Words Used to Describe Theatre Performances
Have your students found it difficult to come up with words other than “effective” or “lame” when evaluating aspects of a theatre show? Here’s a list of 250+ adjectives to use in that essay!

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abhorrent | handsome | proficient |
absorbing | hard-hitting | profound |
abysmal | heartwarming | purposeful |
accessible | heavy | purposeless |
accomplished | helpful | qualified |
adequate | hilarious | questionable |
admirable | historical | radiant |
adverse | hollow | rank |
airy | humble | ravishing |
alarming | humourous | reasonable |
amazing | immaculate | refined |
ambitious | immersive | refreshing |
amusing | important | regretful |
appealing | impressive | relevant |
appropriate | inadequate | remarkable |
arresting | inappropriate | repugnant |
astonishing | incompetent | repulsive |
attractive | incredible | revolting |
awful | ineffective | rotten |
bad | ineffectual | satisfactory |
barren | inept | satisfying |
beautiful | inferior | scenic |
boring | ingenious | seamless |
breathtaking | insufficient | second-class |
brilliant | intelligent | second-rate |
broken | intense | self-indulgent |
capable | intolerable | serious |
captivating | irrelevant | serviceable |
clever | irresistible | shabby |
cogent | jolly | shaky |
coherent | kindhearted | sharp |
colourful | lacklustre | sheepish |
commendable | lame | shocking |
common | larger-than-life | skilful |
compelling | lavish | skilled |
competent | lazy | slow |
conclusive | light | sluggish |
convincing | lighthearted | snappy |
dazzling | likeable | solid |
decent | listless | sombre |
deep | lively | sophisticated |
demanding | loveable | sound |
depressing | lovely | spectacular |
direct | magentic | spirited |
disgraceful | magical | standout |
distasteful | magical | sterile |
distinguished | majestic | sterling |
divine | manic | striking |
dramatic | marvellous | strong |
dynamic | masterful | stunning |
dysfunctional | masterly | sublime |
effective | mediocre | subpar |
elaborate | memorable | substandard |
electric | mesmerising | successful |
empty | mild-mannered | sufficient |
encouraging | miserable | suitable |
energising | modest | superb |
engaging | moving | superior |
enjoyable | multiskilled | suspenseful |
entertaining | musical | sweet |
enthralling | nauseating | talented |
enticing | negative | tasteful |
eventful | noteworthy | tasteless |
excellent | obscure | telling |
exceptional | off-putting | terrific |
excessive | offensive | tremendous |
exciting | optimistic | trite |
exemplary | outstanding | triumphant |
exhilarating | overpowering | trivial |
extraordinary | painful | unbefitting |
eye-popping | pathetic | unproductive |
fantastic | pedestrian | unsuccessful |
far-fetched | perfect | unsuitable |
fast | personable | unusable |
feasible | persuasive | useful |
feeble | petty | useless |
fine | picturesque | valid |
first-class | pitiful | valuable |
flawless | plausible | viable |
focused | pleasant | weak |
forceful | pleasing | weighty |
frivolous | pointless | well-constructed |
fruitless | polished | well-defined |
functional | poor | well-made |
futile | potent | well-rounded |
gentle | powerful | wholesome |
gifted | practical | wicked |
good | presentable | woeful |
grand | pretentious | wonderful |
great | pretty | worthless |
grim | professional | worthwhile |
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