C. The british theatre is dying

A conversation between Alfred Leathers, an old actor, and Martin Cheveril, a playwright and producer.

Alfred: Martin, my boy, I've been acting too long and — as the youngsters are to say — I've had it.

Martin: Nonsense, Alfred.

Alfred: No, no. Mean what I say. In fact the Theatre's had it. The Theatre's finished and we might as well admit it.

Martin: It was different when you were young, of course — eh?

Alfred: Different? I should think it was.

Martin: You've seen some great nights in the Theatre, I imagine, Alfred—eh? (It is like a prompt.)

Alfred: I have, Martin. Great nights! And they'll never come again. Don't forget that in my time I've played with Irving, Ellen Terry and Tree.

Martin: Great names, Alfred.

Alfred:Ah — but the Theatre was the Theatre in those days, Martin. It was all the public had, and so we all did our best with it. None of your films and radio and television and the rest of them then. It was the Theatre — and the Theatre as it ought to be.

Martin: The Theatre's dying — though it may last out our time.

Alfred:Yes, thank God. But I don't give it much longer.

Martin (smiles at him): Well, you see, Alfred, I know that speech about the dying Theatre. I've heard it before.

Alfred: Exactly. And everything goes to prove.

Martin: That you're an elderly actor, Alfred, and that the Theatre's dying for you. It's always been dying for the old hands. And it's always been born again for the new ones. And that's not its weakness — that's its strength. It lives — really lives and not merely exists, but lives as humanity lives — just because it's for ever dying and being born, because it's always renewing its life.

Alfred (not convinced):Now wait. It's dying for me, we'll say but who is it being born for?

(The door opens and Otley comes in.)

Otley:Miss Seward's here.

Martin (to Otley): Send her in. (To Alfred) Your answer's here.

Exercise 2.Quote the sentences in which these words and word combinations are used in the dialogues and translate them.

circle seats, a theatre-goer, to set up, classical, repertoire, to seat, to sell out, to seem, to stage, success, to account for, to take up, activities, to admit, to forget, the rest of, to prove, humanity, to convince.

Exercise 3. Find in the dialogues English equivalents for these word combinations and sentences

1. имеется несколько мест в партере. 2. в середине второго ряда. 3. начинается новый театральный сезон. 4. Композитор сам принимал активное участие в ее постановке. 5. Я бы сказала, что это почти невозможно. 6. когда спасение казалось невозможным. 7. Насколько я знаю он (спектакль) имел большой успех. 8. Как вы объясните успех пьес на производственную тему? 9. вопросы, которые поднимают пьесы. 10. Современный человек проводит много времени на работе. 11. Не забывайте, что в мое время я играл с... 12. и всего прочего. 13. и в этом не слабость, а сила театра.

Exercise 4.Make up your own short dialogues.

SPEECH EXERCISES

Exercise 1.Speak on one of the following topics. Let other students agree or disagree with you. Answer the questions other students will ask you.

a) Speak about the role of culture and art in our life. What functions do they have? Describe a cultural man.

b) What role can museums and art galleries play in the upbringing of children? Can any child become a good person without arts' influence? What do you think about it?

c) What is you favorite genre in art? Give some general information about this genre and explain why do you like it most of all.

d) Tell about one of the famous men of arts. Your story should include: the place and date of his birth, his contribution to art, the main or the most famous works, his style, the explanation of your preference.

WRITTEN TASKS

Exercise 1. You’ve got a letter from your pen friend Mary who writes:

“…In your previous letter you told me that you had joined your school Literature Club. I wonder what you do at your club meetings. Can I help you in any way?”

Write a letter to Mary.

In your letter

- tell her about your Literature Club

- ask 3 questions about books popular with her classmates.

Exercise 2.Comment on the following statement.

a)When photography was invented some people predicted that photographs would soon replace painted portraits. However, portraits have been painted for many years after the invention of photography.

What can you say for and against a portrait made by an artist?

Follow the plan:

1. Make a general statement of the problem.

2. Give arguments for a portrait.

3. Give arguments against a portrait.

4. Make a conclusion.

b) When cinema was invented some people predicted that theatre would not last very long but it still exists, attracts large audience and is not likely to disappear.

Whatcan you say for and against theatre?

Follow the plan:

1. Make a general statement of the problem.

2. Give arguments for the theatre.

3. Give arguments against the theatre.

4. Make a conclusion.

Optional Task

Choose one of the points for your own projects. Make your project according to the task. You are free to choose the form of the work (a collage, a booklet or any kind of craftwork), the materials (water-colors, paper/magazine cuttings, photos, etc.) or audio-visual devices.

1. Theatre/ Cinema

a) Make a playbill of a theatre/ a concert hall/ a cinema hall in your town. The playbill should include the repertoire of a theatre/ a concert hall/ a cinema hall for the nearest month. Your handmade playbill may include photos of the theatre, photos of the actors or photos of the scenes of the play. You also may add short annotations to each of the play or several statements of famous people about the play/ film or about the stage director. Don’t forget about:

· The time of the shows

· The place: the address of the theatre/ cinema and its name

· The price of the tickets

· The box-office working hours

b) Make a bill of a play/ a film that is going to be shown in your town. This playbill should be made for advertising only one play/ film and should reflect the contents. All other points of the previous task may be included. Here you should also thank sponsors and companies for infotainment (информационная поддержка). Don’t forget about organizational points (see previous task).

c) (Complex) Make up your own film. It may be a documentary film, a cartoon or a report about some event in our town (cultural, sport, political). It may simply be a video set on different topics (about your native town, seasons of the year, animals) accompanied by special music, sound effects or some text pronounced by off-screen commentary. Your are free to choose other aspects of making a film (actors or their absence, duration, etc.)

1. Music

a) Make up a program of a concert that you are going to organize in your town, in Russia or abroad. This program should be made in the form of a prospect, that must include:

· Musical compositions

· Performers

· Sponsors’ advertisements

Besides give a short description of each musical composition, some words about the author (his photo) and some words about the performer (his photo / the photo of the orchestra). Your program may be made up for a one-day concert or for a several-day festival (as, for example, “The World of the Guitar”, “Empty Hills”). If you make a booklet of a festival, don’t forget to mention the names of the organizers of the festival. If you make a program of an open air festival point out all the events that will take place during this festival (master classes, competitions, trade, meetings with performers, etc.) and of course organizational moments (the map of the place/ the way to the place, kitchen, rules of camping, etc.) As for rules of camping it should be better to draw a scheme of the festival for people to find everything they need. If there are several stages mark them on the scheme. You also must mark the position of the market, WCs, first-aid post, etc. And mention all the information about the date of the concert/ festival, the place and prices of the tickets.

b) Make a survey about the CD’s sold nowadays in your town, in Russia or all over the world. Your project should include the cover of a disc (a photo), the photo of a band/ performer/ singer (if you find) and a short annotation which may be your own opinion about this music or estimation took from a magazine or a newspaper (don’t forget to mention the author of the annotation or its source). In your annotation give the information about the band/ performer/ singer, some facts from the performers’ biography, their style. Don’t forget to add your opinion. Your survey should be made about the discs of different kinds: classic, pop music, rock music, jazz, music from films, retro, etc. You also must include:

· The approximate price

· The address of the shops where one can buy the disc

c) (Complex) Make a model of an orchestra. You may choose any orchestra for your craftwork. Use any material to make a stage. Your orchestra may be real (made of paper , cardboard, wood, wire, textile, plasticine, mass for modeling, salty dough (соленое тесто) or any natural materials) or it may be schematic.: e.g. you may put on the stage names of the instruments only instead of the performers on the places where they usually sit. Don’t forget about a conducter.

1. Literature

Make a survey about the books sold and read nowadays in your town, in Russia or all over the world. Your project should include the cover of the book (a photo), the photo of the author (if you find) and a short annotation which may be your own opinion about the book or estimation taken from a magazine or a newspaper (don’t forget to mention the author of the annotation or its source). In your annotation give the contents, the author’s literary style, some facts from his biography, the opinion of famous people about this book. Your survey should be made of the books of different kinds (poetry, a love-story , detective story, a book for children, science fiction, historical novel or a book for leisure and hobby: collection of crosswords, printed master classes of cooking , hairdressing, sewing, woodcarving, etc.) Don’t forget to mention the following points:

· The quantity of pages

· The publication date

· The publishing company

· The quality of the book

· The approximate price

· The address of the shops where one can buy the disc

1. Fine arts

You are a museum director. Choose the profile of your museum: wax figures, art gallery, paleontology, staffed animals, handicrafts. It may be a museum of books, a toy museum or a house-museum of some personality. Make an advertising prospect of your museum. Don’t forget to include the picture of your museum. The building should (as far as possible) reflect the profile you have chosen: e.g. a toy museum may look as a big toy car and be bright and funny. In front of the building there may be a park with a pool/ a fountain/ statues that may also be connected with the contents of your exhibitions. Draw a scheme of your museum. Think beforehand how much floors and halls you want to have, where you will place a souvenir shop, WCs, a refreshment room (cafeteria), a cloak-room, offices, director’s room. On the scheme put the numbers of the halls or their names. And near give a description of each hall and a photo or two of the objects exhibited there. Don’t forget that your aim is to make prospective customers attend your museum. That’s why make your prospect after looking through which people will want to watch your unique exhibitions. If your museum offers some special entertainment you must mention this in your prospect – find something interesting that will beneficially distinguish your museum from others: it may be demonstration of different films, connected with your exhibitions or travelling on a “time machine” with audio-visual effects or anything you invent.

You must also give the address of your museum, hours of service and prices of tickets. Bear in mind that museums usually offer group excursions and special excursions for schoolchildren. Don’t forget to mention this aspect.