Social, historical and cultural context
The background to a play is called its context, and this includes when and where the play is set. It is important to understand the context of a play, eg what would have been happening in that place and time. Knowing a play’s context will influence the choices made in acting, costume and set design and as such how the play is brought to life on stage.
In The Way of the World, Shakespeare Theatre Company, the context of the play is communicated through specific costume and set design choices
Context can be:
- social - the society featured in the play, including the character’s Social groupings, sometimes used to measure people's place in society. , their financial or economic status and the type of government power they live within
- historical - the events in the past that impact on the current situation or characters
- cultural - the views and practices of the characters, including their religious views, superstitions, family values, morals and ethics
