This gives the actors a natural source of "business" in the setting.
Clothes & Manners: Since the beginning of realism, the way individuals related to each other paralleled the way the individuals dressed. Early attire consisted of stiff, constricting clothing that affected and restricted the way a person could move. The rigid clothing mirrored the rigid social behavior that was expected. Early realism, around the time of World War I, saw an opening of expression, but still maintained certain societal behavior. By the time World War II arrived, the changing society was reflected in the realistic clothing and behavior. Both manner and clothing became personal expressions and reactions to impulse rather than respect of conformity.
Language: Realistic language focuses on everyday speech rather than the elevated forms of speech that had characterized earlier theatre. The level of speech depended upon the particular circumstances of the individual character. There is no deliberate use of verbal music like Greek drama used, and there is no witty verbal structure like that of the Restoration period. Broken speech patterns, pauses, mannerisms, dialects, and inarticulate responses are used because they exhibit natural vocal manners.
Character & Self: Realism's major influence was the concept of playing oneself. The actor was meant to draw upon his/her own experience, emotional memories, and inner responses in order to develop his/her motivations. Stanislavski created a scientific method to guide realistic acting and create reality on stage. This led to the dominant use of the actor's process. However, this new process led to what the playwright wrote about the character and the action that had been given often being ignored. This is an important factor because the playwright creates a "logical consistency between the wishes, wants, needs, and intentions, of the character and the events of the play's action, in which the character is involved.
