Lesson 5: Stage Directions and Dramatic Irony

🟦 Introduction

Have you ever read a play and seen lines like [He sits down slowly, shaking his head] or [A knock is heard, but no one moves]? These are called stage directions. They’re not spoken aloud, but they show how the story should look and feel during performance.

Another powerful tool is dramatic irony—when the audience knows something that a character doesn’t. This creates suspense, tension, or humour.

In this lesson, we’ll explore how these two elements work in plays, and how to analyze them effectively for your WASSCE exam.

🟩 Key Concepts and Explanations

1. What Are Stage Directions?

Stage directions are written instructions in a play that tell the actors:

• Where to move

• How to speak or act

• What props, lighting, or sound to use

They are usually in brackets or italics.

Examples of stage directions:

• [She smiles but hides the knife behind her]

• [The lights fade slowly]

• [He walks out without saying a word]

2. Why Stage Directions Matter

They help the audience:

• Understand character emotions

• Feel the mood of a scene

• Notice important symbols or themes

• See hidden meaning behind the words

🎭 Stage directions make the drama come alive on stage—even if nothing is said.

3. What Is Dramatic Irony?

Dramatic irony happens when the audience knows something important that a character does not.

It is used to:

• Create suspense

• Build emotional tension

• Show character ignorance or arrogance

• Emphasize themes like betrayal, truth, or fate

4. Examples of Dramatic Irony

5. How Stage Directions and Irony Work Together

Stage directions can support dramatic irony.

Example:

• The audience sees a villain smiling while the hero praises them.

• [He smiles calmly as the dagger slips from his sleeve]

This adds extra tension because we know what the hero doesn’t.

🧭 Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Sample Excerpt:

[KOFI stands motionless as the gun is raised behind him. He smiles and raises his hands.]
[Off-stage: A shot is fired. Lights fade to black.]

Step 1: Interpret Stage Directions

• Kofi does not see the gun

• His smile shows hope or peace

• The audience feels the danger he doesn’t know about

Step 2: Identify Dramatic Irony

• The audience knows Kofi will be shot

• This makes the scene more emotional and tense

🟨 Practice Exercises

Exercise A: Spot the Stage Directions

Excerpt:

[SARAH clutches the letter tightly. Her eyes are wide. She takes one step back as JOHN enters.]

Questions:

1. What emotion is Sarah likely feeling?

2. What might the letter represent?

3. How does the stage direction add to the scene?

✅ Answers:

1. She is likely shocked, scared, or guilty

2. The letter might contain a secret or bad news

3. The actions show suspense and emotion without using words

Exercise B: Identify Dramatic Irony

Scene:

A man speaks kindly to his friend, not knowing the friend is planning to betray him.

Questions:

1. Who knows the truth—the audience or the man?

2. What emotion might the audience feel?

3. What theme is being shown?

✅ Answers:

1. The audience knows

2. They might feel nervous, frustrated, or sad

3. Theme of betrayal or deception

Exercise C: Write a Mini-Scene

Write 3–4 lines of a short drama that includes:

• One stage direction

• One moment of dramatic irony

Example:

[She places the poisoned cup on the table, smiling sweetly.]
HUSBAND: You’re always so thoughtful.

Explanation:

• Stage direction: [She places the poisoned cup]

• Dramatic irony: The audience knows it’s poisoned, but the husband doesn’t.

🔁 Recap

In this lesson, you learned:

• Stage directions show how scenes should be acted, not spoken

• Dramatic irony is when the audience knows something the characters don’t

• Both elements create suspense, tension, and emotional depth

• WASSCE may ask you to explain what a direction or scene means, not just what happens

🪞Reflection Prompt

Think of a moment in a play, movie, or story where you knew something a character didn’t.

• What did the audience know?

• How did that knowledge affect your feelings?

• What happened when the character found out?

Write a 6–8 sentence reflection describing that moment and its emotional impact.