Didascalia (from ancient Greek διδασκαλία / didaskalía, “teaching”) designates the text inserted between the lines of a dialogue in order to specify the actions, gestures or expressions of the different protagonists. It can also be used to give information on the staging, decor, soundscape, etc.
Didascalia is a term that designates the explanations provided by an author to accompany a work of art, an event, a person or a place.
Didascalia is a term that designates the explanations provided by an author to accompany a work of art, an event, a person or a place. This type of explanation may be necessary to fully understand the meaning of the work or to place the action in context. Instructions are often present in books, films and plays.
In books, directions are usually placed between hyphens and can provide information about the place or time of the action, the feelings of the characters, or their physical appearance. Instructions can also give indications on how dialogues should be pronounced.
In films, stage directions are generally placed below the frame and provide information about locations, characters or action. They can also indicate the type of music that should be played at certain times.
In plays, stage directions are generally placed between the shots and can provide information on the sets, costumes, lights, sounds or movements of the actors. They can also give indications about the tone or tempo of the piece.
The term didascalia comes from the ancient Greek διδασκαλία / didaskalía, literally “teaching”.
The term didascalie generally refers to an explanatory note which accompanies a document, a text, an image, etc. In the field of literature, it is particularly used to designate the indications which specify the staging of a play.
Didascalia is therefore a form of short text which aims to guide the reader or viewer in their understanding of a document. It can be in the form of sentences, lists, numbers or symbols. It is generally presented in the form of a block of text separated from the rest of the text, and is often accompanied by an illustration.
In the case of a play, the directions are generally found at the beginning of the play, and it describes the elements of the production, such as sets, costumes, lights, etc. It can also give information on the actors' performance, their positioning on stage, their gestures, etc.
Didascalia therefore plays an important role in understanding a theatrical work, and it can be very useful for spectators or readers who are not used to this type of text.
Didascalia is a term that designates the explanations provided by an author to accompany a work of art, an event, a person or a place. Didascalia comes from the ancient Greek διδασκαλία / didaskalía, literally “teaching”.