Dramatic conventions are the specific actions and techniques used by the actor, writer or director to create the desired dramatic effect/style. A dramatic convention is a set of rules which both the audience and the actors are familiar with and which act as a useful way to quickly identify the nature of the action or the character.
Brecht’s idea of distancing effects has garnered academic interest from a number of researchers in a variety of non-Brechtian achievements. Although the term distance effect was coined for the first time by Brecht, the concept appeared in a variety of performances, even before Brecht’s use.
Presentational acting and related representational acting are opposing ways of maintaining an actor-audience relationship. The actor acknowledges the audience with the presentational act. With representational acting, the audience is carefully ignored and treated as voyeurs.
