Going to the theatre

Going to the theatre is a way of spending an evening which may be at the same time most entertaining and educative. Despite competition from the cinema, wireless and television, the theatre still plays an important part in the entertainment of the average Englishman.

In London there are theatres for all tastes: some people prefer musical comedy, and shows of this kind, with their catchy tunes, are very popular. Variety shows, in which actors entertain the audience with sentimental and comic performances or skits on social or political life, also draw full houses and greatly influence the artistic tastes of the public. In this kind of entertainment the role of the master of ceremonies (or chairman) is very important. He announces the different items on the programme, introduces the actors and maintains the attention and interest of the spectators.

Those who do not care for musical comedy or variety will find other shows to their taste. Some theatres stage modern plays; Shakespeare and other classics are played mostly at Old Vic; the Royal Opera, formerly Covent Garden, shows opera and ballet.

Seats in theatres where dramatic works of real educational1 value are played and where the standard of acting is high are expensive. This makes the theatrical art in Britain more or less the monopoly of the well-to-do and better educated classes.

As a rule, performances start (or begin) at about half past seven and runs for three hours or more, including about an hour for intervals between acts. There are sometimes matinees in the afternoon, but most spectators prefer evening shows.

Seats are booked (or reserved) beforehand either at the box-office (or booking office) or by phone. If all the seats are not booked up (or sold out) you can get tickets at the box-office just before the show begins; otherwise, the sold-out sign is posted over the box-office.

The best and most expensive seats in the auditorium (or house) are the orchestra stalls, the boxes, and the dress-circle. From these scats you can get a good view of the stage. The view is not so good from the cheaper seats — the pit and the gallery or "the gods." Spectators are not allowed to stand in the gangway (or aisle) during the performance.

When you arrive at the theatre you leave your hat and coat at the cloakroom, where the attendant can also provide you with opera-glasses, if you wish. An usher shows you to your place and sells you a programme, which tells you the story of the play that is on that evening and gives the names of the actors who will act the different parts (or roles).

Moscow Art Theatre

Moscow Art Theatre was established by K.S. Stanislavsky and V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko in 1898. The Theatre received the status of “Academic Theater” in 1919.

It was opened on October 14, 1898 with the play “Tsar Fyodor Ioanovich” in the “Hermitage” theatre building . Since 1902 it is has been located in the building of the former Lionozov theatre, reconstructed the same year by architect F.O. Shekhtel.

The Art Theatre’s existence began from a meeting of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko at the “Slaviansky bazaar” restaurant on June 19th, 1897..

The core of the company (O. Knipper, I. Moskvin, V. Meierhold, M. Savitskaya, M. Germanova, M. Roksanova, N. Litovtseva) was formed from students of the drama branch of the Musical-Drama School of the Moscow philharmonic society where V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko taught acting and by the participants of the Art and Literature Amateurs Society of Stanislavsky (M. Lilina, M. Andreeva, A. Atrem). A. Vishnevsky was invited from a province. In 1900, the troupe accepted V. Kachalov and in 1903 — L. Leonidov.

The real birth of the Moscow Art Theatre is bound up with Anton Chekhov’s works (“The Seagull”, “Uncle Vanya”, “Three Sisters”, “The Cherry Orchard”) and with Maxim Gorky’ ones (“The Petty Bourgeoisie” and “Lower Depths”). During the work on these performances a new type of actor and the principles of direction were formed. The Moscow Art Theatre is the first theatre in Russia, which put into practice the reform of repertoire.

Among the best performances of the Moscow Art Theatre were “Woe from Wit” by A.S. Griboyedov, “Blue Bird” by M. Meterlink, “A Month in the Country” by I.S. Turgenev and others.

But in spite of its success, the theatre was in a crisis at the end of the 1960s. Plays in the “flavour of the day” were included in the repertory with increasing frequency, and the succession of the new generation was passing painfully. The situation was aggravated because critics were not allowed to the theater. The desire of the elder actors to get out of the crisis induced them to invite Oleg Efremov as the main director, who breathed new life into the theatre in the 70’s. He staged “Ivanov”, “The Seagull”, “Uncle Vanya” etc. There was deep elaboration of modern themes at the same time

But it was very difficult to unite the fast growing troupe. Necessity to give a job to actors led to compromises in play selection and in appointment of directors. But the theatre didn’t have a common creative program. Dissonance at the theatre led to conflict. In 1987 the collective divided into two independent groups: one began its existence under Oleg Efremov directing and the other under Tatyana Doronina.

After O. Efremov death in 2000, Oleg Tabakov became an Artistic Director and took a course towards renewing the repertory. In 2001 a third, new stage was opened especially for experimental performances.

In 2004 the theatre returned to its original name — the Moscow Art Theatre, excluding the word Academic.