- •Topical vocabulary general terminology
- •Audience and its reaction
- •Box office and tickets
- •Stage decoration. Property
- •Structure of the theatre
- •Success or failure
- •Theatre staff
- •Opera, ballet
- •Theatrical expressions
- •Translating the names of russian theatres / opera houses
- •Discussing a play
- •Illustration and training
- •Vocabulary and speech exercises
- •Text 1
- •Text 2
- •Text 3
- •Conversational practice
- •I. At the Box Office
- •1. Learn the following dialogues by heart.
- •2. Work in pairs.
- •II. In the Interval
- •1. Learn these dialogues by heart.
- •2. Refute the arguments of a traditionalist who thinks that all manner of effects are to be used on the stage to create the atmosphere of real life.
- •III. After the Theatre
- •V. Actors and Acting
- •1. Read this extract from the novel “Theatre” by w. S. Maugham. Find in the dialogue words and expressions that can be used in appraising an actor. Use them to describe a good actor.
- •2. Group Discussion.
- •3. Discuss the following:
- •4. Interview an actor or an actress.
- •VI. Theatre and Reality
- •Supplement
- •About london theatres drury lane theatre
- •Haymarket theatre
- •Covent garden theatre
- •Sadler's wells theatre
- •Old vic theatre
- •Aldwych theatre
- •National theatre
- •* * * Reference literature
- •Методические рекомендации по теме “Театр”
- •241036, Брянск, Бежицкая, 14
Conversational practice
I. At the Box Office
1. Learn the following dialogues by heart.
1
– Have you got tickets for “Pygmalion” for Saturday?
– Sorry, sir: but the house has been sold out long in advance.
– What will you advise me to do to book the seats for this performance?
I want to see it by all means. It's so much spoken about.
– Yes, the public is crazy about it. It's strange that the production of an old play should have caused such a sensation ... Well, what I'd recommend is this: either you book standing room or a seat in the stalls for the matinee on Sunday.
– Well, if it's all you can offer me, I'd better choose matinee.
2
Visitor: Have you got any seats for Sunday?
Attendant: Matinee or evening performance?
Visitor: Evening performance, please,
Attendant: How many do you want?
Visitor: Only one.
Attendant: Let me see ...
Visitor: I'd like one stall if you've got any.
Attendant: Well, you can have...one in Row D or in the middle of Row N in the stalls.
Visitor: That's not far too back, is it?
Attendant: I've got another seat in Row C right at the side.
Visitor: I'll have the one in Row D. It'll do very well. How much did you say it was?
Attendant: Twelve and six.
Visitor: What time does the ballet start?
Attendant: At seven. The doors open at six thirty.
Visitor: Thanks, so much.
3
– I want four seats for Sunday, please.
– Matinee or evening performance?
– Evening, please.
– Well, you can have very good seats in the stalls, Row F.
– Oh, no! It's near the orchestra-pit. My wife can't stand loud music.
– Then I could find you some seats in the pit.
– I'm afraid that won't do either. My father-in-law is terribly short-sighted. He wouldn't see much from the pit, would he?
– Hm... Perhaps, you'd care to take a box?
– Certainly not! It's too expensive. I can't afford it.
– Dress-circle then?
– I don't like to sit in the dress-circle.
– I'm afraid the only thing that remains is the gallery.
– How can you suggest such a thing! My mother-in-law is a stout woman with a weak heart. We couldn’t dream of letting her walk up four flights of stairs, could we?
– I find, sir, that there isn't a single seat in the house that would suit you.
– There isn't, is there? Well, I think we'd much better go to the movies. As for me, I don’t care much for this theatre-going business. Good day!
4
Joan and Austin have just booked seats for the opera.
Joan: Where are our seats?
Austin: They are in the upper circle.
Joan: Aren't they too far back?
Austin: Yes ... But they command a good view of the stage.
Joan: Can you show me where they are on the plan?
Austin: Certainly. Here they are in the front row.
Joan: I think we can see and hear very well from there.
5
– In what part of the auditorium do you like to sit, George: in the stalls, in the pit, in the dress-circle, in the gallery or in a box?
– I generally book the seats in the pit or in the gallery.
– Aren't the seats in the orchestra better?
– Certainly, they are. But being a regular theatre-goer, I can't afford them very often. Can you?