Reading a Play's Social, Cultural and Historical Context

A play in its world

A play is not written or set in a vacuum. Around every story sits a context: the kind of society, the beliefs of the culture, and the moment in history. Understanding that context unlocks the meaning of the play and guides the choices a performer or designer makes.

Four kinds of context

Examiners want you to read a play through its context. Learn these four ideas.

Match the context

Which context?

In a play, a servant is not allowed to sit at the same table as the family who employs them. Which context does this detail show?

• Social context
• Cultural context
• Historical context
• Theatrical convention

Two clocks

Every play runs on two clocks. Keep them separate and you will not get caught out.

Where do conventions come from?

A modern playwright writes a play that is set in ancient Rome. The theatrical conventions of the play come from which period?

• The modern period, when it was written
• Ancient Rome, when it is set
• Both periods equally
• Neither period

Conventions across the ages

Theatre has been staged differently in every age. Ancient Greek plays used a chorus and masks in open-air amphitheatres. Elizabethan plays at the Globe used a thrust stage in daylight with very little scenery, so the words painted the scene. Later, naturalist theatre used realistic box sets and a fourth wall so the stage looked like a real room.

Match the convention

Complete the context

The class, wealth and family life of a play is its _____ context. The shared beliefs and traditions are its _____ context. The era and real events are its _____ context. Ancient Greek theatre used a _____ to comment on the action, and Elizabethan plays used a _____ stage that jutted into the audience.

Why it matters

Understanding the context of a play helps a performer or designer make which choices? Choose all that apply.

• The costume, so it fits the period and class
• The set, so it shows the right time and place
• The accent and manner of a character
• The price of a ticket to the show
• The length of the interval

Spot the convention

Tap the two statements that describe a theatrical convention.

• Elizabethan actors performed on a thrust stage in daylight.
• A Greek chorus commented on the action from the stage.
• The play shows strict class divisions in its society.
• The characters follow the religious traditions of their culture.

From page to stage

Put the steps of using context in the correct order.

• Read the play and note when and where it is set
• Research the social, cultural and historical context of that setting
• Find out the theatrical conventions of the period it was written in
• Use the context to decide costume, set and character choices
• Perform or design with those informed choices

Name the context

Decide which context each detail belongs to.

• A wealthy family in the play employs servants who must use a separate entrance.
• The characters take part in a religious festival with traditional songs and dress.
• The story unfolds against the backdrop of a real war that changed the nation.

Explain why context matters

Explain how understanding the context of a play helps a performer or a designer make choices. Give at least two examples of choices that context could shape.

• Name two kinds of context, such as social or historical
• Give an example of a costume, set or acting choice that context shapes
• Say how this helps the audience understand the play