Identify the plot of the play. For example, in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible," the pastor's daughter becomes ill, and her friends accuse other members of the community of performing witchcraft. This leads to more accusations, which lead to widespread witchcraft trials and many hangings. Traditionally, linear plot structures are chronological and often cause-and-effect driven, but contemporary playwrights explore non-linear plot structures, such as circular and episodic plots.
Identify the characters in the play. Who are these people? What is their relationship to each other? Is the audience meant to view the play through the eyes of a particular character, or as an outside observer? Who are the protagonist and antagonist? One way to define the protagonist, or main character, is by looking at which character goes through the greatest change from beginning to end.
Identify the theme of the play. What is the meaning or moral? The theme may be obviously stated through the title or dialogue, or it may take some time and reflection before the theme is clear. Playwrights often have a theme or intention in mind, but as a theater performance is a shared experience, the theme can be interpreted differently by each individual. Discuss your interpretation with others who have seen the play to explore theme further.
Identify the language of the play. How does the playwright use language to express character traits? How does the language of the play move the plot forward? In many of Shakespeare's plays, characters of a higher class speak in verse, whereas regular townsfolk use more common prose. Also, Shakespearean lovers use verse while speaking to and about their beloved.
Identify the genre the play falls into. Is it a tragedy, comedy, melodrama, farce, or other kind of play? Classical tragedies usually ended in death or the undoing of the main character, while classical comedies ended in a wedding or other celebratory party. Contemporary plays may mingle elements of comedy and tragedy. Defining the major genre the play falls into will provide a lens with which to analyze the play.
Analyze the spectacle. The spectacle of the play, a term coined by Aristotle, concerns all visual elements of a production, including light, scenery and costumes. It is the manifestation onstage of the world created by the playwright.
Observe the scenery. Does the set enhance or detract from the performance? How does the lighting work with the scenery to support the play? How do the costumes express the characters?
Observe the theater space. Generally there are three types of theater spaces used. One is the proscenium, a traditional space where the stage is framed by curtains and the audience and stage are separated. Another is the thrust stage, where the audience surrounds three-quarters of the stage space. There is also theater-in-the-round, where the audience surrounds the stage. How does the staging, and the use of the stage space by the actors, affect the play?
Listen to the music. Aristotle used music as an element of drama because in ancient Greek plays a chorus sang to the audience, providing background information and driving the plot forward. Today we can analyze music literally, in musical theater or plays with music, or we can analyze the rhythm and musicality of the dialogue in a straight play.