well-made play

Questions

What does well-made play mean?

A play belonging to a 19th-century neoclassical theatrical genre involving a tight plot and a climax close to the end. The story depends upon a key piece of information kept from some characters, and moves forward in a chain of actions that use minor reversals of fortune to create suspense.

Where does well-made play come from?

Calque of French pièce bien faite, developed by the French dramatist Eugène Scribe (1791–1861).

How to pronounce well-made play

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “well-made play”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “well-made play”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “well-made play” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.