THEATRE THE PROCESS OF STAGING A PLAY It

THEATRE

THE PROCESS OF STAGING A PLAY

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 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

THE HOUSE

The house — the part of theatre which has a stage and seats for the audience is called auditorium or house (also: theatre-house). The long rows of chairs situated on the ground floor of the auditorium in front of the stage are called the stalls (front rows) and the pit (back rows). The stalls and the pit are surrounded by boxes.

There 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.

VOCABULARY WORK

Translate from Russian into English:

Fill in the gaps with prepositions where necessary, translate the word -combinations into Russian and make up sentences with active grammar:

principal theatres. . . professional use to be let. . . producing managements. . . commercial basis to put. . . variety shows a growth. . . the activity. . . production to rent a theatre. . . the local authorities to reflect. . . the widespread interest. . . classical music

to tour. . . the provinces to be formed. . . a season to stage. . . a play. . . a short run to book a seat. . . the pit to sit. . . the dress-circle to care. . . this theater-going business

Insert necessary adjectives from the list below: traditional, pantomime, wonderful, financial, principal celebrated, dame, first-night, gorgeous,

Ice shows can’t have such … … scenery and that . . . theatre atmosphere. It must have been a girl, playing the part of the. . . boy, as the. . . parts were taken by men. The performance wouldn’t win the universal acclaim but for the pop songs fitted into. . . stories.

Thanks to . . . support from the Arts Council. . . theatres can afford hiring . . . producers, designers and actors. Why not attend a . . . performance done by a . . . company, arousing usually … interest of the public.

Extend the following, using suggested phrases in brackets:

But for the financial support from the Arts Council the standard of productions of repertory theatres wouldn’t be so high. . . (leading producers, modern designers and talented actors, to rent playhouses).

Music of all kinds — “pop” music, folk music, brass bands — is an important of British cultural life. . . (widespread interest, classical music).

There are several thousand amateur dramatic societies in Britain. . . (amateur drama clubs and societies).

The non-repertory theatres must be quite a different organization from our traditional Russian theatre (to form for a season, temporary).

It’s no easy matter to decide on a best seat in a house, taking into consideration all the pros and cons. If I were you (boxes).

The director is in charge of so many things about a production (treatment, style, training).

Substitute the underlined phrases by their synonyms:

When in Moscow one finds it difficult to decide which theatre to choose. Newspapers and colour posters tell you what goes at different theaters. Moscow theaters are highly appreciated all over the world. There are special theaters, presenting marvelous performances for children, often visited by adults as well as their offspring.

It’s next to impossible to get tickets for a premiere, so you’d better try to book them beforehand. But it’s a brilliant idea to enjoy yourself thoroughly watching the acting of a company that interests and is praised by public and critics. No wonder that public is so mesmerized, watching the legendary actors entering the stage and making the public plunge into the enchanting world of imagination.

Complete the sentences using the suggested phrases in brackets:

The West End is known to be the centre of London cultural life, that's why having come on a visit. . . (an enjoyable evening). Wishing to enjoy the artistry of the London actors you can choose the seats at a theatre (the stalls, the circle, boxes).

If you were a devoted music-lover (to make a point of going. . . ) I can't but jump at the chance visiting opera (an excellent orchestra, famous conductors, and celebrated singers, to get the best of everything).

The play left a lasting impression on me. . . (to be done on the most lavish scale). Getting the seats at a theatre, choose a seat as near to the stage as possible. If you were at a cinema. . . (to sit some distance from the screen).