Definition

1. Noun:
   • A short, usually comic, theatrical performance presented after the main play: An "afterpiece" is a brief dramatic work, typically humorous, staged following the conclusion of a longer, more serious main production.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The audience stayed for the hilarious afterpiece.
  • In the 18th century, a full evening at the theatre often included a tragedy followed by a light-hearted afterpiece.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Theatrical Context: The term is primarily used in historical discussions of theatre, referring to a standard practice from the 17th to 19th centuries where a short farce or musical piece would conclude the night's entertainment.
  • The manager decided the serious drama needed a comic afterpiece to send the audience home in good spirits.

Variants and Related Words

• Farce (n): A comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay, often similar in tone to a traditional afterpiece.
• Curtain-raiser (n): A short play presented the main piece, serving as an opposite counterpart to an afterpiece.
• After-show (n): A modern, informal equivalent; a performance or event happening after a main concert or show.

Synonyms

• Postlude (n): A concluding piece or event (used more broadly in music and performance).
• Epilogue (n): A concluding section added to a literary or dramatic work, sometimes serving a similar function.

Related Phrases

• To follow the main piece: A descriptive phrase for the function of an afterpiece.
  • The one-act farce was scheduled to follow the main piece.

Related Idioms

Noun

1. a brief dramatic piece (usually comic) presented after a play