Playwriting toolkit

At the heart of drama is conflict.  This might mean physical conflict, such as a fight or a war, but more frequently it means characters with different and conflicting objectives.  For example, two friends go to a party. One friend wants to leave the party while the other wants to stay.  That is a source of conflict.  Two athletes might both want the same prize, but one is willing to cheat for it and the other isn’t.  That is another example of a conflict. 

Task 2

1. Look at the list of characters below and discuss with a partner what the sources of conflict could be for each pair:

• a parent and a teenager
• two politicians from different political parties
• a decorator and a homeowner
• a referee and a footballer
• a celebrity and a fan
• a brother and a sister.

2. Choose one of the pairs above or another two characters who appeal to you, and write what each character’s objective is.