1. Or, what makes a play, a play?
Dramatic Conventions!
Or, what makes a play, a play?

2. Dialogue
RODERIGO <Tush,> never tell me! IAGO <‘Sblood,> but you’ll not hear me!

3. Monologue Spoken by one character.
There IS an audience (one or more characters) on the stage, to whom the speech is being addressed.
Iago, (“Despise me / If I do not.”)
How many has Iago had so far?

4. Soliloquy Also spoken by one character.
But no one else is being addressed.
The character is speaking to him/herself.
Often, there’s no one else on stage.
Iago will get the first one: (“Thus do I ever make my fool my purse.”)

5. Aside Spoken by one character while others are on the stage.
But no one else is meant to hear– the aside is like a little “secret” being offered to us from the character, an inside joke or bit of info.
Iago will use a bunch of these: (aside “He takes her by the palm…”)

6. Stage Directions
Very minimally used by playwrights in Shakespeare’s time.
Descriptions of setting, entrances and exits, and occasionally gestures/movements
Lots of room for interpretation of Shakespeare’s plays due to such little use of explicit directions!

7. Setting & Action indicated through dialogue
“Rouse him” – tells us it’s night because Iago is commanding Roderigo to wake up Brabantio– and then Roderigo does just that
“Do you know my voice?” – tells us Brabantio can’t actually see Roderigo, since Roderigo has to ask him this question
“Strike on the tinder, ho!” – tells us it’s dark because Brabantio is commanding his servants to light some torches. And then they do.

8. [no narrator] There is no narrator in most plays.
How does this make a play feel “different” from other kinds of texts?

9. [no visuals except for what’s happening on stage]
Again, this is unique to drama. We can only see what is being staged for us (we can’t see other, far-off scenes, that might be included in a text like a novel or poem).
How might this affect the kinds of details a playwright chooses to include in a script?

10. ACT IT OUT Your group will create a mini script from 1.1.
Script should include at least two actors who will speak lines. You can also have non-speaking actors.
Script should be at least four lines long.

11. Script Assignments Red: Page 7 Orange: Page 9 Yellow: Page 11
Green: Page 13
Blue: Page 15
Purple: Page 17
Pink: Page 19

12. Script Directions
Look for a lines that reveal something about characters, binary oppositions, etc.
Choose a set of lines (at least four) that will allow at least two actors to speak.
Consider dramatic conventions (dialogue, monologue, soliloquy, aside, stage directions): How will they affect your acting?
Look for bits of text that clue you in to the setting or action: Actors should use these for their performance.
Assign parts. Rehearse at least three times!
Non-actors: You will explain your group’s choices (lines, acting notes) to the class (verbally or in writing).