Blocking (stage)

In theatre, blocking is the precise arrangement of actors to facilitate the performance of a play, ballet, film or opera. Historically, the expectations of staging/blocking have changed substantially over time in Western theatre. Prior to the movements toward realism that occurred in the 19th century, most staging used a tableau approach, in which a stage picture was established whenever characters entered or left the stage.

This ensured that leading performers were shown to their best advantage.
In more recent times, while nothing is different about showing leading performers to their best advantage, there have been changing cultural expectations that have made blocking/staging more complicated.

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