Playwriting: Purpose, Context and Mechanism
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Date
2012
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Publisher
Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), Lagos, Nigeria.
Abstract
This chapter, through a descriptive methodology, looks at the mechanism, context, and purpose of playwriting. The ingredients that make a good play are carefully considered. The playwright has been noted to be a "craftsman" who "builds" a play, writing it down in dialogue form. he is known to work within the context of time and space, using available materials in his society for his "craftwork". It has been discovered that writing a good play requires the touch of a playwright with exceptional qualities who must be intelligent, creative, visionary, imaginable, knowledgeable, observant, and foresighted. It is our view that conflict, which throws up crisis and suspense are critical catalysts of a good play. Crisis in tragedy and comedy are not likely to be of the same magnitude. And where they are, they are not resolved in the same way and are not always of the same consequence. The most popular plays, we observe, are those that appeal to the nuances of change. Therefore, it is our conclusion that practising and aspiring playwrights must tread this pattern for the attainment of a better society.
Description
This is a chapter in a book on playwriting
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Citation
Agboola, M.O (2012). Playwriting: purpose, context and mechanism. In S. E. Ododo (ed.) Fireworks for a lighting aesthetician: Essays and tributes in honour of Duro Oni at 60 (pp. 298-311). Lagos, Nigeria: Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC).