Question

Study the words given in brackets in the following dialogues taken from the text. What do you notice?

• Iqbal: (a little loudly) Shruti!
• Avinash: (very loudly) SHRUTI!
• Nabin: (calmly but firmly) No is the answer.
• Iqbal: (picking up a newspaper from his desk)...
• Nabin: (getting up)...

1. Why do we not use inverted commas to convey the dialogues?
2. Where do we use colons?
3. What is written within the brackets? What do these convey?
4. How does it help the actors?

Answer 1

1. We do not use inverted commas because these lines are stage directions in a play script, where the speaker’s name is given separately before the dialogue.
2. A colon is used after the name of the character to separate the character’s name from the dialogue they speak.
3. Words within brackets are stage directions. They describe how a dialogue should be spoken or what action the character should perform.
4. Stage directions help actors understand the emotions, tone, expressions, movements, and actions required in a scene. They guide the actors so that they can perform their roles effectively and convey the intended meaning to the audience.