What are given circumstances in drama?



The term given circumstances is applied to the total set of environmental and situational conditions which influence the actions that a character in a drama undertakes.

What are given circumstances in a scene?

In a dramatic scene or monologue or improvisation, the term “given circumstances” refers to the “who, where, what, when, why, and how” of the characters: Who are you? (Name, age, gender, nationality, physical health, mental health, etc.)

What are the 5 given circumstances?

THE GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES- The 5 W’s: WHO, WHAT, WHY, WHERE, WHEN. What determines how an actor says a line? (If you have been studying ACTING with me, you should know this.) It is THE GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES of a scene that determines how an actor says a line.

What is the technique given circumstances?





The given circumstances are the information about the character that you start off with and the play as a whole. How old is the character? What’s their situation in the play and in relation to the other characters? Are there any notes provided about the play and its characters?

Why are given circumstances important to an actor?

Given circumstances are a set of dramaturgical tools an actor might use to determine the wider context of a character or scene. Often posed as the “who”, “when”, “where”, “why” and “how” questions, they develop an actor’s understanding of a script’s context.

What are the 5 W’s in acting?

Who are you? What do you want in life and why do you want it? Where are you and when is this moment in your life taking place?

What techniques did Stanislavski use?

Physical Action: Stanislavsky taught that actors must build a character’s behavior through specific, concrete, performable actions. The best actions are achievable on the stage, within the world of the play. Communion: Believable action in the play must be directed to the other actors on stage, not the audience.



What are the 5 questions actors should try to answer in order to determine the given circumstances of their character?



Answer these three questions and you are well on your way to creating a scene that is meaningful and interesting.
Stanislavski’s Seven Questions

  • Who am I? …
  • Where am I?
  • What time is it?
  • What do I want?
  • Why do I want it?
  • How will I get what I want?
  • What must I overcome to get what I want?

What did Brecht mean by breaking the fourth wall?

Alienation means putting a distance, however, what Brecht did was bring the audience and the performance much closer than before by breaking the fourth wall, the imaginary wall that separates the actors on stage and audiences, in order to turn the observer audiences to active members of the performance.