The same place.

ОТ АВТОРА

По мнению известного английского драматурга Дж. Б. Пристли, пьеса, не нашедшая сценического воплощения, на самом деле пьесой не является. Все шестнадцать небольших пьес, вошедшие в данный сборник, прошли испытание сценой. Пьесы предназначены для студенческих театральных объединений как языковых, так и неязыковых факультетов. Материалом для некоторых пьес послужили оригинальные британские источники.

Постановка пьесы на изучаемом языке органически входит в учебный процесс, позволяет продолжить начатую в аудитории работу над всеми аспектами языка в совокупности. Работа над текстом роли является тренировкой артикуляционных и интонационных навыков. Постижение языка пьесы способствует пополнению словарного запаса студентов и активизации уже имеющихся в их распоряжении лексических единиц. Употребление в речи изученных на занятии грамматических форм и явлений наглядно иллюстрируются в пьесах реальными жизненными ситуациями. Сам процесс постановки пьесы стимулирует мотивацию изучения языка, приближает учебное общение к повседневному внеаудиторному общению.

Все пьесы сборника условно разделены на два уровня, в зависимости от необходимой языковой подготовки участников постановочного процесса: начальный уровень (Level I) и продвинутый уровень (Level II). Для успешной работы над пьесой степень ее сложности должна быть несколько ниже языковых возможностей студентов. В этом случае в процессе репетиций может быть использован метод действенного анализа, разработанный замечательными театральными педагогами М.О. Кнебель и А.Д. Поповым, в основе которого лежит этюдная методика работы над ролью. Данная методика предполагает использование собственного, импровизированного текста в этюдах по действию роли, что позволит наполнить исходный авторский текст личными переживаниями исполнителя.

Тексты пьес снабжены комментариями. Приводятся русские эквиваленты некоторых, наиболее трудных для понимания, фраз. Имена собственные сопровождаются записью символами фонетической транскрипции. При знакомстве с пьесами студентам предлагается самостоятельно с помощью словаря выяснить значение и убедиться в правильности произношения встречающихся в тексте незнакомых слов и словосочетаний. Изучение языка пьесы является первичным этапом работы над ней, необходимым для правильного понимания ее текста.

Пьесы на английском языке могут быть использованы для подготовки вечеров и праздников, проведения лексико-фонетических конкурсов, а также как материал для внеклассной работы по иностранному языку в период прохождения студентами педагогической практики и в их дальнейшей работе в качестве учителей английского языка.

PART ONE: FAIRY TALES

CINDERELLA

(Level I)

CHARACTERS: Cinderella, beautiful, clever and well-educated.

Step-mother, a respectable middle-aged lady.

Louise, quiet and romantic, her

Jeannette, merry and cheerful, daughters.

King, strong-willed and serious.

Prince, madly in love with Louise.

René, his friend, easy-going but well-meaning.

Attendant.

Herald.

SCENE I

A room in the King’s Palace.

King and René (singing together): Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday, dear Charley,

Happy birthday to you!

King: Many happy returns of the day, my dear son!

Prince: Thank you, Daddy!

King: Well, Charles, I have something to tell you.

Prince: I’m all attention.

King: You are of age now, my dear boy. It’s time for you to get married.

Prince: Oh no, father. I am too young be married.

King: I don’t think so. You’re old enough to have your own family. And I want to see my grandchildren. You must choose a wife. This is my wish and my will. (Goes off.)

René: I’m afraid, you have no choice, my prince.

Prince: You are right! What shall I do?

René: I’ve got an idea.

Prince: What idea?

René (points to a small shoe-shaped vase): Look at this crystal shoe. What do you think of it?

Prince: A nice little thing. Just the right size for a doll.

René: Now, listen: all you should do is to tell your father that you are ready to marry the girl whom this crystal shoe will fit.

Prince: You are joking! It’s impossible. The shoe is too small.

René: That’s the point! If they are not able to find such a girl, you won’t have to marry her.

Prince: Splendid! You are a real friend, René. And this girl must be an orphan, poor and miserable.

René: Good idea! I think, it’s rather difficult to find a poor miserable orphan with tiny feet. Let’s go to the King now.

________

Herald: Listen, everybody! The girl who is able to put on the crystal shoe will be the bride of our dear prince.

SCENE II

A room in the step-mother’s house.

Louise (tries to take a ribbon from her sister): This is my ribbon.

Jeannette (runs off a few steps): Nothing of the kind, it’s mine.

Louise (follows her): You don’t like pink ribbons, do you?

Jeannette: Yes, I do! I simply adore them. I’m crazy about blue ribbons.

Louise (snatches the ribbon from her sister’s hand): Blue, you said.

Jeannette (running after her): Oh, you would, would you!

Step-mother (enters the room with a newspaper in her hands): What’s up, girls? Louise, Jeannette, stop quarrelling! Have you heard the news?

Louise: What news, mother?

Step-mother: Our prince is going to marry a girl who is able to put on the crystal shoe.

Jeannette (proudly): I’ll become his wife.

Louise: No, I will, and you’ll have to call me “Your Highness”.

Jeannette: This will never be!

Step-mother (angrily): Oh, there is no end to it! Stop it at once. You won’t be able to put this shoe on. It’s too small for you both.

Louise: Too small?

Jeannette: Will it stretch by wearing?

Step-mother: No, it won’t. But I think, it’s the right size for our Cinderella.

Louise: What do you mean, mummy?

Step-mother: She’ll become the princess and you’ll be her gentlewomen.

Jeannette (claps her hands): How wonderful!

Louise: She won’t agree.

Step-mother: Yes, she will. Believe me. (Calling.) Cinderella, my child, where are you?

Louise and Jeannette: Cinderella! Cinderella! Where’s she?

Cinderella (comes into the room with a Latin book in her hands): Non progrědi est regrědi 1.

Step-mother: Cinderella, my dear girl, your sisters’ happiness is in your hands.

Cinderella (reads): Scio me nihil scire. 1

Step-mother: Are you listening to me?

Cinderella: Repetitio est mater studiōrum. 2 Just a moment, mum. I’ll finish in a minute. Verĭtas – tempŏris filia. 3 Now, how can I help you?

Step-mother: It’s so easy. You must marry the prince.

Cinderella: Nonsense! I’ve no time to discuss such foolish things. Errare humanum est. 4

Step-mother: I’m not mistaken, darling. (Gives the newspaper to Cinderella.) Read this.

Cinderella (looks it through): Sancta simplicitas. 5 It’s ridiculous! Don’t tell me.

Louise: Oh, dear Cinderella, when you become our princess…

Jeannette: …you’ll make us your ladies-in-waiting. Say you agree.

Louise: Do, please.

Step-mother: I ask you too. I’m your step-mother but I’ve always tried to be kind to you. Say not, if you can.

Cinderella (kisses her): No, I can’t. I know, you love me as your own daughter.

Jeannette (jumps with joy): The answer is “Yes”!

Cinderella: Well, what must I do?

Jeannette: Just go to the Palace…

Louise: … and put on the crystal shoe…

Step-mother: …and pretend to be poor and miserable.

Cinderella: But I am not poor and miserable. And I hate to pretend.

Step-mother: You should play the part, honey.

Jeannette: And we’ll do our best to make everybody believe that you are just a poor orphan.

Cinderella: All right, then. Alea jacta est. 6 Now, please, leave me alone with my Latin.

SCENE III

A ball-room in the King’s Palace.

King: Welcome to our ball, friends!

Attendant (to the guests): This way, please.

King (to the prince): What do you think about this pretty young lady, my boy?

Prince: You mean this rosy fatty in red?

King (points to another guest): How charming this girl is!

Prince: Which of them? This goggle-eyed fish in blue?

King: And how about the lady who is speaking to René?

Prince: Are you kidding? She’s my grandmother’s age!

King: Really? Hm-m. Well, well, and… (Notices Cinderella) Oh, oh!

Prince: Daddy, daddy! Are you all right?

King: Look! Just look at her!

Prince: What? Where? (Notices Louise.) Oh, yes, yes, I see.

King: But, Charley, you are looking at the wrong girl!

(Everybody is about to dance.)

Prince (to Louise): May I invite you to a dance?

Louise: I’m here to serve you, Your Highness.

King (to Cinderella): Would you like to dance?

Cinderella: Certainly, Your Majesty.

René (to Jeannette): A dance or two, lady?

Jeannette: Oh, no, I don’t feel like this! My foot! You’ve stepped on it, sir!

Attendant: All change places.

Louise (dancing): You do not keep time with the music, my prince.

Prince (dancing): Does it really matter? I’m so happy.

Jeannette (dancing): Now, why do you hop like a frog, I wonder?

René (trying to dance): Oh, it’s not so bad as that, is it?

Jeannette (stops dancing): You should avoid jumping. That’s better.

Cinderella (dancing): I say, you’re a wonderful dancer, Your Majesty.

King (dancing): I’m pleased to hear it.

Attendant: Ladies and gentlemen, the dance is over. His Majesty and His Highness invite you to have a short rest and help yourselves to these wonderful cakes.

Step-mother (whispering): Cinderella! Don’t forget about our plan!

Cinderella (in a low voice): Yes, mum. (Loudly to the King.) I’d like a glass of soda-water, my lord. (Stumbles.) Oh!

King: What’s the matter, my dear young lady?

Cinderella: I’ve broken my left heel!

King: Never mind, we’ve got a dozen pairs of shoes in the Palace. Hey! Bring the best pair for our fair guest.

Cinderella (tries on the shoes): I’m afraid, they are too large.

King: Yes, yes…my boy, Charley! Come here! Look! Her feet are so tiny that she can put on your crystal shoe quite easily.

Prince: Indeed, but father…

Step-mother (pretends to be angry): Keep your dress down, girl.

King: Who are you, madam?

Step-mother: I’m her step-mother, Your Majesty. She is my late husband’s daughter of his first marriage. Cinderella, by name. A poor and miserable creature. An orphan. Don’t pay attention to her, my lord. She’s crazy.

King: A poor miserable orphan with small feet!

Prince: Oh, bother! Not this!

King (to the attendant): Fetch me the crystal shoe.

Attendant (goes out and comes back with the crystal shoe): Here you are, sir.

(Cinderella tries on the shoe. It fits.)

Everybody: Just the right size!

René: I can hardly believe my eyes!

Prince (angrily to René): It was your idea!

King (with a deep sigh): This young lady is your bride, Charley.

Step-mother and Jeannette (to Cinderella): Congratulations, dear!

Prince: But … but please, father. I don’t want to marry her.

King: Your must keep your word, my son. You are a future king. Kiss your bride now. (Charley obeys.) Oh! It’s more than I can bear!

SCENE IV

The garden at the King’s Palace.

Jeannette: But I’d like an orange dress, decorated with a great number of golden-daisies, and a long ermine train.

René: Hm! I think a pink dress would be better.

Jeannette: I hate pink dresses!

René: All right, blue, then. You are going to be the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen. (Wants to hug her, but she runs aside and he falls.)

Jeannette (laughs): And you are going to be the clumsiest groom I’ve ever met.

René: Oh, I love you so much!

Jeannette (notices the prince and Louise, walking toward them): Hush! Hush! Let’s hide over there.

René: What is it?

Jeannette: It’s my sister Louise and His Highness.

(Jeannette and René hide behind the bushes.)

Prince (with hidden tears in his voice): So, it’s impossible for us to be happy?

Louise: I fear, it’s true.

Prince: Because of Cinderella?

Louise: You are engaged, you know it. Cinderella is your future wife.

Prince: I hate her!

Louise: You shouldn’t say so! She is very kind and so clever. And she’s much more beautiful than me.

Prince: Perhaps, she is, but I love you and because of her we cannot be together, Louise, my love, my heart, my very life! (Starts crying.)

Louise: Please, don’t, my lord.

Prince: Don’t call me “my lord”, for you I’m Charley.

Louise: Charley! My Charley! I can’t be with you… I’m so unhappy! (Runs away from him. The prince follows her.)

René (comes from behind the bushes): Such a sad story! But don’t cry, Jeannette. It’ll be all right, I’m sure.

Jeannette: I’m so sorry for both of them. Why, Cinderella is coming here! (To Cinderella) You are too pale for a bride.

Cinderella: Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant! 1

René: What? What?

Cinderella: I’m not a real bride. A real one must be happy. And I feel sad.

Jeannette: Why?

Cinderella: Because I’m in love.

Jeannette (very much surprised): You…are…in…love?!

Cinderella: I fell in love at first sight with…with…

Jeannette: With whom?

Cinderella: With His Majesty the King!

King (who has been hiding behind the tree for some time): Thank God for it! You love me, my dear Cinderella?

Cinderella: Ah! (Falls down in a faint. René throws his arm round her.)

Jeannette: Oh! Your Majesty!

René: My lord!

King: Cinderella, my dear girl! What’s the matter with you?

René: Try the bench, Your Majesty. Don’t worry, it will pass. Look, she’s opening her eyes.

(They put Cinderella on the bench.)

Cinderella: Oh!

King: Are you better now?

Jeannette: She’s all right again.

Prince (suddenly appears and sees the King holding Cinderella in his arms): What I see! Try to explain it, Dad!

King: Sure. I’m going to marry this lady, Charley. She’ll be your step-mother.

Prince: Are you serious?

King: Absolutely. Do you agree to be my wife and my queen, Cinderella?

Cinderella: With all my heart, my lord. Dixi. 2

Prince: So, I’m free and can marry Louise?

King: Marry any girl you like, my son, or don’t marry at all. It’s up to you.

Prince: Thank you, Dad! My Louise!

Louise: My Charley!

René: My Jeannette!

Jeannette: My René!

King: My Cinderella!

Cinderella: Your Majesty!

CURTAIN

BLUE BEARD

(Level I)

CHARACTERS: Blue Beard, a rich and handsome knight.

Lady Anne, a princess, rich, beautiful and independent.

Michelle, one of her ladies, gentle and trustful.

Priest.

Page.

Ladies-in-waiting.

Ghosts.

SCENE I

A room in Lady Anne’s castle.

1^st lady-in-waiting (runs into the room): Blue Beard is here again, Lady Anne!

Blue Beard (enters and bows): I’ve come for your answer, my lady. Do you agree to be my wife?

Lady Anne: I have only one question to ask you, sir. What happened to your three wives? People say you killed them one after another.

Blue Beard: They are all dead.

Lady Anne: My answer is “No”. I don’t want to be dead too.

Blue Beard: But I need a wife.

Lady Anne: Maybe one of my gentlewomen…

Ladies-in-waiting (speaking together): Not me! Not me!

Michelle: I agree to marry you.

Lady Anne: Think better until it’s not too late, you, foolish girl. You are too young to die.

Michelle: I’ll be your wife, Sir Blue Beard.

Blue Beard: What’s your name, my beauty?

Michelle: Michelle.

Blue Beard: I like it. (To Lady Anne.) We want to be married right now.

Lady Anne (to her ladies-in-waiting): Send for a priest.

(Enter the priest.)

Priest (starts the ceremony): Sir Blue Beard, will you have Michelle to be your wedded wife?

Blue Beard: I will.

Priest: Dame Michelle, will you have Blue Beard to be your wedded husband?

Michelle: Yes, Father, I will.

Priest: Give me your right hand, madam. In Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen. 1 (Goes off.)

Blue Beard: Now you are my wife, Michelle. Let’s go home.

SCENE II

A hall in Blue Beard’s castle.

Blue Beard (shows Michelle his castle): There are a lot of rooms in my castle, Michelle, two hundred or three hundred… I’ve never known exactly. And here we have a kitchen. Next to it there is a pantry, a bathroom and a … a toilet. And now let me show you our bedroom. (They go out.)

Page (enters the hall followed by three women, dressed like ghosts): Come on, ladies! Hurry up! (The women disappear in the room next to Blue Beard’s bedroom. The page leaves the hall.)

Blue Beard (comes back with Michelle): You’re the mistress of the house, Michelle. You may go about the castle, come into each room and do everything you want to do. But!.. (Points to the door of the room, where the women are.) But don’t enter this room. Never open this door! It’s my order. I’ve got to go now. I’ll be back in an hour or two. Good-bye, my dear wife. (Kisses her and goes away.)

Michelle: I’m quite alone. Nobody’s here. The door is locked, but I have a key. I can open it and Blue Beard won’t learn about it. What is there in this sealed room? Gold and diamonds? An exotic animal? A prisoner, who has committed some terrible crime? I must find it out. I’m the mistress of the house. (Goes to the door, but suddenly stops.) But my lord Blue Beard doesn’t allow me to open this door. My duty is to obey him.

Page (appears suddenly): My lady! I’m here to warn you.

Michelle: Are you my husband’s page?

Page: Yes, my lady. My master is a terrible murderer. He killed his three wives and now he is going to kill you!

Michelle: It’s a lie. Blue Beard loves me.

Page: I’m not lying. All his wives died. They were kind, innocent and trustful. They loved him a lot. And he killed them one after another.

Michelle: I don’t believe a word!

Page: You must run away from the castle while the master is out. I’ll help you, my lady.

Michelle: I’ll stay with my husband.

Page: I did my best. But you don’t want to listen to the voice of the reason. I wash my hands of it. (Goes out.)

SCENE III

The same place.

Michelle (alone): He killed his wives! It can’t be! There is some secret behind all this. A sealed room! I must enter it! (Unlocks the door. Three figures in white come out of the room.) Who are you?

Women (together): We were Blue Beard’s wives. And now we are ghosts. He killed us one by one.

1^st woman: He cut my throat.

2^nd woman: He poisoned me.

3^rd woman: He starved me to death.

Michelle: It’s not true!

1^st woman: He is cruel.

Michelle: But I love him!

2^nd woman: He is a pitiless murderer.

Michelle: But I love him.

3^rd woman: He will kill you too.

Michelle (whispers): But I love…

Blue Beard (enters the room): Who do you love, I wonder?

Michelle (turns to him): I know that you can kill me, because I’ve broken your order, my lord, but I love you and I won’t leave you while I’m alive.

Blue Beard (embraces her): Thank you, my dear Michelle. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved.

Michelle: The only? (Points to the “ghosts”.) And how about these women?

1^st woman: I’m a cook.

2^nd woman: I’m a housemaid.

3^rd woman: I’m a gardener.

Women (together): And we are alive.

Michelle: So it was a joke!

Blue Beard: I just wanted to make sure that I could trust my wife.

Michelle: You’re too cruel, indeed!

Blue Beard: But you love me.

Michelle: You’re pitiless!

Blue Beard: But you love me.

Michelle: You’re a terrible man, sir.

Blue Beard: But you love me. And I love you too.

CURTAIN

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Дата добавления: 2015-11-04