Яков Аракин - Практический курс английского языка 2 курс

T o n y : Yes! I wonder how on earth they manage to fit today's pop songs into pantomime

stories?

S a l l y : Well, why don't we get tickets and find out?

T o n y : Yes, OK. Come on, then.

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY (II)

Words

act υ

gallery n

properties

acting n

interval n

(props) n

balcony

n

lighting n

repertoire n

box n

matinee

n

row n

cast n

orchestra-pit n

stage-manager

n

company n

pit n

stalls n

costumes

n

produce υ

(theatre-) house n

director n

producer

n

treatment n

dress-circle n

production n

the pit (back rows).

The stalls and the pit are surrounded by boxes. There are also some balconies encircling the auditorium on three sides. The

lowest of them (coming immediately above the boxes) is called the dress-circle and the highest (somewhere near the ceiling of the

house) is known as the gallery.

In most theatres the seats for the audience are separated from the stage by the orchestra-pit. In some theatres, however, there is no

orchestra-pit, and the musicians are placed behind the scenes (back-stage). The sides of the stage and the scenery placed there are

called wings.

81 It takes quite a number of people to put on a play. The treatment of a play, the style of the production, the training of the

performers depend on the director (also called by some people producer in Great Britain). The stage-manager is the person in charge

of the technical part of the production of a play. There are also make-up artists, people who make the costumes, those who design

the props and scenery, and finally, stage hands.

The actors taking part in the play are called the cast ( cf . the Russian «состав исполнителей»).

Word Combinations

professional theatre

the setting of a scene

repertory company

light and sound effects

amateur theatre

to produce a play

dramatic society

EXERCISES

I. Answer the following questions:

A.1. What is the centre of theatrical activity in Great Britain? 2. Which theatrical companies

receive financial support from Arts Council? 3. What is meant by a repertory theatre? 4. What do

you know about the Royal Shakespeare Company? 5. What kind of performances are staged in the

Royal Opera House? 6. Are there many theatres in or near the West (East) End of London? 7. What

kind of music is popular in England? 8. Are there any amateur theatres in Great Britain? 9. What

leading actors of the British theatre do you know? 10. How are the British Arts Councils going to

celebrate approach of the millennium?

B.1. How is the Russian theatre organized? 2. What Russian theatres are best known in

Russia and abroad? 3. Is attendance at our theatres high? 4. How many times a month (a year) do

you go to the theatre? 5. Are there any amateur theatres in Russia?

II. Try your band at teaching:

A.Preparation, a) Find picture representing a theatre-house, b) Study the footnotes on p. 327

describing a theatre-house and its parts, c) Write questions to provoke answers containing all the new

words.

B.Work in class. Ask your questions, listen to the an- -swers and correct the student's

mistakes.

III. Learn Text В by heart. Act out this dialogue.

IV. Retell Text С in your own words.

Speak on your favourite genre (opera, drama, ballet, comedy, musical, etc). Why do you

like it?

V. Translate the following into English:

Когда мы пришли, зал был уже полон. Через несколько минут занавес поднялся, и все

взгляды устремились на сцену. Декорации были очень простые, выдержанные в черных,

белых и серых тонах. На этом фоне яркие костюмы действующих лиц выглядели очень

эффектно.

Состав исполнителей был неплохой, а игра актера, исполнявшего главную роль, была

просто великолепна. Когда он был на сцене, внимание всего зрительного зала было

сосредоточено на нем и его игре. Во время знаменитой сцены из третьего акта в зале стояла

мертвая тишина. Зрители были потрясены. Многие плакали. К тому же, эта сцена была удачно

освещена. Режиссер удачно использовал освещение, чтобы усилить впечатление от игры

актера.

Когда после заключительной сцены занавес опустился, наступила долгая пауза, а потом

поднялась настоящая буря аплодисментов.

VI. 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. 2. An

auditorium is a building or a part of a building in which the audience sit. 3. The audience include

both spectators and actors. 4. When the audience is pleased it keeps silent. 5. We say "the house is

full" when not all the seats in the auditorium are occupied. 6. The pit is nearer to the stage than the

stalls. 7. You prefer seats in the gallery, don't you? 8. Wings are the sides of a stage with the scenery.

9. You wouldn't like to go behind the stage, I believe. 10. The cheapest seats are in the boxes. 11.

The most expensive seats are in the orchestra stalls. 12. Students always buy seats in the orchestra

stalls. 13. By the cast of the play we mean all the actors belonging to the theatrical company. 14, The

role of the producer is not very important. 15. You don't know who Stanislavsky was, I believe. 16. It

doesn't take many people to produce a play. 17. I believe you clap to show your appreciation of the

acting or the play as a whole.

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.

VII. a) Describe your impressions of a play (opera, ballet) you have seen.

Follow the plan below:

1. Going to the theatre. (How did you get the tickets? Where were your seats? Was the house

full?)

2. The play. (Was it interesting? What was interesting? What didn't you like about it?)

3. The acting. (Was the cast good? Whose acting impressed the audience? In what scenes?)

4. The production. (Did the production help the audience to catch the main idea of the play?

In what points of the production did you feel the work of the producer? Did the general spirit of the

production satisfy the demand of the play?)

5. Designing. (Did you like the scenery? How were the light and sound effects used?)