9. Read and dramatize the following dialogues:

Pete: Have you an engagement for tonight, Ann?

Ann: I believe not.

Pete: Well, if you like we could go to the theatre tonight. Ann: What theatre, and what are they showing there?

Pete: The Art Theatre. It’s Sheridan’s comedy “The School of Scandal”.

Ann: Oh, yes. That sounds promising. I read a review about it in the paper the other day. According to it, it is quite amusing.

Peter: Have you got two seats for tomorrow’s per­

formance?

Booking clerk: The first or second performance?

Peter: I usually prefer the second.

Booking clerk: I’ve got a few stalls and two circle seats. Peter: How much are the seats in the circle?

Booking clerk: Two and a half pounds each. I’ll show you where they are on the plan. Here they are — in the middle of the second row. Peter: I’ll take those. What time does the second

performance start?

Booking clerk: Eight, sir.

Jit ¹ *

A: What are theatres like in London?

B: Theatres in London are very much the same as any­where else.

A: Where are the best theatres in London?

.B: The best theatres are in the West End.

A: What kinds of theatres are there in London?

B: There are opera, comedy, drama and musical comedy theatres.

A: When do performances start?

B: The performances start at eight o’clock.

A: When are they over?

B: The performances are over at about eleven o’clock.

A: What are the best seats there?

B: The best seats are in the stalls.

A: Where is the Royal Opera House in London?

B: The Royal Opera House is at Co vent Garden.

10. Complete the following dialogues:

A: What is the play about?

B: ...

A: Is it worth seeing?

B: ...

A: Would you like to see it again?

B: ...

A: What’s on at the theatres tonight? Let’s have a look at

the “Where to go” column in the newspaper.

B: ...

A: Oh, we have a wide choice. What theatre do you pre­fer?

B: ...

A: But I’m afraid we shan’t get tickets.

B: ...

11. Ask questions on the text and retell it:

At the theatre

I’ll never forget my first visit to the Bolshoi Theatre when I was in Moscow.

My friend bought in advance two tickets for a matinee performance of the ballet “Swan Lake” by Chaikovsky. We arrived at the theatre long before the performance began, for there were three of us and we were one ticket short.

A notice on the box-office of the theatre said: “Sold out”. So we stood at the entrance asking people as they were going in if they had a spare ticket. At last we bought a ticket from a man who had booked two seats but whose friend hadn’t turned up. We left our coats in the cloak­room and I got a programme from the usher to see what the cast was.

When we arrived at the hall we saw many people walk­ing down the gangway looking for their seats. The musi­cians in the orchestra were tuning their instruments. We found our seats, which were in the stalls, and went to look over the theatre. My friend showed me the boxes, the pit, the dress-circle, gallery and balconies. At twelve sharp the lights went out. The conductor appeared and the overture began.

After the overture the curtain went up. I was in rap­tures at what I saw on the stage. I had never seen anything more wonderful. The setting and the dancing were superb. The ballet seemed to me a fairy-tale. When the curtain fell the house burst into applause. I applauded (clapped) so much that my hands ached.

During the first interval we went to the refreshment room (buffet). When the last curtain fell cries of “encore" sounded all over the theatre. The dancers received call after call and were presented with large bouquets of flowers.

The performance was a great success. My first visit to the Bolshoi Theatre is one of the most pleasant memories I brought away from Moscow.