Melodrama: how melodrama has changed from the influences of "A Touch Of Silk" by Betty Rowland and "The Summer Of The Seventeenth Doll" By Ray Lawler.

By extension, the term melodrama has come to be applied to any play with romantic plot in which the author manipulates events to act on the emotions of the audience without regard for character development or logic. Melodrama had very 'stock' characters, in other words they were very stereotypical characters, and all the action happened on stage. Melodramatic plays were also morality based - that is Right Vs. Wrong. Before The Touch of Silk by …

…issues and the audience can relate to this. The sets and costumes are once again very everyday, nothing spectacular. From the quick analysis of these two plays, The Touch of Silk and The Summer of The Seventeenth Doll, we can see how they have both helped to shape Australian theatre. Australian theatre completely rid of the melodramatic plays of the past and moved onto something people could connect with - real life issues - realism.