playception

English

Alternative forms

• play-ception

Etymology

From play +‎ -ception.

Noun

playception (plural playceptions)

1. (slang) A play that portrays actors staging a play or features an internal play; a play-within-a-play.
   • 2012, Maura Breen, "Latest play presents challenge for actors", Tan & Cardinal (Otterbein University), Volume 94, Issue 5, 26 September 2012, page 4 (image caption):

     Playception: Each actor must portray a character playing another character.

   • 2016, Katherine Bauer, "[title of show] plays off of reality in playwrights' struggles toward success", The Times-Delphic (Drake University), 2 March 2016, page 8:

     "[title of show]" tells the story about two guys writing a play about two guys who are writing a play. You get a play-ception sort of feel watching this performance.

   • 2016, Taylor Balfour & Isabella Levine, "Noises Off: audience laughs on", The Tide (Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville, Maryland), May 2016, page 1:

     “It's playception,” junior Isabel Leiva described, explaining the premise of the play. With an endless list of costumes, props, and characters, and a play-within-a-play, the complexity of the show has proven to be a big challenge for the cast and crew.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:playception.