Drama Dictionary

This comprehensive reference work is designed to be a single source to which readers may turn for guidance on dramatic theory and practice. It therefore concentrates on critical and technical concepts and terms rather than on theatre history or biography. The book contains some 1300 entries varying in length from a few words to several hundred. The terms included relate to the forms of drama (e.g. epic, mime, farce, comedy of manners, tragi-comedy, etc.); to different kinds of stage (thrust, picture-frame, arena, etc.); to technical stage terms (tabs, proscenium arch, sightlines, etc.); to acting terms, including colloquialisms (fluff, corpse-as well as duologue, soliloquy, cross below, upstage, etc.) They also include the critical terms of important theoreticians (e.g. superobjective, magic 'if', throughline, alienation, montage) and the obvious foreign terms (hamartia, peripeteia, etc.). Dramatic movements and styles are described (naturalism, expressionism, neo-classical, Jacobean, etc.), together with terms relating to costume (e.g. buskins), character types (of, say, the Commedia dell'Arte) and dramatic structure (climax, curtain, pace and tempo, episode, chorus, etc.). The entries are fully cross-referenced, and are supported by ample suggestions for further reading and a selection of line drawings illustrating key points in the text.

Hodgson's work contains more than 1,300 entries that define and illustrate dramatic theory and theatrical practice...This work is replete with clear definitions of the drama and of the theatre. Recommended.--Choice

Booknews

Concentrates on critical and technical concepts and terms rather than on theatre history or biography. Contains some 1300 entries. Terms included relate to the forms of drama; to different kinds of stage; to technical stage terms; to acting terms, including colloquialisms. Also includes the critical terms of important theoreticians and the obvious foreign terms. Dramatic movements and styles are described together with terms relating to costume, character types and dramatic structure. Has bibliographic references. No pronunciation--a serious flaw. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Terry Hodgson is Lecturer in Literature and Drama at the Centre for Continuing Education, University of Sussex. He convenes undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the English major and runs extramural drama, fiction and poetry classes, including many drama workshops with professional actors and directors.