Theatre Studies is a specialist discipline with its own vocabulary. Using precise, relevant terminology demonstrates professional knowledge and analytical fluency. In assessments — particularly written work and oral justification — the consistent use of theatre terminology signals that you are thinking and communicating as a practitioner, not just a general observer.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Theatre terminology is not jargon for its own sake — it is the most precise way to communicate what you mean. A well-chosen term does the work of a paragraph.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Objective | What a character wants in a scene |
| Super-objective | What a character wants across the whole play |
| Given circumstances | The facts of the character’s world established in the text |
| Subtext | The meaning beneath the spoken text |
| Status | A character’s social and psychological power relative to others |
| Physicality | The body-based choices that realise a character |
| Direct address | When an actor speaks directly to the audience |
| Gesture | A deliberate physical movement that communicates meaning |
| Stillness | Intentional non-movement as a performative choice |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Blocking | The planned movement of actors in the performance space |
| Stage picture | The visual composition of actors and design at any given moment |
| Focus | The element of the stage picture to which attention is drawn |
| Proxemics | The use of spatial relationships between performers to communicate meaning |
| Proscenium | A traditional picture-frame stage configuration |
| In-the-round | Audience surrounds the performance space |
| Traverse | Audience on two sides, performance in a corridor |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Set dressing | Furniture, objects, and decorative elements of the set |
| Practical light | A lamp or light source that appears within the set |
| Wash | A broad, even light covering the whole stage |
| Spot | A focused beam of light |
| Soundscape | The complete acoustic environment of a performance |
| Costume palette | The range of colours used across all costumes |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Interpretation | The specific realisation of a script in performance |
| Dramaturgy | The art and craft of dramatic composition and theatrical realisation |
| Recontextualisation | Relocating a script to a different temporal or cultural context |
| Theatre style | A set of conventions that characterise a particular approach to making performance |
| Fourth wall | The imaginary barrier between performers and audience in realistic theatre |
| Alienation effect (Verfremdungseffekt) | Brechtian technique of reminding the audience they are watching a construction |
EXAM TIP: Do not use general terminology when specialist terminology exists. “The character moved toward the audience” is less precise than “the actor used downstage movement with sustained direct address to create audience complicity.”
COMMON MISTAKE: Using terminology incorrectly or inconsistently. If you use a term, know its definition and apply it accurately. An incorrect use of a specialist term undermines your analysis.
STUDY HINT: Build a personal glossary as you work through Unit 4. Include a definition, an example from your own production, and an example from a production you have seen. This tripling of context embeds the term in your working memory.
