stage. In the example above, for instance, the actor playing Jack would enter, sit down on the sofa, and take off his gloves while delivering his lines. Meanwhile, the actor playing Algernon would go over and take a sandwich while speaking to Jack. The actor playing Lane would simply enter, introduce Jack, and exit again. The setting: How do playwrights tell us where their plays take place? They describe the setting of a play so that actors and directors know how to stage the play and what scenery and backgrounds to create. By reading these descriptions, readers will know what an audience who watches the play would see on stage. The description of the setting usually comes after the list of characters at the start of the play. Paying attention to the list of characters and the setting makes picturing the play much easier for readers. Consider the following example from Riders to the Sea by John Millington Synge: Copying or distributing without K12's written consent is prohibited. 3 of 5

4 MAURYA, an old Woman BARTLEY, her Son CATHLEEN, her Daughter NORA, a younger Daughter Scene An island off the West of Ireland Cottage kitchen, with nets, oilskins, spinning-wheel, some new boards standing by the wall, etc. Cathleen, a girl of about twenty, finishes kneading cake, and puts it down in the pot-oven by the fire; then wipes her hands, and begins to spin at the wheel. Nora, a young girl, puts her head in at the door. This section lets readers know: The names of the characters Their relationship to one another The scene or location where the story takes place A description of the setting and the action occurring The following offers the same information for Uncle Vanya by the Russian playwright, Anton Chekov: ALEXANDER SEREBRAKOFF, a retired professor HELENA, his wife, twenty-seven years old SONIA, his daughter by a former marriage MME. VOITSKAYA, widow of a privy councilor, and mother of Serebrakoff's first wife IVAN (VANYA) VOITSKI, her son MICHAEL ASTROFF, a doctor ILIA (WAFFLES) TELEGIN, an impoverished landowner MARINA, an old nurse A WORKMAN Copying or distributing without K12's written consent is prohibited. 4 of 5

5 The scene is laid on SEREBRAKOFF'S country place. A country house on a terrace. In front of it a garden. In an avenue of trees, under an old poplar, stands a table set for tea, with a samovar, etc. Some benches and chairs stand near the table. On one of them is lying a guitar. A hammock is swung near the table. It is three o'clock in the afternoon of a cloudy day. Now you try it. 1. Who are the characters? 2. What are their relationships to one another? 3. Where is this scene taking place? 4. What is the setting like? Remember to use all of these clues to help you form a mental picture of the people, setting, scenes, and action when you read plays. Copying or distributing without K12's written consent is prohibited. 5 of 5

A Doll's House. By Henrik Ibsen Translated by Robert Cole

A Doll's House. By Henrik Ibsen Translated by Robert Cole A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen Translated by Robert Cole Performance Rights It is an infringement of the federal copyright law to copy or reproduce this script in any manner or to perform this play without