Dialogue 2

After the performance

Alice: Well, how did you find the performance?

Jane: The cast was just excellent.

Alice: No wonder, with so many stars in it. You can call it an all-star cast.

Jane: N's acting impressed me greatly. He is always very good, but tonight he was at his best. Don't you think so?

Alice: Agree, I greatly enjoyed the last scene of the second act when he finds out the truth about his brother. His acting was very convincing.

Jane: The actress who played his wife was not bad either, was she?

Alice: I think, she might have been a bit more natural. There was something stilted about her acting.

Jane: Was there? I'm afraid I can't agree with you. And did you like the scenery?

Alice: It was splendid. It contributed Very much to the success of the performance.

Jane: I'm very thankful to you for this lovely evening. After all, it was your idea to see the play.

Alice: Nothing to speak of.

Exercises

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions.

1. Are you a theatre-fan? How often do you go to the theatre? Do you prefer evening performances to matinees or matinees to evening performances? 2. Do you prefer opera to ballet or ballet to opera? Why? Who is your favourite opera singer? ballet dancer? What kinds of theatres are there in Petersburg? What are the most popular theatres nowadays? 4. What is on at the ... theatre tonight? Who is in the cast? Is it an all-star cast? 5. Where do you like to sit at the theatre? Do you usually take opera-glasses when going to the theatre? What are the most expensive seats? the cheapest seats? 6. How many spectators does the ... theatre hold? 7. Where do spectators leave their coats and hats? 8. Do you usually buy tickets at the box-office or book them by phone? 9. Have you ever tried to pick up a ticket at the entrance of the theatre? 10. Who is your favourite theatre actor (actress)? 11. Is she (he) always at her (his) best? 12. In what plays did you especially like him (her)?

Exercise 2. Answer the following questions choosing a suitable answer among those given in brackets. Extend your answer.

1. How did you find yesterday's performance? (It was first-rate from beginning to end. Awfully dull. Just terrific. A sheer waste of time. A rare stuff. Extremely interesting. I was bored to death. I enjoyed it greatly. I felt like walking out. I enjoyed every minute of it). 2. Did you like N's acting? (Immensely. She was superb. I certainly did. She makes one believe everything she says and does. She was at her best. No, I didn't. She was dull. Her interpretation of the role was not convincing). 3. Do you like the actor M.? (Oh, yes. He is a great master of psychological analysis. He always gives very original interpretations of the roles he plays. His acting is coloured with mild humour. He penetrates deeply into the inner world of his characters). 4. Why is N. one of the most popular playwrights? (His plays are very witty. Full of humour. Good language. His characters are vivid and real. He always touches upon important social problems. Situations are very funny. A great master of intrigue).

Exercise 3. Answer the following questions. Make use of the words and phrases from exercise 2.

1. Why was this play a failure? 2. Why is it next to impossible to get tickets to the Maly Drama theatre? 3. Why did the producer choose D. for the leading woman's part in his new performance? 4. Why did you leave the theatre after the first act? 5. What makes the theatre for Young Spectators so popular not only with the children but with the grown up people as well?

Exercise 4. Consult a dictionaiy and explain the following words.

Theatre-goer; matinee; cast; stalls; playwright; box-office; star; orchestra stalls; first night.

Exercise 5. Complete the following sentences.

1. Let's take opera glasses .... 2. I enjoyed the play greatly because .... 3. The best seats are .... 4. I'll try to get tickets ... . 5. Let's buy a programme ... . 6. The public admires him ... . 7. It's not easy to get tickets for this play as ... . 8. I'd have enjoyed the play much more if.... 9. The bell is ringing, let's .... 10. Let's ask the usher .... 11. The play is veiy popular .... 12. The performance was a failure because ....

Exercise 6. Respond to the following either in the affirmative or negative, using: Yes, of course. Certainly. Not at all. Not in the least. With pleasure. Do, please. Please, don't. Use these sentences in a natural conversation.

1. May I take your programme? 2. Shall we go to the foyer? 3. May I use your opera-glasses? 4. Don't you think the play is a bit too dragged out? 5. Shall I get you an ice cream? 6. Will you leave your brief-case in the cloakroom? 7. Do you fancy going to a matinee on Sunday? 8. Shall we take aunt Liz to the theatre? 9. Will you book seats beforehand? 10. Do you mind sitting in the dress-circle? 11. Can you let me have two seats in the centre stalls?

Exercise 7. Give the English for the following words and expressions and use them in sentences of your own.

Состав исполнителей; любитель театра (театрал); пользоваться большим успехом; сидеть в партере; утренний спектакль; премьера; декорации; главная роль; ставить пьесу; быть в ударе; получить удовольствие от спектакля; пьеса провалилась.

Exercise 8. Ask your fellow students and let them answer:

... if she (he) is a regular theatre-goer

... if she (he) likes the theatre better than the cinema

... what her (his) favourite theatre is

... if it is difficult to get tickets to this theatre

... where she (he) usually sits

... what plays are to her (his) taste

... what play she (he) saw last

... if it was a great success with the public.

Exercise 9. Refashion the following sentences according to the example.

Example: Let's go to the theatre on Sunday. Do you fancy going to the theatre on Sunday? Let's go to the theatre on Sunday, shall we?

1. Let's book seats beforehand. 2. Let's invite Kate to the party. 3. Let's buy a programme. 4. Let's go to the' foyer. 5. Let's go to the refreshment-room during the interval. 6. Let's take opera-glasses. 7. Let's ask the usher to show us to our seats. 8. Let's meet outside the theatre at 7 o'clock.

Exercise 10. Insert prepositions and postverbal adverbs wherever necessary.

1. His plays are very popular ... the public. He touches ... serious social problems ... his plays. Besides, he is a great master ... intrigue. 2. Where are our seats? - ... the orchestra stalls, ... the seventh row. 3. Who is ... the cast today? 4. N. was ... his best tonight. 5. They say it's not easy to get tickets ... this play. Let's try to book seats ... telephone. 6. Would you like to go ... the theatre tonight? 7. Let's take opera-glasses, our seats are ... the balcony.

Exercise 11. Change the following sentences into their opposites making other necessary changes.

1. They say his new play is a complete failure with the public. 2. Everybody agrees that T. was at his worst yesterday. 3. This play is still on at the Ait Theatre. 4. My friend said that he had enjoyed every minute of the play. 5. N.'s acting was true to life. 6. When one sits on the front rows one has a good view of the stage. 7. The play was so dull that spectators were bored to death. 8. My brother often goes to matinees.

Exercise 12. Make up your own dialogues on the topic "Theatre".

Exercise 13. Be ready to speak on one of the following topics.

1. My first visit to the theatre. 2. My favourite actor (actress). 3. The most popular play of the season. 4. Why the ... theatre is so popular with theatre-goers.

Exercise 14. Translate into English.

1. Вчера мы смотрели новую пьесу в театре Комедии. Спектакль прошел с большим успехом. Главные роли исполняли молодые талантливые актеры. Успеху спектакля способствовали прекрасные декорации. 2. Звенит второй звонок. Пойдем в зал. Где наши места? - В 12-м ряду партера. Я надеюсь, нам хорошо будет видно сцену. 3. Как тебе понравился спектакль? - Состав исполнителей был превосходный. Актриса, играющая главную роль, была особенно хороша. 4. Я бы очень хотела посмотреть новую пьесу в ТЮЗе. - Говорят, на нее трудно достать билеты. - А что, если мы попробуем заказать их заранее по телефону? - Хорошая мысль. Давай попробуем. 5. Давай купим программку. Интересно, кто сегодня занят в спектакле. Хотелось бы, чтобы был первый состав. 6. Вы видели новую пьесу в театре Драмы? - Да. - Ну и как? - Я чуть не умерла от скуки. Во-первых, пьеса ужасно растянута, интрига совершенно нелепая (absurd), да и состав исполнителей оставлял желать много лучшего (left much to be desired). 7. В оперном театре завтра премьера новой оперы. Говорят, что она должна стать большим событием (event) в театральной жизни нашего города. Давай попробуем достать билеты у входа (to pick up tickets at the entrance).