Lennard, I share your opinion concerning the continuous tension and because of that factor I wouldn't call 'Cal' a Drama. There would have have to be a resolution, and an end of the conflict. The death of every one (tragedy) or a harmonic fraternity (comedy) in which the relationship of Cahal and Marcella would end in happiness (or in a wedding) and the IRA would lay down the weapons. But they didn't. Just a few bad guys got caught.

And concerning this matter (the bad guys) there's another thing to say. According to the classical drama theory of Aristotle there are black and white characters. The good ones and the bad ones. It shall not be hard for the audience to take party for the good protagonist unlimitedly and to detest the bad guys. But are there fully bad figures and angle-like figures in this book? A classical hero and the villain? I don't think so but the classical drama theory requires this. And if we'd like to answer the question 'Cal - a drama?' then we should ask 'Cal - a classical drama' and the answer is 'No'. And this is my opinion:

'Cal' is not drama in the classical term with the classical characteristics. There's neither a bright hero nor the dark evil villain (even Skeffington has got his virtues). The thrilling proceedings do not end in a resolution which is characterized by death (tragedy) or harmony (comedy). They partly end in uncertainty (when Skeffington, Crilly and Cal get captured) but the frame story (the anglo-irish conflict) doesn't end at all and doesn't even change slightly.

'Cal' is a narrative in which a fictional character is set in a realistic environment. The protagonist experiences a world of tension in which the individual judgement is continuously doubtful. And so the reader's judgement is too. The story of Cal is too complex to make the reader sympathize with the protagonist fully. It is too realistic to be a drama.

That's an interesting approach, whereas you have to be careful by putting "musicals" on a level with "modern drama". A musical is more than a drama; it is drama, operetta, cabaret and opera at once. But I'd prefer to deal with the question "Cal - A Drama?" in a more theoretic way. The ability to play a work on stage isn't totally essential for calling a work a "drama". (Think of Faust II, it is called to be "unactable" but it is known as a drama.) Let us discuss about the stylistic devices, arc of suspense, plot, conflict, and how the protagonist is situated in the circumstances. And let us compare these aspects with the Drama Theory. Our first point of reference may be Freytag's well-known pyramid.

[[File:freytag_pyramid.png|none|auto]]

I'm not really sure about calling "Cal" a drama. Is there a climax? A denouement? A real change in the conflict?
I don't really think so. What do you think? And which criteria would you like to take?