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KS3 English · Year 7Chapter 4 · Reading drama and plays
Year 7 · Chapter 4

Reading drama and plays

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Identify the speakers, and the stage directions that show how the lines are spoken
  • Name a dramatic convention, and explain what it shows the audience
  • Explain what the audience knows that a character does not (dramatic irony)
  • Explain how dialogue reveals a character's feelings and motives
  • Suggest and justify a staging, lighting or movement choice for a scene

You should already know

  • Speakers and stage directions in a play (Year 6, Chapter 10)
  • Inferring feelings and motives from evidence (Chapter 1 of this book)

Where this leads

  • Reading non-fiction: fact, opinion, bias and summary (Chapter 5 of this book)
  • Comparing texts (Chapter 6 of this book)

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 3 English, Year 7. Content: Read and understand a range of drama, including an extract from a play (KS3 reading, R1), Analyse stage directions and dramatic conventions, such as the aside and dramatic irony (KS3 reading, R9), Explain how a scene builds tension, and how the dialogue reveals character (KS3 reading, R9), Consider how a scene might be staged and performed, and evaluate the choices (KS3 reading, R9).

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWrite the word for the words that characters say to each other in a play or a story. Write one word.
2
FIn a play, what is the name of the person who says a line? Write one word.
3
FWrite the word for a sentence that tells the reader what the characters are doing and how they should speak. Write one word.
4
FWhich word describes a word that suggests more than its dictionary meaning? Write one word.
5
FWhich punctuation marks surround a stage direction in a play? Write the name of the marks.
4.1

Speakers and stage directions

Year 7
Read and understand a range of drama, including an extract from a play (KS3 reading, R1), Analyse stage directions and what they show about how a line is spoken (KS3 reading, R9)
Video lesson: Speakers and stage directionsComing soon
Story. A family is in a small flat. A concert ticket has gone missing, and a girl and her brother are arguing. Read the scene, and notice who speaks, and what the stage directions tell the actors to do.

In a play, each line starts with the speaker's name in capitals. A stage direction is written in brackets. It tells the actors how to move, speak or feel. It is not spoken aloud. Stage directions also help the reader to picture the scene.

Play extract: The last ticket (original; stage directions in brackets)

Setting: a small flat, late afternoon. A coat hangs on a hook by the door. A cushion lies on the floor.

PRIYA (searching under the cushions): Where is it? I put it on the table, I know I did!

JONAH (not looking up from his phone): You always say that. Maybe you lost it at the bus stop.

PRIYA: I did not lose it. It is the only ticket for the concert, and it has my name on it.

(Priya pauses, and looks at the coat by the door. Jonah glances at it too, then looks away quickly.)

JONAH (aside, to the audience): If she finds it now, I am finished.

MUM (entering, drying her hands): What is all this shouting about?

PRIYA: My ticket has gone, and the concert starts at seven!

MUM: Then we will look together. Calmly, please.

(Mum lifts the coat from the hook. A small, folded paper falls to the floor. Silence. Jonah stares at the floor.)

PRIYA (picking it up slowly): Jonah... Did you take it?

JONAH: I only borrowed it. I was going to give it back, honestly, Priya.

MUM (quietly): Then you will go to the concert together, and you will explain to your sister why you did not ask.

(Priya holds the ticket tightly. She says nothing for a moment, and then she begins to smile.)

PRIYA: Thank you, Jonah. Next time, just ask.

Key ideas

  • Each line begins with the speaker's name, in capitals.
  • A stage direction is in brackets, and is not spoken aloud.
  • A stage direction can say how a line is spoken, where a character moves, and what the mood is.
Worked example 4.1.1
Who says the line Maybe you lost it at the bus stop.?

Method. Find the line, then the name in capitals before it.

  1. Find the line. Maybe you lost it at the bus stop is a line in the play.
    Maybe you lost it
  2. Find the speaker. The name in capitals before the line is JONAH.
    JONAH
  3. Check the line. Jonah is speaking to Priya.
    Jonah
  4. Write the answer.
    JONAH

Check. The name in capitals is JONAH. ✓

Worked example 4.1.2
What does the direction (entering, drying her hands) tell the actor to do?

Method. Read the words in brackets, and say what they tell the actor.

  1. Find the direction. The direction is entering, drying her hands.
    entering, drying her hands
  2. Explain the first part. Entering means she comes onto the stage.
    comes onto the stage
  3. Explain the second part. Drying her hands tells the actor what to do with her hands.
    drying her hands
  4. Write the answer.
    walk in while drying her hands

Check. The direction gives two actions. ✓

Worked example 4.1.3
How many speakers are there in this scene? Write the number.

Method. Count the different names in capitals.

  1. Find the names. PRIYA, JONAH and MUM speak.
    PRIYA, JONAH, MUM
  2. Count them. There are three different speakers.
    three
  3. Write the number. The number of speakers is three.
    3
  4. Write the answer.
    3

Check. Three names speak. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: the words in brackets are not spoken. Read them as instructions, not as lines for the characters.

Exam tip

Exam tip. When a question asks what a stage direction shows, quote it, then say what the actor does and why the writer includes it.

Exercise 4A  Practice: speakers and stage directions

1
FCopy the words of the speaker, in capitals, who says Where is it?
2
FWho says I did not lose it? Write the name in capitals.
3
FCopy the stage direction that tells Jonah how he speaks his first line.
4
FHow many different speakers are in this scene? Write a number.
5
FCopy the stage direction that shows Mum has been busy at home.
6
FAre stage directions spoken aloud by the actors? Answer yes or no.
7
FWhich stage direction shows that Jonah is uneasy? Choose one: (Jonah glances at it too, then looks away quickly.), (entering, drying her hands) or (quietly).
8
RWhat does (not looking up from his phone) tell the actor to do? Explain in one sentence.
9
FWhich speaker enters during the scene? Write the name in capitals.
10
FAnswer both parts about the lines and the stage directions.
(a)Who speaks the last line of the scene? Write the name in capitals.
(b)What is the word in brackets after the name JONAH in his aside? Write the word that begins the direction.
11
RWhy might the writer put the directions in brackets, rather than in the same line as the speech? Explain in one sentence.
12
FHow many stage directions in brackets are in this scene? Write a number. (Count every pair of brackets.)
13
RExplain what the direction (quietly) shows about Mum's speech, in one sentence.
14
RWhich direction in the scene describes the most movement? Explain your choice.
4.2

Dramatic conventions: the aside and dramatic irony

Year 7
Analyse dramatic conventions, such as the aside and dramatic irony, and their effect (KS3 reading, R9)
Video lesson: Dramatic conventions: the aside and dramatic ironyComing soon
Story. Jonah has the ticket in his pocket, and he is watching his sister search the flat. The audience can see him, but Priya cannot.

A convention is a method that playwrights use. An aside is a line spoken to the audience, which the other characters on stage do not hear. A soliloquy is a speech when a character is alone, and thinks aloud. Dramatic irony happens when the audience knows something that a character does not, so the audience reads the scene differently.

Key ideas

  • An aside is spoken to the audience, and the other characters do not hear it.
  • A soliloquy is a speech made when a character is alone.
  • Dramatic irony: the audience knows more than a character does.
Worked example 4.2.1
Name the convention in JONAH (aside, to the audience): If she finds it now, I am finished.

Method. Look at the direction in brackets, and what it says.

  1. Find the direction. The direction says aside, to the audience.
    aside, to the audience
  2. Check who hears it. The other characters do not hear the line.
    do not hear
  3. Name the convention. A line spoken to the audience is an aside.
    an aside
  4. Write the answer.
    an aside

Check. The direction names the convention. ✓

Worked example 4.2.2
What does the audience know, that Priya does not, at the start of the search?

Method. Compare what Jonah says with what Priya thinks.

  1. Priya's view. Priya thinks the ticket is lost.
    thinks it is lost
  2. Jonah's aside. He says, If she finds it now, I am finished.
    I am finished
  3. The irony. The audience knows Jonah has the ticket, so the scene is tense.
    the ticket
  4. Write the answer.
    that Jonah has the ticket

Check. The audience knows the secret. ✓

Worked example 4.2.3
Which convention is shown by JONAH (aside, to the audience)? Choose one: an aside, a soliloquy or a stage whisper to Priya.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. The line is spoken to the audience, while others are on stage.
    an aside fits
  3. Reject the other choices. A soliloquy is spoken alone, and a stage whisper is spoken to another character.
    a soliloquy and a stage whisper to Priya do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    an aside

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: an aside is for the audience. Do not say Jonah is talking to Priya in an aside; she cannot hear him.

Exam tip

Exam tip. To explain dramatic irony, state what the audience knows, what the character does not know, and what effect this has.

Exercise 4B  Practice: asides and dramatic irony

1
FWhich convention is If she finds it now, I am finished.? Write the name of the convention.
2
FWho is the line If she finds it now, I am finished. spoken to? Write one word.
3
FDoes Priya hear Jonah's aside? Answer yes or no.
4
RWhat does the audience know, that Priya does not, when she searches the cushions? Explain in one sentence.
5
FWhich word in (aside, to the audience) names the device? Write the word.
6
FWhat is a soliloquy? Choose one: a speech made by a character who is alone and thinks aloud, a line spoken to another character in a whisper or a line spoken by two characters at once.
7
PSWhat is the effect of the aside on the audience's view of Jonah? Explain in one sentence.
8
RExplain why dramatic irony makes the search for the ticket more tense. Use the aside in your answer.
9
FCopy the one-word stage direction that shows the mood after the paper falls.
10
FWhich line is spoken as an aside? Choose one: PRIYA: My ticket has gone, and the concert starts at seven!, JONAH (aside, to the audience): If she finds it now, I am finished. or MUM: Then we will look together. Calmly, please..
11
RWhy does the writer include the aside, rather than having Jonah speak to Priya? Explain in one sentence.
12
RExplain how the dramatic irony changes when the paper falls to the floor.
13
FWrite the speaker of the line Then we will look together. Write the name in capitals.
14
PSWhat is the effect of the direction (Priya pauses, and looks at the coat by the door.)? Explain in one sentence.
15
PSIn this scene, which character does the audience know more about than the others? Choose one: Jonah, Mum or Priya.
4.3

Dialogue, character and subtext

Year 7
Explain how dialogue reveals character, feelings and motives (KS3 reading, R9)
Video lesson: Dialogue, character and subtextComing soon
Story. Mum wants the family to stay calm. Priya is angry, and then relieved. Jonah tries to excuse himself. Their words show more than the facts they state.

Dialogue reveals character. The words a character chooses, and the way they speak, show what kind of person they are. Subtext is the meaning under the words: what a character means, or hides, without saying it directly.

Key ideas

  • Dialogue shows a character's attitude through word choice and tone.
  • Subtext is the meaning beneath the words, which the audience works out.
  • A character's line can contradict the stage direction, which shows the subtext.
Worked example 4.3.1
What does Jonah's line I only borrowed it reveal about him?

Method. Look at the word choice.

  1. Look at the word. Only makes the act seem small.
    only
  2. Look at the purpose. Borrowed suggests he means to return it, so he is making an excuse.
    an excuse
  3. Explain the reveal. He is defensive, and trying to make the act seem less serious.
    defensive
  4. Write the answer.
    that he is defensive and trying to excuse himself

Check. The word choice reveals his attitude. ✓

Worked example 4.3.2
What does Mum's line Calmly, please show about her?

Method. Look at the instruction she gives.

  1. Find the instruction. Calmly, please is an instruction.
    Calmly, please
  2. Explain the effect. It shows she wants to control the situation.
    control the situation
  3. Explain the character. She is calm and sensible, and wants fairness.
    calm and sensible
  4. Write the answer.
    that she is in control and wants the family to stay calm

Check. The instruction reveals her character. ✓

Worked example 4.3.3
What subtext does Priya's line Thank you, Jonah. Next time, just ask. have?

Method. Read the line, then the stage direction before it.

  1. Read the line. Thank you shows gratitude.
    Thank you
  2. Read the second part. Next time, just ask suggests she wants honesty.
    just ask
  3. Explain the subtext. She forgives him, but expects honesty next time.
    forgives him
  4. Write the answer.
    she forgives him, but wants honesty in future

Check. The subtext is forgiveness and honesty. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a character's words are not always the whole truth. Ask what the line shows, and what it may hide.

Exam tip

Exam tip. When explaining dialogue, quote the words, name the feeling or motive, and say what the reader learns about the character.

Exercise 4C  Practice: dialogue and character

1
RWhat does Jonah's line You always say that reveal about his feelings for Priya? Explain in one sentence.
2
FWhich character says Calmly, please? Write the name in capitals.
3
FWhich word best describes Priya at the end of the scene? Choose one: forgiving, angry and rude or confused.
4
RExplain the subtext of Jonah's line I was going to give it back, honestly, Priya.
5
FCopy the words of Mum's instruction in her line, as it is written.
6
FWhich character says Thank you, Jonah? Write the name in capitals.
7
RExplain how Priya's speech changes from the start of the scene to the end.
8
RWhat does Mum's line Then you will go to the concert together suggest about how she sees the family?
9
PSWhich line shows Mum is fair to both children? Choose one: Calmly, please., Then we will look together. or What is all this shouting about?.
10
FCopy the words that show Priya holds the ticket tightly.
11
RExplain what Jonah's character is like, using one line from the play as evidence.
12
PSDoes Mum believe the ticket has been lost? Answer yes or no.
13
RWhy might the writer give Priya the last line rather than Jonah? Explain in one sentence.
4.4

Building tension and structure

Year 7
Explain how a scene builds tension through stage directions, pauses and the order of events (KS3 reading, R9)
Video lesson: Building tension and structureComing soon
Story. The search for the ticket gets closer to the coat. The playwright uses pauses, silence and a falling paper to build tension.

Tension is the feeling of suspense, when the audience wonders what will happen next. Playwrights build it by ordering events, using pauses and silences, and placing a moment of revelation near the end of a scene.

Key ideas

  • Tension is suspense: the audience wonders what will happen.
  • Stage directions for pauses and silence increase tension.
  • A scene often ends with a shift in tension, such as relief or forgiveness.
Worked example 4.4.1
Which moment creates the most tension, and why?

Method. Choose the moment, then explain how it creates tension.

  1. Choose the moment. A small, folded paper falls to the floor.
    a small, folded paper
  2. Look at the direction. Silence and Jonah staring follow the fall.
    Silence
  3. Explain the tension. The audience fears the secret will be revealed.
    secret will be revealed
  4. Write the answer.
    the paper falls to the floor, because the secret is almost revealed

Check. The fall and silence create tension. ✓

Worked example 4.4.2
What is the effect of (Priya pauses, and looks at the coat by the door.)?

Method. Read the direction, then say what the audience expects.

  1. Read the direction. Priya pauses and looks at the coat.
    pauses
  2. Look at the audience. The audience knows Jonah has the ticket.
    knows
  3. Explain the effect. The pause creates suspense, because she is close to the truth.
    suspense
  4. Write the answer.
    it creates suspense, as Priya is close to the truth

Check. The pause creates suspense. ✓

Worked example 4.4.3
What happens to the tension at the end of the scene?

Method. Compare the last lines with the earlier tension.

  1. Look at the last lines. Priya holds the ticket, then smiles.
    smiles
  2. Compare with earlier. Earlier, tension was high; now it is released.
    released
  3. Explain the change. Forgiveness releases the tension.
    releases the tension
  4. Write the answer.
    it is released, as Priya forgives Jonah

Check. The tension is released. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: tension is built by what is withheld, as well as by what happens. Pauses and silences matter.

Exam tip

Exam tip. To describe tension, name the moment, quote a stage direction, then say what the audience expects next.

Exercise 4D  Practice: tension and structure

1
FWhich moment creates the most tension? Choose one: Mum enters, the paper falls to the floor or Priya says thank you.
2
FCopy the stage direction that shows the paper appears.
3
RWhat is the effect of the single word Silence. in the direction? Explain in one sentence.
4
FWhich speaker says the last line of the scene? Write the name in capitals.
5
RExplain how tension changes from the middle of the scene to the end.
6
RWhy does the playwright include the direction She says nothing for a moment near the end? Explain in one sentence.
7
FWhat happens immediately after the paper falls? Write the name of the speaker who speaks next, in capitals.
8
RExplain why the writer places Mum's entrance before the paper falls.
9
PSWhat is the effect of the question Did you take it? asked by Priya? Explain in one sentence.
10
RDescribe the structure of the scene: how does it move from search to resolution? Explain in one or two sentences.
11
PSWhich is the best description of the scene's ending? Choose one: relief and forgiveness, anger and violence or confusion and silence.
4.5

Staging and performance

Year 7
Consider how a scene might be staged and performed, and evaluate the choices (KS3 reading, R9)
Video lesson: Staging and performanceComing soon
Story. A drama group is staging this scene in the school hall. The director must decide where the coat hangs, how the actors move, and where the light falls.

Staging is the way a scene is set up for an audience: the set, the lighting, the sound and the movement of the actors. Actors' movement across the stage is called blocking. Every staging choice should serve the meaning of the scene.

Key ideas

  • Staging: the set, lighting, sound and movement that the audience sees.
  • Blocking: the movement of actors across the stage.
  • A good staging choice serves the meaning, and can be justified.
Worked example 4.5.1
Suggest a staging choice for the aside. What should the audience see?

Method. Think about who hears the aside, and how to show that.

  1. Who hears it? The audience hears the aside, but Priya does not.
    audience hears
  2. Suggest the light. A spotlight on Jonah separates him from the others.
    separates him
  3. Justify it. It shows the aside is spoken only to the audience.
    only to the audience
  4. Write the answer.
    a spotlight on Jonah, while the other lights dim

Check. The choice is justified. ✓

Worked example 4.5.2
Suggest one movement for Mum when she says Calmly, please.

Method. Think about what the line shows about Mum.

  1. What the line shows. Mum is calm and in control.
    in control
  2. The movement. She steps forward and raises a hand.
    steps forward
  3. Justify. The movement shows authority, so the audience sees her control.
    authority
  4. Write the answer.
    she steps forward and raises a hand, to show control

Check. The movement shows control. ✓

Worked example 4.5.3
Which staging choice best creates tension when the paper falls? Choose one: a sudden stillness, with the other characters frozen, bright, cheerful music or the actors all running.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. Stillness after a fall lets the audience feel the weight of the moment.
    a sudden stillness, with the other characters frozen fits
  3. Reject the other choices. Cheerful music and running do not match the tension of the moment.
    bright, cheerful music and the actors all running do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    a sudden stillness, with the other characters frozen

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a staging suggestion must be justified. Say why it serves the scene, not just what it looks like.

Exam tip

Exam tip. For a staging question, name the choice (lighting, set, movement), say what it shows, and link it to the meaning of the scene.

Exercise 4E  Practice: staging and performance

1
PSSuggest one way to stage the coat on the hook, and justify your choice.
2
FWhat is the name for the movement of actors across the stage? Write one word.
3
PSWhich lighting choice fits the aside? Choose one: a spotlight on Jonah, lights off across the stage or bright lights on Priya.
4
RSuggest how an actor could say Calmly, please to show Mum is in control. Give one voice choice.
5
REvaluate the stage direction Silence.: is it effective on stage? Give one reason.
6
PSWhich character should the lighting follow when the paper falls? Write the name in capitals.
7
RSuggest one prop, and say how it helps the audience understand the scene.
8
PSWhich staging choice would weaken the tension at the end? Choose one: slow, quiet forgiveness, a loud celebration or a long pause.
9
REvaluate the blocking of the scene: should Mum stand near the coat or away from it? Give one reason.
10
RSuggest a sound effect for the moment the paper falls. Justify it in one sentence.

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
Speaker and directionThe speaker's name is in capitals; stage directions in brackets are instructions, not spoken.
AsideA line spoken to the audience, which other characters do not hear.
SoliloquyA speech made by a character who is alone, thinking aloud.
Dramatic ironyThe audience knows more than a character does, which changes how the scene is read.
Dialogue and subtextWord choice and tone reveal character; subtext is the meaning beneath the words.
Tension and stagingPauses, silence and order build tension; staging choices should serve the meaning and be justified.

Can you…?

  • I can identify speakers, and explain what a stage direction shows
  • I can name an aside or a soliloquy, and explain its effect
  • I can explain dramatic irony, with what the audience knows
  • I can explain what dialogue reveals about a character, including subtext
  • I can explain how tension is built, and suggest and justify a staging choice

Key terms

stage direction
an instruction in brackets, telling actors how to move, speak or feel
aside
a line spoken to the audience, which other characters on stage do not hear
soliloquy
a speech made by a character who is alone, usually thinking aloud
dramatic irony
when the audience knows something that a character does not
subtext
the meaning beneath the words, which is not stated directly
blocking
the planned movement of the actors on stage
staging
the way a scene is set up, lit and moved for an audience

Exercise 4Z  Check-up

1
Who speaks the line Maybe you lost it at the bus stop? Write the name in capitals.
2
Which convention is JONAH (aside, to the audience)? Choose one: an aside, a soliloquy or a stage whisper.
3
What is the effect of the direction (Priya pauses, and looks at the coat by the door.)? Explain in one sentence.
4
How many different speakers are in this scene? Write a number.
5
What does the audience know that Priya does not? Explain in one sentence.
6
What does Calmly, please show about Mum? Explain in one sentence.
7
Which word best describes Priya at the end of the scene? Choose one: forgiving, angry or confused.
8
Are stage directions spoken aloud? Answer yes or no.
9
Explain how the tension changes by the end of the scene.
10
Suggest one staging choice for the aside, and justify it in one sentence.

Total 21 marks. Allow about 21 minutes.

Exercise 4X  Practice test questions

1
FRead this extract from a play: "JONAH (aside, to the audience): If she finds it now, I am finished." What is this convention called? Write one word.[1 mark]
2
FRead this extract from a play: "PRIYA (searching under the cushions): Where is it?" Who is the speaker, and what does the direction tell the actor to do?[2 marks]
3
RRead this extract: "MUM (entering, drying her hands): What is all this shouting about?" What does the stage direction show about Mum at this point?[2 marks]
4
RRead this line from a play: "I only borrowed it. I was going to give it back, honestly, Priya." What does the word honestly suggest?[2 marks]
5
RRead this direction from a play: "(Mum lifts the coat from the hook. A small, folded paper falls to the floor. Silence.)" Explain how this direction creates tension.[3 marks]
6
RRead this direction from a play: "(Priya pauses, and looks at the coat by the door.)" What is the effect on the audience?[2 marks]
7
RRead this line from a play: "PRIYA: Thank you, Jonah. Next time, just ask." What does the line show about Priya at the end of the scene?[2 marks]
8
RRead this direction from a play: "(Priya holds the ticket tightly. She says nothing for a moment, and then she begins to smile.)" What does the direction show about how the scene is resolved?[3 marks]
9
RRead this line from a play: "JONAH: I only borrowed it." Explain what this reveals about Jonah's character.[2 marks]
10
PSA director stages the scene with a spotlight on Jonah as he speaks an aside. Explain one reason this choice works, in one or two sentences.[2 marks]
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