DRAMA or PLAY (Script)
Elements of script:
1.
A title: A script must be given a title apt to the
concept or theme.
2.
The characters: There must be some introduction to the characters.
3.
Setting: The setting is the location where the action(s)
take(s) place.
4.
Dialogues: These are the spoken words of the characters
5.
Stage directions: These are the instructions to the reader
where there is some action without any dialogue or with dialogue and how the
characters behave on the stage or what is happening. These are written in
brackets only.
6.
Scenes: There may be one or more scenes in a drama script. Each scene may be
given by providing some preliminary information in the beginning of the scene.
E.g.
Read the following passage
carefully and convert it into a drama script.
One day, a courtier entered
the court with a glass jar in his hands. “What is there in that jar?” asked the
emperor.
“Your Majesty, Mixture of
sand and sugar,” replied the courtier.
“What for?” asked Akbar
again. “Excuse me, your majesty!” asked the courtier. “We want to test Birbal’s
intelligence. We want him to separate each and every grain of sugar from the
sand.”
“Look, Birbal, almost every
day there is a new challenge before you.”
Akbar smiled and said, “You have to separate the sugar from the sand
without dissolving.”
“No problem, your majesty”
said Birbal. It’s just a child’s play.
Birbal took the jar and
went out of the court. The courtiers followed him. Birbal went to the garden
and scattered the sand and sugar mixture on the ground near the trunk of a
mango tree.
“Why have you done this?”
asked a courtier. “We will know the result by tomorrow,” replied Birbal.
The next day, they went
near the mango tree in the garden and found that there were only sand grains
lying on the ground. The sugar grains had been carried home by innumerable ants
of the nearby ant hill! A few ants could be seen still busy carrying sugar
grains to their ant hill.
“But where has all the
sugar vanished?” asked the courtier.
“Separated,” whispered
Birbal in his ear. All of them laughed.
“If you want to find the
sugar, follow the ants into their homes!” said the emperor and all the
courtiers began to laugh loudly.
Solution:
BIRBAL’S INTELLIGENCE
Characters:
1. Akbar : The king of the
country
2. Birbal : The intelligent
minister
3. Courtiers : Who present in the court
of Akbar
Setting: The mighty king Akbar’s court. Some
courtiers wanted to test the intelligence of Birbal.
Scene1: Curtain raises there sat on
his majesty Akbar and either side of him his ministers and other courtiers in
their chairs including Birbal. A courtier enters the court with a glass jar in
his hands …
Akbar: (In a commanding voice) What is
there in that jar?
Courtier: Your Majesty, mixture of sand and
sugar.
Akbar: What for?
Courtier: Excuse me, your majesty!
Courtier: We want to test Birbal’s
intelligence. We want him to separate each and every grain of sugar from the
sand.
Akbar: (Looking at Birbal
with smile on his face) Look, Birbal, almost every day there is a new challenge
before you. And you have to separate the sugar from the sand without
dissolving.
Birbal: (Immediately) No problem,
your majesty. It’s just a child’s play.
(Birbal took the jar and went out of the court. The courtiers followed
him. Birbal went out the garden and scattered the sand and sugar mixture on the
ground near the trunk of a mango tree.)
Courtier: (Surprisingly) Why have
you done this?
Birbal: We will know the result
by tomorrow.
Scene2: The next day again the court of the mighty king Akbar. There sat on his
majesty Akbar and either side of him his ministers and other courtiers in their
chairs including Birbal.
Courtier: Your majesty, may I ask Birbal if he had separated the sugar?
Akbar:
(turning to Birbal) What happened, Birbal?
Birbal: Your majesty, I’ve separated the sugar.
Akbar:
Then show it us.
Birbal: Your majesty, we have to go there into the garden.
Akbar:
Let’s!
(All went to the garden near the mango tree and found
that there were only sand grains lying on the ground. The sugar grains had been
carried home by innumerable ants of the nearby ant hill! A few ants could be
seen still busy carrying sugar grains to their ant hill.)
Courtier: (Astonished) But where
has all the sugar vanished?
Birbal: (Leaning to him
whispered) Separated.
(All of them burst into
laugh)
Akbar: If you want to find the
sugar, follow the ants into their homes!
(All of them burst into
laugh again)
Akbar: (Looking at Birbal) You
won again Birbal!
Birbal: Thank you your majesty.
THE END
Ex: You
have read the story “The Brave Potter.” In that story after tying the tiger to
the tree he became famous and people called him “The Tiger Potter.” After some
years the war broke out in his country with a powerful neighbor country. The
king made him the general of his army to lead the army into the battle
field.
Now write some
scenes of the story to enact it as drama.
Possible answer:
The Brave Tiger General
Characters:
1. The king : The king of the country
2. The potter : The lucky potter (the protagonist)
3. Others : Wife of the potter,
ministers, courtiers, villagers etc.
Setting: 1. The potter’s house and 2. The king’s palace
Scene1: Curtain raises there
standing two villagers behind them a tiger tied to the tree…
Villager1: How dare this potter is! He had tied
the tiger under the tree.
Villager2: Yeah! Really, he is the brave potter,
the hero of our village. We have been suffered by this tiger for three months.
Even the village security officers have done nothing.
Villager1: Yes! I have lost my two
goats and a buffalo. Today onwards he is not a potter he is the brave potter.
(This news spread all over the
country. After few years war broke out)
Scene2: In the court of the king
of potter’s country…
The king: (Worrying) Though we have a large army
we need a hero to lead this army into the battle field.
The minister: Your Majesty! I know who
can lead our army.
The king: (enthusiastically) Who’s that?
The minister: He is the Brave Potter,
who can lead our army. He had caught the tiger alone.
The king: (relieved and smiled) Yes. I’ll make
him the general of our army. Send the messenger immediately.
Scene3: At the house of the potter…
Messenger: Dear sir! The king heard about your
bravery and made you the General of the Army. He ordered you to come to palace
tomorrow. (Then he returned)
The potter: (himself frightened) Ah! I
shall die because of that stupid donkey. I never carried a sword or never had
ridden a horse. How can I lead the army?
Scene4: In the court of the king
of potter’s country…
The king: (seeing the potter) I am very much
pleased to see you my General. I have heard all about your bravery. You alone
only can lead the army.
The potter: Thank you Your Majesty!
The king: Now you are the General of the Army.
The enemies are not far from the gates of our city. You have to lead the army
into the battle tomorrow.
The potter: (scared) Always at your
service, Your Majesty!
Ex: In the lesson “What is my name?” you have read
that Sarada forgot her name in the scrubbing zeal. She was very anxious to know
about her name. Her husband, children and neighbors couldn’t tell her name.
Even her parents couldn’t help her. Finally, she met her childhood friend
Prameela and succeeded in recollecting her name.
Now convert the
story into a skit/play till her in-law’s house episode.
You may include…
The title
Setting
Characters
Dialogues etc.
Possible
answer:
Title : What Is My Name?
Setting : Home of the
Protagonist (Sharada)
Home of the Protagonist’s parents
Characters : 1. Sharada
2. Mr. Murthy
3. Children of Protagonist
4. Maid servant
5. Neighbours
6. Parents (father and mother) of Sharada
7. Prameela (friend of Sharada)
Scene-I: Curtain rises. There sits a woman in
a sofa lost in thought.
(Voice over the stage: A young woman, who is educated, cultured, intelligent,
capable and quick-witted, married to Mr. Murthy. After
his appreciation she is deeply indulged in scrubbing the house and other home
chores. One day when she was dobbing the floor she remembered that she has
forgotten her name.)
Protagonist: (she herself) I have been busy for these days in my chores and
forgot my name. What is my name? How could I forget my name in the scrubbing
zeal? Everyone has a name. I too had a name once. What is my name? It’s lunch
time. My children will come home. They will recall my name.
(Mean
while the maid servant comes)
Protagonist:(hoping) Look Ammai! Do you know my name?
Maid
Servant: What is it, Amma? What do we have to do
with names of mistresses? You are only a mistress to us – the mistress of such
and such a white-storeyed house, ground floor means you.
Protagonist: Yes, true, of course, how can you know, poor thing?
(Mean
while the children come from school and enter the house)
Protagonist: Look here, children, do you know my name?
Children: (in surprise) You are Amma – your name is Amma only – ever since we
were born we have known only this, the letters that come are only in father’s
name – because everyone calls him by his name we know his name – you never told us
your name – you don’t even get letter addressed to your name. You never told us
your name.
Protagonist:(She herself) Yes, who will write letters to me?' Father and mother are
there but they only make phone calls once in a month or two. Even my sisters
are immersed with swabbing their houses. Even if they met me in some marriage
or Kumkum ceremony, they chatted away their time talking about new muggulu
or new dishes to cook, but no letters!
(Mean
while a neighbor comes there)
Protagonist:
Welcome Vadina!
Neighbour: Thank you Vadina! It’s my pleasure to invite you for today’s Kumkum
ceremony.
Protagonist: It’s ok! Have you remembered my name?
Neighbour: (Giggling) Somehow or other I haven’t asked your name nor have you
told me. Right-hand side, white storied-house or there she is, that
pharmaceutical company manager’s wife, if not that, that fair and tall lady,
that’s how we refer to you, that’s all. (Exits the stage)
Protagonist:(She herself) What can even my children’s friends say? They know me
only as Kamala’s mother or some aunty, now my respected husband is the only
hope for me.
(Mr.
Murthy, the husband, enters the stage)
Protagonist: Look here! I have forgotten my name. If you remember it, will you
please tell me?
Mr.
Murthy: (laughing) what is it? Dear, never has it
happened before, you are talking about hour name today. Ever since we were
married I have got used to calling you only as yemoi. You too never told
me not to address you that way because you have a name of your own. What
happened now? Everyone calls you Mrs. Murthy, don’t they?
Protagonist:(in agony) Not Mrs. Murthy, I want my own name. What shall I do now?
Mr.
Murthy: What’s there, you choose a new name, some
name or other.
Protagonist:
(Ironically) Very nice – your name is Satyanarayana
Murthy; will you keep quiet if I ask you to change your name to Siva Rao or
Sundara Rao? I want my name only.
Mr.
Murthy: It’s all right, you are an educated woman.
Your name must be on the certificates, don’t you have that much common sense.
Go and find out.
(She
frantically searched for her certificates but fails to find out)
Protagonist:(She herself) Yes! I haven’t brought them here.
Protagonist:
Yemandi! I shall go to my place, search for my
certificates and enquire about my name and return in a couple of days.
Mr.
Murthy: Very nice! Must you go just for your name?
If you go, who will scrub the house these two days?
Protagonist: Just for two days you manage somehow or other - until and unless I
go and get my name, I shall find it difficult to live.
Mr.
Murthy: Ok! Good luck! Come soon.
(Everyone
leaves the stage the curtail falls)
Practice Questions:
1.
You have read the lesson
‘Jamaican Fragment’. The narrator was confused by the game which the children
played in the lawn of their house. You found two day’s game in the story.
Beginning day is entirely different from the second day. On the first day
narrator was an eye witness, on the second day narrator and another white-man
were the eye witness for their game. Now prepare a “Drama Script” on the
basis of their two day’s game. You may use the hints. There are two scenes in
the story. One is the beginning of the story scene that the writer saw the
children and misunderstood that his race might have become inferior to the
others. But he realized the next day that it was only a game indeed in the
second scene.
·
Title
·
Characters involved
·
Location
·
Stage directions
·
Scene wise dialogues
2.
In the lesson, ‘My Childhood’
you have read how Kalam was humiliated by his new teacher in his class.
Lakshmana Sastry summoned the new teacher and gave a warning not to spread the
poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of innocent
children. The new teacher regretted his behaviour. Now, write a play script
for the above situation. You may include…
·
Title
·
Characters involved
·
Location
·
Stage directions
·
Scene wise dialogues
3.
You have read the excerpt of
Kalam’s autobiography in “My Childhood” that Shiva Subramanyam Iyer invited
Kalam for a meal. At first his wife was horrified, later she realized the
ability of accepting everyone equally. Now write a play script of that
incident in two scenes. You may include…
·
Title
·
Characters involved
·
Stage directions
·
Dialogues (Scene wise) etc.
Scene – 1 (first
visit)
Scene – 2 (second
visit)
4.
You have read the
story/narrative “The Journey” from you text book. The author is an officer. He
came home to get married. After taking a long leave he finally wanted to return
to duties. He wanted a person to carry his luggage. But there were none as
everyone was busy with their farm works. His father came up with a solution but
the author didn’t want to make his father carry the luggage. Now write a scene
of the drama “The Journey” to enact on the dais.
·
Title
·
Characters involved
·
Location
·
Stage directions
·
Scene wise dialogues
5.
Write a drama
script using the story ‘The Brave Potter.’
6.
Write a drama
script using the story ‘The Journey.’
7.
Write a drama script
using the content from the poem, ‘Another Woman.
8.
In the lesson “What is my
name?” you have read that Sarala forgot her name in the scrubbing zeal. She was
very anxious to know about her name. Her husband, children and neighbors
couldn’t tell her name. Even her parents couldn’t help her. Finally, she met
her childhood friend Prameela and succeeded in recollecting her name.
Now convert the story
into a skit/play.
You may include…
The title… Setting…
Characters… Dialogues etc.
9.
Recall the incident between
Socrates and the young man from the lesson ‘Every Success Story in also a Story
of Great Failures.’
Now write a script
for a short play based on the above incident. You may include the
following details.
The young man asking Socrates, the secret to success
Socrates asking the young man to meet him the next
morning at the river…
Socrates pushing him under water and the young man
gasping for air
Socrates telling the young man when he wanted success as
badly as air, he would get it.
10.
You have read the play “The
Dear Departed” where you have seen the sisters quarrelling over the
distribution of their father’s property.
Rewrite the play with two sisters and their
father as characters.
Make the following changes in the play.
Father
himself gets ready for the equal distribution of bank balance, house and lands
– summons to talk to his daughters – they are very generous and satisfied with
their husband’s assets – proposes for the donation of money to orphanages, old
aged homes, homes for widows, physically challenged, poor people etc. Father
feels happy – proud of his daughters.
You may retain the same names or change the names of the
characters
11.
You have read the story ‘What
is my name?’ In that lesson you came across the house wife (Sharada). She
struggled a lot to get her name and met many people. Now write a play script
based on it. You may use the following points in you play.
Title… Settings… Characters… Scenes… Dialogues
12.
You have read the incident of
the behavior of new teacher towards Kalam in ‘My Childhood.’
Recall
the incident and write a script for a short play based on the
incident. You may include the following points …
The new teacher asking Kalam to sit
on the back bench
Kalam and Ramanadha Sastry feeling
sad… Complaining to the parents
Lakshmana Sastry’s counseling to the
teacher… The teacher regretting his behavior
13.
In the lesson “Jamaican
Fragment” you have read how the narrator puzzled over the game played by the
two children. Finally, he understood that it was only a game. Then he convinced
the white man watching the two children.
Now write a play script for the occasions.
Title… Characters involved… Setting…
Scene 1: Play of the children on day
one
Scene 2: Play of the children on day
two
Scene 3: Self-realization of the
narrator
14.
You have read the poem ‘Another
Woman,’ haven’t you? You may have noted the persons, locations and events in
the poem.
Based on these
write a script for a skit bringing out the theme conveyed in the
poem.
You may include
the following points in your skit.
Title… Characters
involved… Setting… Dialogues relevant to the context
Beginning of the
skit… Rising actions… Proper ending of the skit… Stage directions etc.
15.
In this present mechanical
competitive world, we are forced to surround ourselves with the latest gadgets
giving us very little time towards our human relationship, in particular the
senior citizens who crave for attention.
Write a Play
Script.
Characters: A family of five members
A visitor who
brings awareness of the above situation
Location of the
scene: House
Theme: A child of the family worried
over his/her grandparent being neglected.
0 comments:
Post a Comment