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How to Approach a Play

The setting reveals the time and place of the action and is conveyed through characters' behaviour and dialogue and through the sets produced for the performance. Some sets are thoroughly realistic; others offer little more than a bare platform.

Set design and costume can greatly influence our response to a play, especially in conveying the general mood or emotional atmosphere.

You should note if the playwright indicates how stage sets should be presented.

You should also note if any historical background information is provided or required for understanding the context of the play's action.

Your main task is to show the relevance of setting and staging to the play's action, characterization and theme.