After the performance

Alice: Well, how did you find the performance?

Jane: The cast was just excellent.

Alice: No wonder, with so many stars in it. You can call it an all-star cast.

Jane: N's acting impressed me greatly. He is always very good, but tonight he was at his best. Don't you think so?

Alice: Agree, I greatly enjoyed the last scene of the second act when he finds out the truth about his brother. His acting was very convincing.

Jane: The actress who played his wife was not bad either, was she?

Alice: I think, she might have been a bit more natural. There was something stilted about her acting.

Jane: Was there? I'm afraid I can't agree with you. And did you like the scenery?

Alice: It was splendid. It contributed very much to the success of the performance.

Jane: I'm very thankful to you for this lovely evening. After all, it was your idea to see the play.

Alice: Nothing to speak of.

Exercise 4. Working in pairs make up your own dialogues, using the dialogues above as an example.

Exercise 5. Read the text paying close attention to the words dealing with the theatre.

The mecca of British theatre-goers is London, which boasts more than 200 professional theatres, many of which are concentrated in the West End and on the South Bank. The centre of the theatre scene in the US is Broadway in New York.

New stage productions are presented every year, many of them costing several million dollars or pounds. Production costs, however, are not a guarantee of box-office success. Most large theatres are repertory theatres with a stock company of actors performing a repertoire of plays at this particular theatre only. Provincial theatres are mainly served by touring companies as they usually cannot afford their own repertory companies.

Theatre-goers can look at the bills and decide which play to see. "Hamlet" may be on at the Old Vic, a serious drama by a contemporary playwright at the Royal Court or an Italian opera at Covent Garden. If the performance or show is not sold out, one can buy tickets for the stalls, the circle, the gallery or the box at the box-office. Families and tourists often prefer to attend matinee performances in the afternoon.

Exercise 5.1. Explain the meaning of the following:

mecca, a stage production, box-office success, a repertory theatre, a stock company, a touring company, a repertoire, a contemporary playwright, a matinee performance, a theatre-goer, a bill.

Exercise 5.2. Name the parts of the theatre mentioned in the text.

Exercise 5.3. Match each part of a theatre on the left with its definition on the right.

aisle a) ticket office

backstage b) the hall at the entrance to a theatre

balcony c) the way between the seats in a theatre

box d) a line of seats for people side by side

box-office e) the seats on the ground floor

circle f) sunken area in front of the stage where an orchestra

foyer may play

gallery (gods) g) the part of a theatre where people can sit above the

orchestra pit ground level

row h) one of the upper parts in a theatre, in which the

stage seats are arranged in part of a circle around the

stalls building

i) the highest upper floor in a theatre

j) a small room in a theatre, on either side, from which

a small group of people can watch the play

k) the raised area in a theatre where actors perform

l) the area out of sight of the audience

Exercise 5.4. Name the famous theatres mentioned in the text. Which other British theatres have you heard of?

Exercise 6. Use the following words and expressions in sentences of your own:

a box-office, a billboard, a stage, the stalls, the gallery, the cast, a cloakroom, a check, a play-bill, an usher, all evening performance, a matinee performance, a rehearsal, to dance the main part, to play the leading role, to burst into applause, to get curtain calls.

Exercise 7. Read the story and tell about your first visit to the theatre.

Ishall never forget my first visit to the Maly Theatre. It was ages ago, but I enjoyed the play so much that it stands out in my memory quite vividly. I saw the play "Inspector-General" by Gogol. I am sure that you'll agree with me that this play is full of humour and has a lot of funny episodes. The scenery was fine. The cast was well chosen, but best of all 1 liked Igor Ilynsky who played the leading role. To my mind he is an excellent actor. No wonder he was a great success with the public. When the last curtain fell Ilynsky got more curtain calls than the other actors and actresses and was presented with flowers.

Exercise 8. Render in English:

1) Яка п’єса йде сьогодні? 2) Чи варто її дивитись? 3) Скільки коштують перші ряди партеру? 4) Дайте мені, будь ласка, два билета в бельэтаж. 5) Я боявся, що не дістану квитків, так як біля входу був напис "Всі квитки розпродані" 6) Я дуже радий, що мені вдалося купити квитки. 7) Ось білетер. Давайте купимо у неї програму. Я хочу знати склад виконавців. 8) Ця опера дуже подобається публіці. Своєю чарівністю вона завдячує музиці Чайковського.

Exercise 9. Provide the words corresponding to the following definitions:

1) the first rows in the English theatre which are bookable; 2) the place where we leave our coats in the theatres; 3) a person who sells the programmes or shows people to their seats; 4) the seats in the English theatres which have no numbers and people occupy them on the principle of: first come, first served; 5) a line of people waiting for their turn; 6) a person who examines our tickets at the entrance to a theatre; 7) different seats in the theatre in England; 8) all actors and actresses acting in a play; 9) people watching the performance.

Exercise 10. Match the words in column A with those in column B:

1. an actress a. завіса

2. a musician b.бельетаж

3. a prompter c. номерок (гардероба)

4. a composer d. композитор

5. a stage-manager e. суфлер

6. a cloakroom f. постановник

7. a curtain g. гардероб

8. a check h. оперний театр

9. a stage i. репетиція

10. scenery j. місце (у театрі)

11. an opera-house k. комедія

12. a rehearsal 1. аплодувати

13. the dress-circle m. музикант

14. a seat n. сцена

15. the comedy o. актриса

16. to applaud p. декорації

Exercise 11. Make questions to which the following sentences would be the answers:

1) Everybody liked the play very much. 2) I have got a friend who remembers all his visits to the Bolshoi Theatre. 3) This opera owes much of its charm to its delightful music and splendid scenery. 4) I went to the box office to get tickets for the ballet "The Nutcracker" but found out that there were no more tickets left. 5) First of all let's go inside and check our seats. 6) The audience was highly pleased with the play "The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare. 7) This play draws the audience and pays its way in spite of the fact that it has a long run.

Exercise 12. Translate the following text without using a dictionary.

I'll never forget my first visit to the Bolshoi Theatre. It was ages ago, but it stands out in my memory quite vividly. My mother bought two tickets beforehand for a matinee performance of the ballet "The Sleeping Beauty" by Tchaikovsky.

We came to the theatre long before the performance began. A sign at the entrance of the theatre read "House full". Many people were standing at the theatre asking if we had an extra ticket.

We left our coats in the cloak-room and bought a programme from the usher to see what the cast was. I remember we were glad to see that Plisetskaya was dancing the main part.

At twelve sharp the lights went down and the performance began. I had never seen anything more wonderful. The scenery and the dancing were excellent. When the last curtain fell the house burst into applause. The dancers got many curtain calls and were presented with flowers. The performance was a great success with the public. This first visit to the Bolshoi Theatre is one of my brightest memories.

Exercise 13. Translate the following sentences into Russian without using a dictionary.

1) "I'm sorry I have not booked the seats for this show." "Don't worry. The play is not worth seeing." 2) "I was at the concert yesterday." — "What turns did you like best?" — "I should rather say that the whole programme was very interesting." 3) To my mind one of the singers is extremely gifted. 'She has a wonderful voice. She performed four songs and each of them was met with a storm of applause. 4) The concert owed much of its charm to the singers. They sang to the accompaniment of guitars.

Exercise 14. Read the text paying close attention to the words and word combinations referring to the theatre.

People not content with amateur theatricals but interested in becoming professional actors usually attend a school of acting. An agent may then find them a role/part in a new play for which they must audition. Actors who have proved suitable at the audition are cast in various roles according to age, sex, ability and experience. The leading man and leading lady have the chief parts, while the juvenile lead is played by a young but gifted actor or actress. There are generally a number of supporting roles. Young, innocent-looking girls are required for ingenue roles, while character actors specialize in playing eccentric parts.

A small part which requires considerable talent is called a cameo role. Walk-on parts are those of actors who merely appear on stage without speaking. Should a member of the cast fall ill, an understudy who has learned the part takes over.

The players are given their scripts so that they can learn their lines and cues by heart. Rehearsals under the guidance of the director continue until the dress rehearsal just before the play's premiere/first night. That night everyone suffers from first night nerves: stage fright, fear of drying up, missing cues etc. Backstage, in the dressing rooms, actors and actresses put on their costumes and are made up. The director waits in the wings with last-minute stage directions, the stage manager makes sure that the previously built and painted scenery/set is in place, that the prompter is in position and that the lighting and props are ready. At last the lights dim and the curtain rises; the first scene begins.

Exercise 14.1. Answer the questions:

1) What is the purpose of auditions?

2) Who is responsible for casting actors?

3) Is gift an in-born or acquired quality?

4) What is the difference between a cameo role and a walk-on part?

5) What do we call an actor who takes over in case of the illness of some member of the cast?

6) What is the difference between "cast" and "company"?

7) What are three synonyms to the word "theatrical"?

8) Suggest the word which means something said or done as a signal for an actor to speak in a play.

9) What is the difference between "rehearsal" and "dress rehearsal"?

Exercise 14.2. Match each part of a stage on the left with its definition on the right.

backstage a) something built and provided with furniture,

scenery, etc, to represent the scene of the action of a play

curtain b) at or towards the back of the stage

downstage c) at or towards the front of the stage

dressing room d) behind the stage, especially in the dressing rooms of the actors

footlights e) a room behind the stage where an actor can get ready for his performance

scenery f) the sides of a stage, where an actor is hidden from view

set g) a sheet of heavy material drawn across the front of the stage

spotlight h) a row of lights along the front of the floor of a stage

trapdoor i) a lamp with a movable narrow beam

upstage j) the set of painted backgrounds and other objects used on a stage

wings k) a small door, covering an opening in the floor on a stage

Exercise 14.3. Match the people below with a suitable definition:

ham hero heroine cast star stunt man troupe understudy villain leading lady

a) the actress who performs chief parts

b) the main bad character in a play

c) a set of actors in a play

d) a company of dancers, members of a circus

e) the most important male part in a play

f) a famous actor or actress

g) an actor who learns an important part in a play so as to be able to take over if necessary

h) a person who takes the part of an actor at dangerous points

i) the most important female part in a play

j) an actor who acts artificially, unnaturally

Exercise 15. Read the extract from a Shakespeare play As You Like It. It is a famous speech known as The seven ages of man, by a character called Jaques. After reading the speech answer the questions below.

ALL THE WORLD'S STAGE

All the world's stage

And all the men and women merely players:

They have their exits and their entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts,

His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,

Mewling and puking in his nurse's arms.

And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel,

And shining morning face, creeping like snail

Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,

Sighing like furnace, with a woful ballad

Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,

Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,

Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,

Seeking the bubble reputation

Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,

In fair round belly with good capon lin'd,

With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut,

Full of wise saws and modern instances;

And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts

Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon

With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,

His youthful hose well sav'd a world too wide

For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,

Turning again toward childish treble, pipes

And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,

That ends his strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

15.1. What is the modern word for 'players'?

15.2. What are exits and entrances, parts and acts in the theatre?

What are they in a person's life?

15.3. Does the baby seem attractive? Why?

What doesn't the school-boy want to do?

What is the lover doing?

Do all of these words describe the soldier? - violent, quick-tempered, clever

What does the judge like doing?

How old is the man in the sixth age?

What can't the man in the seventh age do?

15.4. There's a negative criticism of each of the seven people. Who …

- keeps on complaining?

- wants fame so much that he'll probably kill himself?

- looks rather ridiculous?

- sounds and smells awful?

- probably wouldn't notice either the sound or the smell?

- will probably mature with age?

- sounds a real bore?

15.5. The lover writes a ballad "to his mistress' eyebrow". What point is Shakespeare making about the lover?

15.6. Explain the phrase "bubble reputation".

Exercise 16. Read the CONFESSIONS OF A WOULD-BE ACTOR and do the tasks following the text.

After playing Joseph in a nativity play at the age of five, my theatrical career really took off. I was chosen to be the back end of the pantomime horse in our school end-of-term show. Success there or rather lack of it led to my being given the job of stagehand for all future productions. Even scenery falling over in the middle of an Italian light opera and the last-minute panic over the missing set for an ancient Greek tragedy failed to persuade our drama teacher that I would be less of a risk on stage than off.

On leaving school, I joined an amateur dramatic society, full of enthusiasm but rather short on experience, technique and timing. For some years I was restricted to bit parts in sketches, satirical revues and one or two slapstick comedies. My finest hour came when I had to stand in for a member of the cast who had been taken ill - I was the general male understudy - and take the part of the villain in a Victorian melodrama; lots of overacting and asides to the audience. I had only a very short rehearsal beforehand and I thought my performance was reasonably competent. The producer, however, suggested that I took up some less public hobby, like pottery or rug-making.

Not deterred, I joined a repertory company as stage and costumes manager, also responsible for props and make-up. And I was their prompter as well. During my time with them I wrote a number of scripts, most of which were rejected, but one of which was accepted and performed. It turned out to be the most terrible flop. I didn't do much acting there - just one part, if I remember rightly, in the chorus of a musical, a revival of West-Side Story. Nobody 'discovered' me. What I had always wanted was to play the hero in something like Romeo and Juliet or to have a leading part in an Oscar Wilde comedy of manners. When I turned fifty, however, I began to accept that it was probably not going to happen.

You can imagine my surprise and delight, then, when some nights ago I learned that I had landed the title role in Shakespeare's classic play Macbeth with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I couldn't believe my luck. Macbeth: that superb monologue before Duncan's murder, the passages with the witches on the heath, that fantastic Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow speech in Act 5, Scene 5. The dress rehearsal with co-stars Olivier and Glenda Jackson, was a dream. And with the first night to follow - ten curtain calls - bouquets - reviews the next day: 'Smash hit!' 'Don't miss it!' "A box-office winner!' 'Triumph for new Macbeth!'.

And then that horrible ringing sound in my ears.

16.1. Retell the text as if describing your friend's theatrical experience.

Exercise 17. Fill in the gaps with suitable words.

1) After the performance, come __________________________ and meet some of the cast.

2) The actors walked on to the __________________________ and the play began.

3) After the interval, the change of _________________________ brought a gasp of surprise from the audience.

4) The _______________________ is open daily for ticket sales.

5) We agreed to meet in the _____________________ of the theatre, near the cloakroom.

6) My brother, who is fond of acting, has joined an ______________________ dramatic society.

7) All the seats in the theatre were _______________________ weeks before the first performance.

8) He played the lead in the ________________________ of "Macbeth".

9) Halfway through the first act the leading man forgot his _______________.

10) When he forgot his lines the ______________________ whispered them from the side of the stage.

11) For the first night's performance the _______________________ had to be called in to take the part because the leading lady had been taken ill.

12) During the dress ________________________ he was relaxed, but he was very nervous on the ______________________.

13) The actor had six _______________________ ______________ after his marvellous performance.

14) During the _______________________ we had a drink and discussed the first act of the play.

15) Lawrence Olivier gave an excellent ______________________ in the play.

16) There was an interesting _________________________ of the theatrical in the paper last week.

Exercise 18. Give the English for the following words and expressions and use them in sentences of your own.

Склад виконавців, театрал, користуватися великим успіхом, сидіти у партері, ранковий спектакль, прем’єра, декорації, головна роль, ставити п’єсу, отримати задоволення від вистави, п’єса провалилася (зазнала невдачі).

1. actor, actress 2. audience 3. cast 4. company 5. choreographer 6. critic 7. director 8. playwright 9. prompter 10. designer 11. stage hand 12. stage manager 13. understudy 14. usher, usherette

a. the person who writes reviews of new plays, musicals, etc. b. all the people who act in a play or a musical c. learns another actor's part in order to be able to take his place if he or she is ill or unable to perform d. reminds the actors of their next line in a speech if they forget it e. shows people coming to watch the play or musical to their f. makes up or arranges the steps for the dancers who perform on stage g. designs the scenery, etc. on stage h. a group of actors, singers or dancers who work together, e.g. The Royal Shakespeare_______. i. the people who come to watch a play or a musical j. helps behind the scenes during a production, e.g. by moving scenery, etc. k. a person who writes plays 1. is responsible for everything that happens on stage during a performance m. a person whose job is acting n. decides now a play is preformed; tells the actors what to usherette

Exercise 19. Who's who in the theatre? Match the words (1-14) on the left with a suitable definition (a-n) on the right.

Exercise 20. Write the missing words in the sentences below. Choose from the following:

aisle	curtain	interval	to rehearse
аpplause	dress rehearsal	matinee	row
auditorium	dressing-room	orchestra pit	stage
box office	first night	performance	stalls
circle (balcony)	foyer	programme	wings

1. We picked up the tickets we had ordered at the theatre ________.

2. The_____ is the large area just inside the main doors of a theatre where people meet and wait, while the audience sit.

3. He was given the Evening Standard Actor of the Year award for his ______ in Cyrano de Bergerac.

4. We walked down the ______ behind an usher as he showed us to our seats in ____ F.

5. The______ was terrible. Several of the actors forgot their lines, one or two dancers fell over and there was a problem with the lighting. Let's hope the play's a lot better when it opens on Saturday.

6. When you buy tickets you can choose to sit downstairs in the______ or upstairs in the _______.

7. If you can't get to see the play in the evening, you can always go to the ________ or afternoon performance.

8. The audience really loved the new musical, as they showed by their loud _______ at the end.

9. The______ is the area where the actors stand and perform.

10.I never go to see a play on its. I prefer to wait a few weeks. It's usually better then.

11. In front of the stage is an area where the musicians sit. This is called the ______.

12.If you want to know more about the play or the actors in it, you can always buy a _____ before the performance.

13.The audience became silent as the ______ went up and the play began.

14. Before going on stage, the actors often wait in the _______ that is, the area to the side of the stage, hidden from the audience.

15.There is usually a short _______ of about 15-20 minutes between the acts of a play.

16.They normally ___ for at least two months before they perform in public.

17. The actors put on their costumes and make-up in the _____.

Exercise 21. Provide words or word combinations to the definitions:

1. the part of the theatre where the audience sits;

2. a raised platform in a theatre where the actors appear;

3. the highest balcony where the cheapest seats arc placed;

4. a place where hats and coats may be left;

5. a piece of wood or metal with a number on it given in return for hat or a coat;

6. a set of actors in a play;

7. the main role;

8. a trial performance of a play;

9. a person who shows people to their seats;

10.seats in the theatre above the stalls.

Exercise 22. Say what they do:

a dancer, an usher, an actor, a conductor, a singer, a clerk, a ticket taker, an actress, a musician, a composer, a prompter, a producer, a spectator, a playwright.

Exercise 23. In each group of four words below, one is different. Underline the word that is different— that is 'odd man out'.

1. producer, actor, cast, doctor.

2. theatre, scene, ship, setting.

3. play, game, performance, concert.

4. ear, stalls, pit, balcony.

5. ticket, box-office, newsreel, usher.

6. actor, dancer, singer, teacher.

7. roof, footlights, scenery, wings.

8. violinist, physicist, pianist, composer.

9. script, playwright, interval, dramatist.

10.spectator, audience, theatre-goer, fan.

11.ballet, curtain, opera, action.

12.admiration, amazement, failure, adoration.

13.impression, effect, feeling, fantasy.

14.tragedy, rehearsal, gala night, matinee;

15.part, package, role, player

16.comedy, tragedy, poster, melodrama.

Exercise 24. Read the text.

A Night at the Theater

Here we are outside the theatre. It is the Library Theatre which is underneath the Central 'Library in Manchester. We are going to see a modern play which is very popular with theatre-goers.

Passing through the revolving door and down the stairs we come to the box office where the tickets are sold. Luckily we booked our seats a few weeks ago or would not be able to-get in, because for this play all the seats had already been sold. It is so popular that this is the second time it has been produced here.

We leave our raincoats in the cloakroom. At the entrance to the theatre itself an attendant in uniform tears our theatre tickets in half. He gives us our halves back so that we can find our seats by their numbers. Another attendant shows us to our scats and sells us a programme that will tell us which parts the actors are playing and how many acts there are in the play.

Then we take our seats about halfway down the auditorium.

All around us people are settling down into their seats, reading their programmes, passing chocolates. Everybody is excited, looking forward to the play. We all have a clear view of the stage because the seats are set on wide steps which slope down to the level of the stage. On the front row, you are so close you can smell the paint on the scenery but not too close to spoil your view of the actors. Even on the back row you have a perfect view of the stage because this is a small theatre.

This auditorium holds only 300 seats, but many theatres are much larger. In a small theatre you can always be sure to hear and see everything and really feel that you are with the actors in everything they do and in all the places they visit. But many plays are still produced in very large, old theatres where it is difficult to see and hear properly if you are on the back row. There are sometimes so many stalls (ground-floor seats) in these theatres that they are divided into orchestra stalls, centre stalls, and rear stalls, with the pit behind them. Above, there is the dress circle and boxes, then the balcony and, high above, the gallery, or the "gods"!

The auditorium seems to be full now. In a few minutes the play will begin. The attendants close the doors and draw the curtains over them. The warning bell rings to tell everyone the play is about to begin. People whisper excitedly. Slowly the lights begin to come up on the stage.

Exercise 25. Find in the text the equivalents to the following:

1) дуже популярна серед театралів, 2) театральна каса, 3) купити квитки, 4) поставлена (п’єса) вдруге, 5) гардероб, 6) найти місця (у театрі), 7) роль, 8) передні / задні ряди, 9) зал уміщує, 10) партер, 11) амфітеатр, 12) зал заповнений, 13) загораються вогни.

Exercise 26. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1) В цьому сезоні це найпопулярніша п’єса.

2) Я не театрал, але теж дуже хочу подивитися цю п’єсу.

3) Ми купили квитки заздалегідь у касі театру, і тепер не повинні стояти у черзі, щоб купити квиток.

4) Эта п’єса ставиться у цьому театрі вже вдруге.

5) Ми купили програмку, щоб дізнатися, хто грає головні ролі, скільки акторів у п’єсі

6) Глядацька зала вміщує 300 чоловік, це маленький театр.

7) Але більшість старих театрів дуже великі, партер у цих театрах навіть поділяється на «передні ряди партера», «середню частину» й «задні ряди партера».

8) За партером ідет амфітеатр, над ним бельетаж, ложа, балкон і гальорка.

Exercise 27. Fill in the blanks with the corresponding words, given below.

If we want to go to.... we must first look through.... to find out what….As it is sometimes rather difficult to get.... we must book them at … some people don't like to have.... far from …. They try to get tickets for …. If we have little …money we take seats on ….When we come to any theatre in Russia we leave our coats in.... and take.... in order to get them back when.... is over. If we want to know.... we buy …. We look through it to find out who plays.... in the performance we are going to see. After this we take our seats and wait for the lights to …. Soon the lights go down,.... goes up and the play begins.

The curtain, a theatre, go down, the billboard, the lending role, is on, the cast, tickets, a check, a playbill, seats, the performance, the stage, book, the stalls, the gallery, go up, box-office, cloakroom.

Exercise 28. Translate the words given in brackets.

1) An (білетер) shows us to our seats and sells us a programme. 2) This (глядацька зала) holds 500 seats. 3) The play (репетирується) by a company of actors for some time and then (іде) as long as (збирає повну залу). 4) The actors (грають свої ролі) so realistically, so true to life. 5) The third bell, isn't it? (Світло в залі гасне) and the orchestra stops (настроюють інструменти). 6) Young people tried to get (за лаштунки) to the dressing rooms to speak with the actress. 7) I have never seen the (глядацька зала) applaud so much. I think there were five (викликів артистів на сцену). 8) They say that the theatre begins with the (гардероба).

Exercise 29. Fill in prepositions or adverbs.

1)This play is very popular.... theatre-goers. 2) … this play all the seats had already been sold. 3) We passed … the door we came.... box-office where the tickets are sold. 4) …the entrance.... the theatre we were met.... an attendant in uniform. 5) The seats.... the theatre are found.... their numbers, but if you can't do that an usher will show you.... your seats. 6).... the front row you can clearly see everything. 7) In modern theatres where the seats slope down to the level of the stage even.... the back row you have a perfect view of the stage. 8) The pit is... the rear stalls. 9) Slowly the lights begin to come.... 10) For this play all the seats had already been sold and we were able to get the tickets only.... the balcony. 11) The seats were good, two pit stalls.... the third row. 12).We wanted to go.... wings to see the actors making …. 13) The orchestra began tuning.... and the lights went.... 14) After a short overture the curtain rose.... a scene of 18-th century Paris.

Exercise 30. Provide words and expressions to the following definitions:

l)What do we call a person who shows people to their seats in the theatre? 2) What expression do we use if we want to say that we remember something very well? 3) What do we call the performance which takes place in the day time? 4) What does the sign "House full" at the entrance of the theatre mean? 5) What will you do if you want to go to the theatre very much but can't buy the tickets beforehand? 6) What expression means everybody liked the performance very much?

Exercise 31. Change the meaning of the following sentences replacing the underlined word by its antonym.

The lights went up and the performance was over. We've got fine seats quite close to the stage. As the performance was bad all tickets were still in the box-office. The curtain went up and the performance began.

Exercise 32. Give detailed explanation to the italicized words:

There are very many state theatres in Russia, which have a permanent staff. Each of them has a great variety of shows, in Great Britain it is not like that. A play is rehearsed for a few weeks by a company of actors working together mostly for the first time, and it is then allowed to run as long as it draws the audience and pays its way - which may be for several years.

Another peculiarity of the theatre in Great Britain is as follows: there are two kinds of seats: bookable seats - seats, that can be booked in advance, and unbookable ones - those, which have no numbers and the spectators occupy them on the principle of: first come, first served. As to the names of the parts of the theatre in England they are as follows: all the front rows, as far as the barrier are the stalls. The barrier separates the stalls from the other part of the house. There are separate entrances for different parts of the theatre. The pit is the part behind the barrier. The seats there are not bookable and have no numbers. You have to stand in a queue to get in there and also for the gallery. The lower tier under the gallery is the dress-circle. People having seats there as well as in the stalls are supposed to wear some sort of evening dress.

Exercise 33. Find out equivalents to the underlined words from the ones given below:

The English National Theatre is working temporarily in the Old Vic Theatre. " This is the first state theatre Britain has ever had. It has a permanent staff of actors and actresses. In the past few years London has become the center of theatrical experime nt. In 1964 Peter Brook and Charles Morovvitz formed an experimental group attached to the Royal Shakespeare Company and presented "The Theatre of Cruelty". What's characteristic of this theatre? Firstly images have become much more important than words and the actor and the director share the same creative rights as the author. Secondly there's a readiness to alter or rewrite the classics to see if they can show us anything about present day-problems... Some companies place great importance on physical discipline, others put the emphasis on freedom of movement. "The Living Theatre" can be an example of this. The most modem building is the New London Theatre, it was opened in 1973 and has in one complex a restaurant, underground parking for cars, tower block for tenants and a theatre. The New London Theatre is modem in design and very comfortable. The scenery can be lowered through louvered panels in the ceiling. Walls, stage, ceiling and even seats can be moved.

Образы, театральный эксперимент, декорации, переделывать, переписывать классические произведения, особо выделяют, придают большое значение, современный дизайн, разделяют с автором право на творчество.

Exercise 34. Insert prepositions and postverbal adverbs wherever necessary.

1. His plays are very popular... the public. He touches... serious social problems... his plays. Besides, he is a great master... intrigue. 2. Where are our seats? -... the orchestra stalls,... the seventh row. 3. Who is... the cast today? 4. N. was... his best tonight. 5. They say it's not easy to get tickets... this play. Let's try to book seats... telephone. 6. Would you like to go... the theatre tonight? 7. Let's take opera-glasses, our seats are... the balcony.

Exercise 35. Change the following sentences into their opposites making other necessary changes.

1. They say his new play is a complete failure with the public. 2. Everybody agrees that T. was at his worst yesterday. 3. This play is still on at the Art Theatre. 4. My friend said that he had enjoyed every minute of the play. 5. N.'s acting was true to life. 6. When one sits on the front rows one has a good view of the stage. 7. The play was so dull that spectators were bored to death. 8. My brother often goes to matinees.

Exercise 36. Translate into English.

1. Вчора ми дивилися нову п’єсу в театрі Комедії. Вистава мала великий успіх. Головні ролі виконували молоді талановиті актори. Успіху вистави сприяли чудові декорації. 2. Дзвенить другий дзвоник. Підемо до зали. Де наші місця? – В 12-му ряді партера. Я сподіваюся, нам добре буде видно сцену. 3. Тобі сподобався спектакль? – Склад виконавців був неперевершений. Актриса, яка грала головну роль, була особливо гарна. 4. Я б дуже хотіла подивитися нову п’єсу в ХАТОБі. – Кажуть, на нього важко дістати квитки. – А що, якщо ми спробуємо замовити їх заздалегідь по телефону? – Гарна ідея. Давай спробуємо. 5. Давай купимо програмку. Цікаво, хто сьогодні грає у спектаклі. Хотілося б, щоб був перший склад. 6. Ви бачили нову п’єсу в театрі Драми? 7. В оперному театрі завтра прем’єра нової опери. Кажуть, що вона повинна стати великою подією в театральному житті нашого міста. Давай спробуємо дістати квитки біля входу. (to pick up tickets at the entrance).

Exercise 37. Complete the sentences using the phrases from the brackets.

1. When we were at the theatre last, we had seats... (in the stalls; in the pit; in the boxes; in the dress-circle; in the balcony; in the fifth row).

2. We bought the tickets... (right before the performance; five days in advance; at the box-office; at the theatre agency).

3. It was... (an evening performance; an afternoon performance).

4. The house was... (full; nearly empty).

5. The play we saw... (is based on a novel by a well-known American writer; is written by a young English playwright).

6. It is... (a new production; the first production of a young director; the latest production).

7. The play is... (amusing; dull; funny; sad; instructive; entertaining; worth seeing; no good; boring; not bad; awful; stupid).

8. The play... (raises a lot of problems; gives food for thought; has a happy ending).

9. The plot is... (quite simple; most interesting; primitive; rather unusual).

10. The cast was... (excellent; not very good; not bad; bad).

11.The main part was played by... (a talented young actor; a well-known actor; a new star).

12.The actor appeared on the stage for the first time... (in the part of...; in the latest production of...; in an amateur performance).

13.The performance was... (a success; a failure; a great success; a complete failure).

14.The audience... (was carried away by the performance; followed the play with great attention; remained cold; was bored).

15.1... (liked it; didn't like it at all; enjoyed it immensely; think it was a waste of time; wish 1 had stayed at home).

Exercise 38. Complete the sentences.

1. When we were at the theatre last, we saw... 2. We bought tickets at... 3. We had seats in... 4. The performance began at... 5. The house was... 6. The play is by... (is based on...) 7. The cast was... 8. The leading lady (man) was... 9. The audience... 10. I liked (didn't like) the play because... 11. What I liked about the play was (is) that... 12. The most exciting scene is... 13. On the whole...

Exercise 39. Fill in the blanks with prepositions and adverbs where necessary.

1. Reserve tickets... advance. 2. You can reserve a room... cable or letter. 3. The film is dubbed... Russian. 4. His name was not included... the list. 5....the whole the play is good. 6. Everybody was carried the performance. 7. We are to meet... the entrance...the theatre. 8. Am I... your way? 9. Has the novel been adapted... the screen? 10. He has nothing... common... these people. 11.... the end evil was punished. 12. We had to queue… tickets. 13. They had seats

... the balcony. 14. The book is good, which is not the case...the stage version. 15. Judging... his words it was a failure.

Exercise 40. Translate into English.

A.

1. Він спитав, хто грає головну роль у нашому останньому фільмі. 2. Я не знав, що спектакль пройшов з великим успіхом. 3. Якби не гра акторів, п’єса, можливо, провалилась би. 4. Якби не актриса, яка грала головну роль, п’єса не мала б такого великого успіху. 5. Я впевнений, ви б могли екранізувати цей роман. Чому б вам не спробувати? 6. Він давно міг би зробити гарний фільм, узявши за основу цей роман. Шкода, що він цього не зробив. 7. Я пропонує включити цей номер у програму.

B.

1. Де ви хочете сидіти (мати місця)? 2. Скільки часу вам довелося стояти за квитками? 3. Хто буде диригувати оркестром? 4. У якому ряду ми будемо сидіти? 5. Дати вам бінокль? 6. Я б взяв квитки на вечірню виставу. 7. До якого театру взяти квитки? 8. Як вам подобається спектакль? 9. Ви можете купити квитки у будь-якій театральній касі. 10. Ця комедія користується успіхом? 11. Який сюжет п’си? 12. Де відбувається дія? 14. Дивитися такі п’єси – марна трата часу. 15. Цю п’єсу дивитися не варто. 16. В цілому мені сподобалася вистава.

Exercise 41. Read the joke and tell a few words about your last visit to the theatre. What did you like best of all there?

A stage manager was present at a performance. He seemed to be highly pleased with it. When the performance was over he was asked whether it was the leading lady or the leading man whom he most applauded. Neither the one nor the other, but the prompter," replied the stage manager, "for it was him that I heard most during the performance."

Exercise 42. Read the joke, think of its beginning and tell the joke with as many details as you can add to it.

During the performance a man in the pit was much annoyed by a young couple next to him, who kept on whispering. "Excuse me," he said, "but I can't hear a word that is being said." "I like that," exclaimed the talkative young man. "It's no business of yours, sir, what I am telling my wife."

Exercise 43. How will you act and what will you say if:

1.you want to know what is on;

2.you don't know how to get to the theatre;

3. you come to the box-office to buy tickets;

4.you don't know where to leave your things;

5.you can't find your seats;

6.you want to know the cast;

7.you are eager to listen and your neighbour is talking all the time;

8.you come home very late.

Exercise 44. Compose dialogues, using the situations given below.

1.Nick and Mark are talking about their last visit to the cinema. Nick is very fond of going to the pictures. Mark prefers the theatre. Mark complains that the film has been a bore. Nick tries to persuade him that he ought to have enjoyed it, for it is the hit of the season.

2.You are late for the concert. You can't find your seats, as the concert has already begun. When at last the usher shows you to your seats you find them occupied. The usher talks to the people to find out what happened.

3.During the interval two friends discuss the play. Tom thinks that the acting is perfect, but his friend doesn't agree with him. He doesn't think that the actors perform their parts true to life. And besides they wear too much make-up. Tom insists that the scenery is quite out of the ordinary.

Exercise 45. Fill in the gaps with appropriate words.

audience scene performance interval

curtain box-office orchestra Opera

dressing-room foyer gangway footlights

opera-glasses art balconies cloak-room

1. We buy seats (tickets) at the _______.

2. Above the ground floor there are generally several curved _______ with even steeper slopes of seats.

3. Seats in the first rows of the stalls are called _______ stalls.

4. Each person in large ______ can see actors on the stage.

5. The _______ is dropped or lowered between the scenes of acts of a play.

6. During the ________ you may go to the refreshment room (buffet).

7. We leave our coats and wraps in the _______.

8. The concluding _______ is superbly done.

9. Many people walk down the _______ looking for their seats.

10. The _______ is a great success.

11. It is a real piece of ________ and its creation calls for talent and inspiration.

12. An intricate system of _______ illuminates the stage.

13. In the ______ the actors usually make up.

14. I would like to go to the ______ House.

15. The attendant proposes us _______ on hire.

16. Several doors separate the _______ from the seating area.

Exercise 46. Choose the best variant.

1. The actors were very pleased that there was such a large _______ for the first night of the new play.

Assembly audience congregation meeting

2. Julia had two curtain _______ after her long tirade.

Calls demands requests shouts

3. Alice Crichton felt nervous on the stage because she had never performed in ______ before.

Audience fan company public

4. The audience _______ out laughing when the actor fell over.

Broke called burst shouted

5. During the _______ they had a drink and discussed the first act of the play.

Break interval interruption pause

6. During the dress ______ the leading actress was relaxed, but she was very nervous on the first night.

Performance production repetition rehearsal

Exercise 47. Fill in the following words in the gaps provided:

success matinee box-office tickets check curtain play-bill stage performance seats acts stalls cloak-room book scenery billboard gallery cast

If we want to go to the theatre we should first look through the _______ to find out which is on. It is sometimes difficult to get the ________, so we should _______ them at the _______. Some people don’t like to have _______ far from the _______. They try to get tickets for the _______. If we have little money we take seats on the _______. When we come to the theatre we usually leave our coats in the ________ and take a ________ to get them back when the _______ is over.

If we want to know the _______ we buy a _______. We look through it to find out who _______ the leading part in the performance. I usually go to the ______. I like going to Mariinski Theatre because the _______ there is beautiful. The performances are always exciting. When it is over the dancers or singers get many _______ calls. The performances are always a _______ with the public.

Exercise 48. Fill in the gaps with suitable words:

1. A new _____ of ‘Olivier’ is a great success.

2. It was all star _____.

3. ‘Hamlet’ is ______ by L. Olivier.

4. They gave two full ______ every week.

5. The play has a very complicated ______.

6. The play is ______ in India.

7. She became famous after her _____ role in the musical.

8. This play is the funniest ______ I’ve seen in long time.

9. Before he became a famous actor, he studied ______ in Paris.

Exercise 49. Match two parts of the sentences:

1.	After the play there was…	the character is shown as a villain.
2.	I thought the whole play…	the quality of the acting.
3.	The best about the production is…	the audience was bored to death.
4.	Many of the characters in O’Neill’s plays…	her starring role in The Wizard of Oz.
5.	During the first few scenes of the play…	TV and cinema are eclipsing theatrical art, which is actually dying.
6.	It is often believed that…	one has a good view of the stage.
7.	The opera owes much of its charm to…	a big party for the cast.
8.	The play was so dull that…	the delightful music and splendid scenery.
9.	When one sits in the front rows…	are based on his own family.
10.	Judy Garland became famous after…	was very well acted.

Exercise 50. Discuss the following:

Ø Why is that people go to the theatre? What do they look for there?

Ø What ‘rivals’ has the theatre got nowadays? Are they rivals, in fact?

Ø Do personal qualities of an actor matter?

Ø What do you think of experimental techniques in the theatre, e.g. theatre-in-the-round?

Ø All the world is stage.

Ø Confessions of a former actor or actress.

Exercise 51. Speak on one of the following topics:

Ø The history of English theatre.

Ø British Drama Theatre today.

Ø Theatre in the USA.

Ø Shakespeare as actor and playwright.

Ø G.B. Show and British theatre.

Ø Theatre in Ancient Greece.

Ø The history of Russian theatre. Prominent names.

Ø K.S. Stanislavsky, his role in the Moscow Art Theatre, his influence on world theatre.

Ø Experimental techniques in the theatre.

Ø Y. Lysenko and Ukrainian theatre.

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