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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.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 3.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 4.Make the necessary substitutions and reproduce the dialogues.
1. A: Have you got two seats for tomorrow's performance?
B. clerk: I've got a few stalls and two circle seats.
(A: tonight's performance, the matinee; B.C.: two, four; three, six)
2. A: Where are the seats.?
В. clerk: They're in the middle of the third row
(B: clerk: fourth, seventh, eighth)
3. A: What plays does the theatre stage?
B: Both classical and modern.
(A: operas, ballets)
4. A: For what purpose was the new theatre set up?
B: For the purpose of producing plays by modern playwrights.
(B: operas, composers; ballets, composers)
5. A: How did the British audience like the performance?
B: As far as I know it was a great success.
(A: American, French, Canadian)
Exercise 5.What would you say if you took part in these dialogues? Dramatize them.
1. A: Have you got two seats for the evening performance?
B. clerk: ...
A: In what row are the stalls?*
B. clerk: ...
A: How much are they?
B. clerk: ...
A: All right, I'll take them.
B. clerk: ...
Note: В английских театрах нумерация рядов в партере идет по буквам алфавита А (1), В (2), С (3) и т. д.
2. A: I know you're an admirer of ballet, Mary. Could you tell me about the new productions at the Bolshoi Theatre?
M: ...
A: Did you happen to see any of them?
M: ...
A: Is it difficult to book seats?
M: ...
A: Thank you. It's very kind of you.
3. A: I saw "Fairy tales Fantasies" at the Sovremennik Theatre last week.
B: ...
A: It impressed me greatly. This is a play about young people. The main character, Faryatyev is a very kind man dreaming* of cosmic contacts.
B: ...
Note: dream (dreamt [dremt]) мечтать
4. A: Did you see "The Echelon" at the Art Theatre?
B: ...
A: How did you like the performance?
B: ...
A: Do you know that the play was staged in Houston,
the USA?
B: ...
5. A: Could you believe if somebody told you that the
theatre was dying?
B: ... A: Can we say that the theatre is always renewing its
life?
B: ...
6. A: In my opinion the theatre is always dying for
some of the old actors who lose touch with reality. Do you agree with me?
B: ...
Note: to lose touch [t/\t∫] with smth., smb. терять связь с чём-л., кем-л
Exercise 6.Act as an interpreter.
Jenny Shaw: I would have never believed it was possible to stage a ballet based on Dostoevsky's "Idiot" if I hadn't seen it myself.
Зоя Чурилова: Вы имеете в виду балет, который поставил Петербургский балетный ансамбль (ensemble [a:n'sa:mbl])?
Jenny: Yes. It was a marvelous performance. I hadn't enjoyed myself so much for a long time. Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony perfectly suits the ballet. The dancers are wonderful. Have you seen this ballet?
Зоя: Да. Я видела его в прошлом году и получила огромное удовольствие. Кстати, этот ансамбль был создан не так давно.
Jenny:Unbelievable! As far as I know there are several ballet theatres in Moscow and St. Petersburg and now there appeared this ensemble. For what purpose was it set up?
Зоя: Я читала о том, что основатели (founder) театра решили использовать камерную музыку для постановки балетных спектаклей. Репертуар ансамбля в основном включает одноактные балеты.
Jenny: I suppose one can speak of a new trend in your opera and ballet. In Moscow you have the Chamber Musical Theatre, as to St. Petersburg Ballet Ensemble you may call it the Chamber Ballet Theatre.
Зоя: Я бы не назвала это «тенденцией». По-моему, это объясняется желанием постановщиков, музыкантов, певцов, танцовщиков и зрителей расширить (to broaden) жанры оперы и балета.
Jenny: That sounds very interesting. I must say there's a lot to learn and see in your country for an admirer of opera and ballet.
Зоя:Да, очень много интересного. Я бы также посоветовала вам сходить в Детский музыкальный театр. Если я не ошибаюсь, это единственный в мире музыкальный театр для детей.
Jenny: What does it stage?
Зоя:Оперы и музыкальные спектакли. Его постановки пользуются огромным успехом. Билеты достать почти невозможно.
Jenny: Thank you for the advice. I'll try my best to get tickets there.
Exercise 7.Translate into English.
1. — Есть ли у вас места в партере на завтрашний вечерний спектакль?
— Есть только два места в десятом ряду.
— Сколько они стоят?
— По два рубля каждый.
— Я возьму их. Вот деньги.
— Вот билеты и сдача.
2. — Как летит время. (Time flies.) Мы все считали Кукольный театр Образцова молодым, нам казалось, что он недавно организован, а он уже отпраздновал свой пятидесятилетний юбилей.
— Это и мой любимый театр. Думаю, что это единственный кукольный театр в мире, который пользуется популярностью как у детей, так и у взрослых
— Да, вы правы. И на детские, и на взрослые спектакли почти невозможно достать билеты.
— Мой любимый спектакль — «Необыкновенный концерт». Должен сказать, что этот спектакль пользуется успехом во всех странах мира.
3. — Чем объясняется популярность пьес Чехова во всем мире?
— По-моему, тем, что Чехов поднимает общечеловеческие проблемы, которые интересуют всех людей
— Какие пьесы Чехова вам больше всего нравятся?
— «Дядя Ваня» и «Чайка».
4. - Я только что просмотрел театральную афишу ( playbill ) и увидел, что во многих театрах идут пьесы зарубежных авторов.
— Русский театр всегда ставил пьесы зарубежных драматургов, как классиков, так и современных.
— Кто из современных американских драматургов пользуется наибольшей популярностью?
— По-моему, Тенесси Уильямc (Tennessee ['tenәsi] Williams). Его пьеса «Трамвай-желание» ("А Streetcar Named Desire") пользовалась большим успехом в течение ряда лет.
Exercise 8. Make up dialogues based on this picture.
Text 4
THE ARTS IN BRITAIN.
Exercise 1.Read the text and do the exercises.
Notes: flourish - преуспевать
Edinburgh International Festival – Международный Эдинбургский фестиваль (ежегодный музыкальный и театральный фестиваль в г.Эдинбурге в августе – сентябре . Проводится с 1947г.)
Aldeburgh – Олдборо (город в графстве Суффолк; место проведения ежегодных музыкальных фестивалей. Первый состоялся по инициативе композитора Бенджамина Бриттена в 1948г.)
Windsor –Виндзор, ( место загородной резиденции английских королей)
Cheltenham – Челтнем (город в графстве Глостершир, где проводится ежегодный фестиваль современной английской музыки)
Glyndebourne – Глайндборн (имение близ г.Льюиса в графстве Суссекс, где проводится ежегодный оперный фестиваль)
Arts Council – Совет по искусствам.
distribute – распределять, раздавать.
encourage – поддерживать, поощрять.
exert – оказывать давление, влиять.
diversity – многообразие, разнообразие.
The arts in Britain are flourishing, and present a varied and lively picture. London has become an international forum of the arts, with major exhibitions of painting and sculpture and theatre, opera and ballet companies and orchestras drawing large audiences. Throughout Britain there are festivals and centers of artistic activity — among them are the Edinburgh International Festival 2, the music festivals at Aldeburgh 3, Windsor 4 and Cheltenham 5 and opera at Glyndebourne 6.
The spread of musical interest in Britain owes much to the British Broadcasting Corporation with its daily music programme and its partial financing of the Promenade Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
There are over 900 museums and art galleries in Britain and art exhibitions are shown all over the country through the Arts Council 7, which distributes 8 government grants for music, drama, painting and sculpture. Local authorities play an important part in encouraging 9 the arts, supporting galleries, orchestras and arts centers – an example is the ambitious Midlands Art Centre for young people in Birmingham.
British artists, writers, musicians and architects exert 10 a powerful influence abroad. Notable figures include sculptors Henry Moore and Anthony Caro, painters Francis Bacon and Graham Sutherland and, among younger artists, Richard Smith, winner of a major international prize in 1967, Richard Hamilton, who painted the first "pop" picture, and Bridget Riley, internationally known artist whose work has also inspired fashion.
British music owes much to the composer Benjamin Britten, whose influence has produced a new school of British opera. In architecture the work of Sir Basil Spence (Coventry Cathedral, Sussex University) and the collective work of modern British architects in housing and town planning are outstanding.
Literature presents great diversity. Poetry has received fresh stimulus from regional movements including the Liverpool poets, who write for public performance. Among novelists of worldwide reputation are Graham Greene, Angus Wilson, William Golding, Iris Murdoch and Muriel Spark.
Exercise 2.Answer the questions.
A
1. What kinds of artistic activity do we mean when speaking about the arts in Britain?
2. What music festivals take place in Britain? What role does the BBC play in the development of musical interests in Britain?
3. What does the Arts Council do to encourage the arts in Britain? Can you give any examples?
4. What names of contemporary British novelists, composers and other people of arts do you know?
Exercise 3.
You came across some names of British sculptors, painters, artists in the text. Do you know any names of Britain's famous writers, poets, musicians, actors and singers?
Text 5
Exercise 1.There are 900 museums and art galleries in Britain. Do you know the number of museums in your republic (region, district, town)? Do you often go to museums? What kind of museums do you prefer?
Exercise 2.Read about one of Russian picture galleries and be ready to answer the questions.