ABSTRACT
Before any words are spoken, the simple action on stage serves to introduce or ‘frame’ the scene. The framing action which precedes the dialogue in this scene serves as a prologue to what follows and the simple act of seasoning the stew become a vehicle for encapsulating the tension between husband and wife, and the striving after normality and happiness. Trivial actions take on a deeper significance in the light of knowledge of the wider context. A dramatic figure may be reading a newspaper at the start of a scene but the action itself may be of limited significance. The concept of ‘framing action’, although very focused and specific, can lead to consideration of wider questions in drama. Framing action then can be explored in the context of the wider signing systems in drama.
