Act (theatre)

An act is a division or unit of a theatre work, including a play, film, opera, and musical theatre. The term can either refer to a conscious division placed within a work by a playwright (usually itself made up of multiple scenes) or refer to a unit of analysis for dividing a dramatic work into sequences. The former use of the term may or may not align with the latter.

Though there are no limits to the number of acts which might exist within a dramatic work, the most common structures are the three act structure and five act structure. Both of these are derived from different interpretations of Aristotle's The Poetics in which he stresses the primacy of plot over character and 'an orderly arrangement of parts'.

The work of William Shakespeare, for example, generally adheres to a five act structure whereas contemporary theatre, in line with screenwriting and novel forms, tends towards a three act structure.

The word act can also be used for major sections of other entertainment, such as variety shows, television programs, music hall performances, and cabaret.

An act is a part of a play defined by elements such as rising action, climax and resolution. A scene is a part of an act defined with the changing of characters.

To be more specific, the elements that create the plot of a play or any story, and divide a play into acts include the exposition, which give information, setting up the rest of the story. Another is the inciting incident, which starts all of the action that will follow. Going along with the inciting incident, the major dramatic question is formed; this holds the rest of the play. The majority of the play is made up of complications. These are the things that change the action. These complications lead up to the crisis, this is the turning point. Most of the time, at this point, the major dramatic question has been answered. Finally, there is the resolution. This is the end of the play where everything comes together and the situation has been resolved. This leaves the audience satisfied with the play as a whole. These more specific elements of plot in a play are the main things used to divide a play up into acts and sometimes scenes.

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