Note: Here in this post we have discussed the Origin and the structure of the One Act Play using easy language. The words in the bracket consists the synonyms of the previous word. So you can use any word of your choice. Good luck…
ONE ACT PLAY
ORIGIN OF ONE ACT PLAY
One Act Play is no way new in the literary world. Its roots lie way back in the history of Greek drama. At the end of the tragedy, they were used to provide (give, offer, supply, make available, impart, grant, present) relief (break, release, liberation). It has also some connection with the early Mystery (secrecy, ambiguity) and Miracle (wonder, marvel, vision) plays. Miracle and mystery plays were religious dramas from the Middle Ages. According to some critics, miracle plays were based on the miracles performed by saints. Mystery plays are centered around Biblical themes. These medieval (of the middle ages) plays reached their peak in 14th and 15th centuries. Both miracle and mystery plays were performed outside the church premises. Another form of drama evolved from miracle and mystery plays. It is called Morality (ethics, morals, principles) plays. Morality plays were simpler. They were not performed by guilds (group, union, association, society, league, federation, club, company). The subjects were allegorical (symbolic) plays and tried to teach a moral lesson. Notable examples of English Morality plays include ‘Messenger’s Death’, ‘Everyman’, ‘Fellowship’, and ‘Good Deeds’.
Initially (at first, originally, to begin with, firstly, in the beginning), they were very brief. Several little plays were combined (joint, united, pooled, mutual, shared, collective) to form a kind of cycle (series, sequence, round, rotation). From this, the modern form of drama was created. In the later part of the fifteen century, interludes (interval, break, pause, intermission) were performed. As the name suggests, they are used to fill the time. They were also brief. They did not try to compete (try to win, fight, struggle, battle) with the drama. Gradually, the drama developed and the short play declined (refuse, turn down, reject). They decline so much that for some time they disappeared (vanish, fade away, evaporate, go, depart) from the English stage.
They reappeared (come back) on the scene in the 18h century. They became more popular in the 19th century. In the standard programme, at the theatre of London, a full-length play was preceded (come first, go before, lead, head) by a short play. This short play was usually of different nature. This type of play came to be known as “curtain (screen, shutter) raiser”. This type of play was ignored (pay no attention, take no notice of, close the eyes to, disregard, do not take into account, overlook) by those people who were interested only in the main play.
Early in this century they completely disappeared as a part of ordinary production. But they did not vanish (disappear, evaporate, fade away, go) completely from the theatre. Sometimes the evening’s entertainment consisted of three one act plays by a single dramatist. eg. The three plays of Sir James Barrie ‘The Will’, ‘The Twelve Pound Look’ and ‘The Old Lady Shows Her Medals’. GB Shaw and Noel Coward are also the example of the same type.
In the modern age, the field of one act play is very vast (huge, gigantic, limitless, enormous, infinite measureless, immense). It is considered as box office poison but the number goes on increasing due o the increasing demand of radio and television. Most ot the moden one act plays are comedies. In rare case, they reach to the height of tragedy. However, J M Synge’s play Riders to the Sea is a good example of one act play of modern time. Moreover it has tragic note in it. Some other examples are The Price of Coal by Harold Brighouse and Hewers of Coal by Joe Corries. Many plays are written even today. Not all of them are popular. But this shows that the boundaries of this form are expanding (increasing, growing, going up, mounting, getting higher, getting bigger).
STRUCTURE OF ONE ACT PLAY
The structure of a one act play is linear (consisting of lines, progressing from one stage to another). It has a beginning, middle and an end. A one act play is not divided into scenes. The change which happens in a play is shown by a change in the light. There can be no breaks in a short play. The structure of any one act play is made of four parts. They are:
1. Exposition (show, exhibition)
2. Complication (difficulty. problem, obstacle, hurdle, barrier)
3. Climax (peak, high point, pinnacle)
4. Denouement (ending, finale, conclusion, completion, finish)
- Let’s understand four of them in brief;
(1) EXPOSITION:
Exposition is the clarification (explanation, explaining, clearing up) of the situations. This helps the readers to learn about the circumstances (situations, conditions, status, position) of the play. It explains the situation, introduces the characters and tells us of the action that has happened before the beginning of the play. In the play The Monkey’s Paw, the readers learn about the paw through Major Morris who reveals (disclose, expose, make public, tell) the dangers of the using the paw.
(2) COMPLICATION:
Complication introduces fresh actions that increase tension and suspense. In the above mentioned play, tension is increased by discussion among the Whites and the decision of the Whites to wish the first wish.
(3) CLIMAX:
Climax comes at the end of the play. At the climax, the play is at the height of its excitement. In the play, The Monkey’s Paw, the climax refers to the strong desire of Mrs White to have her son back and wishing the second wish.
(4) DENOUEMENT :
Denouement is the final part of the structure. In many one act plays the end soon comes after the climax. In the play, The Monkey’s Paw, the denouement is the decision of Mr White to wish the third wish so that the soul of his son may rest in peace.
CONCLUSION
To conclude, to create proper effect on the readers all the four things should be incorporated (included, built-in, integrated) properly (correctly, appropriately, accurately) by the writer. If any part is not properly written it fails to leave the desired (preferred, most wanted) effect on the readers.
