One-Act Play

and Its
Elements
Learning Objectives:

•Analyze a one-act play EN9RC-IIIa-20:

•Explain how the elements specific to a one-
act play contribute to the development of its
theme EN9LT-IIIa-20.1:
 A one-act play is a play that has only one
act, as distinct from plays that occur over
several acts. One-act plays may consist of
one or more scenes. In recent years, the 10-
minute play has emerged as a popular
subgenre of the one-act play, especially in
writing competitions.
 Elements
of
One Act Play
 1. PLOT
The arrangement of events or incidents on
the stage. The plot is composed of “clearly defined
problems for characters to solve.” Plot is to be
differentiated from Story which is a chronological
detailing of events that happened on and off
stage. Events happening off stage are introduced
through exposition (narrative dialogue). The
playwright must create a plot that is both credible
and astonishing.
 2. CHARACTERS
The agents of the plot. Characters
provide the motivations (reasons) for the
events of the plot.“Vivid characters” face
and overcome “obstacles that we can
recognize.” They provide the vehicle for
conflict.
 The main character of the play is
known as the protagonist. The antagonist is
the character who opposes the protagonist.
The other characters that are neither the
protagonist nor the antagonist are called the
secondary characters. They may have a
major part of a minor involvement in the
drama.
3. THEME
The reason the playwright
wrote the play. The examination of
“patterns of life” can be didactic
or just a slice of life.
4. LANGUAGE
“Vivid characters” facing and
overcoming recognizable obstacles need to
express themselves in “heightened
language.” Dramatic dialogue consists of
two parts: narrative and dramatic
5. RHYTHM
The heart of the play. Plot,
character, language, and spectacle all
have their individual rhythms in time.
The combination of all these rhythms
create the impelling force of the play
leading to a final climax an
Denouement. Rhythm creates mood.
6. SPECTACLE
Everything that is seen or heard
on stage. Actors, sets, costumes, lights
and sound. NOTE: All plays have
spectacle—some emphasize spectacle
more than others.
7. Setting
Is the place, together with other conditions,
such as time and the environment, involved in
which the events occur. The setting can be
presented through the visual element deals with the
scenes, costumes, and special effects. The setting
can as well be enhanced by using viewable
elements, sound effects, and music.
Characteristics
of
One Act Play
1. One-act play is a play that has only one
act, but may consist of one or more
scenes.
2. One-act plays are usually written in a
concise manner.
3. It deals with a single dominant
situation, & aims at producing a single
effect.
4. It deals with only one theme developed
through one situation to one climax in
order to produce the maximum of effect.
5. It treats the problems of everyday life as
marriage, punishment for crimes, labour
conditions, divorce, etc.
6. The one-act play, like the longer
drama, should have a beginning, a
middle & an end. It may be divided into
four stages: The Exposition, The Conflict,
The Climax & The Denouement.
The exposition is usually brief,
serves as an introduction to the play.
 It is through the conflict that the
action of the drama develops. It is the very
backbone of the one-act play.
Climax is the turning point of the
drama. It is an important part of the one-act
play & constitutes its moment of supreme
interest.
The Denouement is very brief & often
overlapping with climax.
7. Action begins right at the start of the
play.
8. There are no breaks in the action, that
is, it is continuous since it’s a short play;
no intervals.
9. The creation of mood, or atmosphere
is indispensable to its success.
 10. Everything superfluous is to be
strictly avoided as the play is short &
the action takes place within a short
period of time. It introduces elaborate
stage directions to minimize the time
taken by the action itself.
11. There are three dramatic unities which are
observed in the one-act play. The unities are —- the
unity of time, unity of place & the unity of action.
12. It aims at simplicity of plot; concentration of
action & unity of impression. It does not rely on
spectacular effects & common dramatic tricks of
old. 13. The characters in a one-act play are limited
in number. Generally, there are not more than two
or three principal characters.
14. There is no full development of character. All
the different aspects of a character are not
presented. The attention is focused on only one or
two salient aspects of character & they are
brought out by placing the characters in different
situations & circumstances. The author implies the
past & intimates the future of a character by
presenting a crucial moment in the life of that
character.
15.There is an influence of realism. The
characters in the modern one-act play are
ordinary men & women. It depicts
characters that seems to be real & related
to everyday life.
16. It must present a question, for which
the audience eagerly awaits the answer.
17. Its language is simple & can be followed
without any strain. All superfluity is to be
avoided in the dialogue. The dialogue
must be purposeful; the best dialogue is
that which does several things at one
time. Every word is to be carefully chosen
& sentences must be compact &
condensed.
 Effort should be made to say, whatever
is to be said, in the least possible words.
Thus, the language of the dialogue should
be simple, brief & easy to understand. Long
speeches & arguments & long sentences
would be out of place & would lessen the
charm & interest of the play.
 TASK:
Directions: Using the summary plot "A Marriage Proposal" by
Anton Chekhov, fill in the story map below with the necessary
information. Work on a separate sheet of paper. Answer this via
Edmodo.
STORY MAP
SETTING
CHARACTER/S
THEME
PLOT
BEGINNING
MIDDLE
END
 SUMMARY OF “A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL”

In the short play "A Marriage Proposal" Anton

Chekhov describes the odd courtship of Lomov, who
seeks marriage with a neighbor's daughter. Lomov,
aged 35, is a long-time neighbor of Choobookov. He
is a landowner who has inherited property from his
aunt. Though he is well-fed and healthy, he is
hypochondriac. He suffers from palpitations and
sleeplessness due to his nervousness. He has passed
a critical stage of marriage.
He now knows that he will never marry if he searches for
an ideal woman or true love. So, he is now desperate to
marry Natalia. He thinks that she is not bad-looking and
has some education. He wants to lead a steady and
regular life. So, he visits the house of his neighbor
Choobookov early morning, dressed in a formal suit.
Choobookov is surprised at the unexpected arrival of
Lomov in his formal dress. Lomov asks Natalia's hand in
marriage. Choobookov is also desperately looking for a
suitable man for his 25-year-old daughter, Natalia. As a
father of a grown-up daughter, he immediately gives
joyful permission to marry Natalia.
She is invited into the room. Lomov
becomes nervous, and instead of putting
his proposal, he begins to beat about the
bush. When he says that his Ox Meadows
touch her birch woods, she begins to argue
with him about the ownership of that
piece of land. After her father notices they
are arguing, he joins in and then sends
Lomov out of the house.
Choobookov then tells his daughter that Lomov
was there to propose to her. Natalia repents and
asks her father to call him back. Lomov comes,
and she asks him about his hunting program. He
says that he will start hunting after harvest
because his best dog has gone lame. At this point,
Natalia contradicts him again and claims that her
dog Leap is better than his dog Guess. Thus the
quarrel begins again till over-excitement makes
Lomov faint in a chair.
Seeing him quiet and unmoving, Natalia thinks
that he is dead and becomes hysterical. Lomov
comes to his senses, and Choobookov forces them
to kiss each other and accept the marriage
proposal. Immediately following the kiss, Natalia
and Lomov start quarreling. Choobookov shouts
for Champagne because he wants to celebrate
their marriage, and at the same time, he feels free
from the burden of his grown-up daughter.
Source: "A Marriage Proposal" – Summary | Major English Class 12, merospark.com
Thank you!