Genre, Style & Form
The Difference
Genre is the "category" of your story—it’s the emotional vibe and content you give the audience (e.g. Comedy, Tragedy).
Style & Form is the "how"—the specific methods, rules, and theatrical languages you use to bring that story to life (e.g. Physical Theatre, Naturalism).
Tragedy
Serious plays dealing with "weighty" issues, often showing a character's fall from power.
- Serious tone and subject matter
- Events follow a clear "cause and effect" path
- Makes the audience feel pity or fear
Comedy
Designed to make people laugh, usually using clever wit, irony, or silly situations.
- Often "Satirical" (poking fun at real behavior)
- Fast-paced and energetic
- Almost always ends with a happy resolution
Tragi-comedy
A mixture of the two above. It captures the complexity of real life—laughing through the tears.
- Contains elements of both tragedy and comedy
- Can be funny one moment and devastating the next
- Keeps the audience emotionally off-balance
Farce
Highly exaggerated comedy that focuses on a chaotic plot rather than deep characters.
- Uses "Slapstick" physical comedy
- Outrageous, unlikely situations
- Builds to a chaotic comic climax
Documentary Theatre
Drama based on real people and facts. It cares more about information than a made-up plot.
- Uses real documents or news reports
- Focuses on an issue or political topic
- Aims to educate or provoke the audience
Naturalism
Performance that is a "slice of life," showing reality exactly as it is.
- Focus on how humans actually behave
- Everyday speech and believable movement
- Characters are affected by their setting
Physical Theatre
Using the body and movement as the primary way to tell the story.
- High-energy, athletic performance
- Uses movement to compliment realistic scenes
- Can replace dialogue with movement sequences
Symbolism
Focuses on creating a mood rather than a logical, "real" story.
- Often feels fantastical or mythological
- Objects represent deeper ideas
- Meaning is clear but not precise
Grand Guignol / Artaud
A style of extreme theatre designed to terrify or shock the audience into feeling.
- Assaults the senses with harsh lights/sounds
- Shocking and visceral
- High tension and fear
Verbatim Theatre
A form of documentary drama where the script is made ONLY from the words of real people.
- Based on real-life interviews
- Actors capture the exact speech patterns
- Highly authentic telling of real stories
🤖 The Style Mash-Up Generator
Top marks in devising often come from unexpected contrasts. Take a normal scene, smash two completely different styles together, and see what the AI Director suggests!