Vocabulary and speech exercises

I. Read the following and either agree or disagree with the statements. (See the Reminder.):

1. The house is the part of the theatre where the members of the orchestra usually sit. - By no means. The members of the orchestra usually sit in a lowered area in front of the stage, which is called the "Pit"

2. An auditorium is a building or a part of a building in which the audience sit. - Beyond all doubt.

3. The audience includes both spectators and actors. - You are wrong. The audience includes spectators.

4. When the audience is pleased it keeps silent. - I won't deny it.

5. We say “the house is full” when not all the seats in the auditorium are occupied. - I disagree with you. We say “the house is full” when all the seats in the auditorium are occupied.

6. The pit is nearer to the stage than the stalls. - Just the other way round. The stalls is nearer to the stage than the pit.

7. You prefer seats in the gallery, don't you? - I won't deny it.

8. Wings are the sides of a stage with the scenery. - I should think so.

9. You wouldn't like to go behind the stage, I believe. - Not me!

10. The cheapest seats are in the boxes. - By no means. The cheapest seats are in the gallery.

11. The most expensive seats are in the orchestra stalls. - Beyond all doubt.

12. Students always buy seats in the orchestra stalls. I should think so. Students buy seats in the balcony because the seats in the last row of the top balcony are cheapest.

13. By the cast of the play we mean all the actors belonging to the theatrical company. - I should think so.

14. The role of the producer is not very important. - I disagree with you. The role of the producer is very important.

15. You don't know who Stanislavsky was, I believe. - I won't deny it.

16. It doesn't take many people to produce a play. - I should think so.

17. I believe you clap to show your appreciation of the acting or the play as a whole. - I won't deny it.

Reminder. Beyond all doubt. I should think so. I won't deny it. Most likely. I disagree with you. On the contrary. You are wrong. Just the other way round. Not me! By no means.

II. Choose the right word.

C. part, role,

1. The part of Lady Bracknell was played by Edith Evans. 2. He forgot his role in the middle of the second act and had to be prompted. 3. Eric Porker plays the main role.

D. stage, scene

1. In the first scene the family are preparing to welcome the youngest son home. 2. There was no change of scene during the play. 3. Then her husband appeared on the scene. 4. Then her husband came onto the stage. 5. It's an interesting play. I'd like to see it on the stage.

III. Paraphrase the following sentences.

1. I'm very interested in the theatre. - I'm very interested in the drama.

2. There are several musicals running in London at the moment. - There are several musicals working in London at the moment.

3. The company has added several new productions to its repertoire. - The company has added several new productions to its rotation.

4. John Dexter has directed several plays by Arnold Wesker at the Royal Court. - John Dexter has sent several plays by Arnold Wesker at the Royal Court.

5. Eric Porter plays the lead. - Eric Porter plays the main part.

6. It's an all-star cast tonight. - It's an the star cast tonight.

7. I didn't like the set for the first act. - I didn't like the scenery for the first act.

8. Straight plays do not usually run as long as farces and musicals. – Drama do not usually run as long as farces and musicals.

9. They played every night to full houses. - They played every night to sold out.

10. There was a laugh from the back of the house. - There was a laugh from the back of the auditorium.

11. It's a very interesting production but too unusual to be a box-office success. - It's a very interesting production but too unusual to be a death at the box office.

12. They put on a musical of “Jane Eyre” but it was a flop. - They put on a musical of “Jane Eyre” but it was a bad box office.

13. Pinter's new play was given a cool reception both by the public and the critics. - Pinter's new play was given on enthusiastic reception both by the public and the critics.

IV. Give synonyms for:

Intermission - break

Repertory – collection of works

theatre-goer - playgoer

audience - spectators

thinking part - walking part

aisle - gangway

flop - get over the footlights

playwright - dramatist

stage adaptation - performance

final rehearsal - dress rehearsal

first night - opening night

décor - scenery

drop the curtain - lower a curtain

bring the audience to their feet - to bring down the house

take a call - receive a curtain

get the bird - to get the raspberry

sit on one's hands - die standing up

get over the footlights - knock-out

appear before the footlights - stage-struck

produce a play – do a play

be on - get on

smell of the footlights - stagy

The House is sold out - all tickets sold

be at one's best off-stage - backstage

appear - show up

go on the boards - appear before the footlights

walk the boards – to act on a stage

house - an auditorium, a theatre, an audience

bad box-office - having a poor run

V. Give antonyms for:

bad box office - box-office success

flop - luck

flaw - excess

artificial - natural

leave smb. cold - warm up

die standing up - to take an encore

applaud - sit on one's hands

be well received - be poorly received

thinking part - speaking role

VI. Insert the suitable words from the active vocabulary.

1. She has devoted her life to the theatre. 2. David is arranging a theatre party. 3. “Oliver” had a long and successful production in the West End. 4. The company is on tour, so the theatre is closed. 5. Their repertory includes both classics and modern plays. 6. I saw that production, but with a different cast. 7. He spoke his lines too fast. 8. The leading lady was ill, so the performance had to be postponed. 9. The scene where John says goodbye to Susan is very moving. 10. The audience was rather unresponsive.

VII. Supply the suitable words.

A person who	makes up actors for performance	is called...	make-up man
helps the actors on the stage by prompting the words of the script	prompter
makes sketches and designs of the sets for the play	playwright
superintends the production of a play	house manager
works on the stage changing or making the sets for a particular play or scene	stage manager
learns the part of an actor so that he can take the part in case the actor is absent	an understudy
is engaged to perform a very small part, often without words	supernumerary

VIII. Finish these sentences.

I could not attend the last rehearsal   I'm sure she won't be able to cope with the part of Ophelia I like to have seats very close to the stage They had to make a new revival of this play This production must be transferred to the branch stage of the theatre The actors did not know their lines properly They had to change their repertoire very often This performance failed to attract the public's attention I could hardly see or hear anything

as...

I didn’t show display marvels of artistic transformation. she isn’t in top form.     I prefer to command a view. were standing tickets. it got a success.   it was supporting part. they added several new productions. the public wasn’t completely carried away by the acting. audience burst into a storm of applause.

IX. Make up sentences supplying their beginnings

This production His rendering of the role The part of...

lacks

vivacity individuality. vitality. seriousness. depth. ingenuity. attractiveness. mastery. artistic skill. easiness. professionalism. genuine inspiration.

This production of the show lacks vivacity and seriousness.

His rendering of the role lacks artistic skill and professionalism.

The part of Lady Bracknell performed by this actress lacks individuality and mastery.

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