AT THE THEATRE

The 20-th century brought great change into the theatre. Television, radio, cinema, video altered the course of the major performing arts and created the new ones. But still there are hundreds of musical comedy theatres, drama theatres, opera houses, puppet theatres, philharmonics and conservatoires where the audience is excited at the prospect of seeing a play and the actors are most encouraged by the warm reception. But first, I'd like to tell you some words about the theatre. It is a building where plays, operas or ballets are performed. Of course, it has a stage for the actors and an auditorium where the audience sits. The curtain usually separates the stage from the audito­rium. As a rule, the curtain is dropped or lowered between the scenes or acts of a play. The most expensive seats are in the stalls, boxes and dress-circles. The seats in the balcony, pit and the upper circle are comparatively cheaper. An intricate system of lights illuminates the stage. While the curtain is down, the workers on the stage can change the scenery and prepare the stage for the next part of the performance.

A play lives a long life before it makes its appearance on the stage before the audience. It is a real part of art and its creation calls for inspiration, talent and artistic ingenuity. A playwright conceives an idea and after months of hard work his idea develops into the script of the play. And finally, when everything is ready and the rehearsal goes off without a hitch, a dress rehearsal is called. After some time the curtain rises, the play faces the audience on its first night.

As for me, I am not much of a theatre goer but sometimes I like to go to the theatre with my friends or relatives just to relax. But I'll never forget my last visit to the Ivan Franko Ukrainian Drama Theatre. My mother bought two tickets at the advance box-office for the perfor­mance "Eneiyda". It was a stage version based on the I.Kotlyarevskiy's novel.

There were brilliant actors and actresses in the cast, I should admit. The leading actress was inexpressibly moving and top favourite. It seemed to me she was at her best and the play kept the audience in suspense from beginning to end. The company gave the truly remarkable play — moving, captivating, provoking laughter and tears by turns. Besides, it was a great educational value. During the

interval everybody talked about the brilliant acting of the actors. The concluding scene was exciting enough, the final moment was thrilling and unforgettable. The actors received a tremendous acclamation from the packed audience. There was no doubt it was warmly received by the audience, many of pieces were encored. I admired everything: the wonderful scenery, marvellous acting, charming music. And it was obvious that the play was a great success.

WORD LIST:

to alter— змінюватися

performing arts — виконавські види мистецтва

to create— творити, створювати                                  

puppet theatre — кукольний театр

musical comedy theatre — театр оперети

philharmonic— філармонія

conservatoire— консерваторія

audience— публіка, аудиторія

prospect— надія

to encourage— надихати

reception— прийом

to perform— виконувати (роль)

stage— сцена

actor— актор

actress— актриса

auditorium— глядацький зал, аудиторія

curtain— завіса

to separate— розділяти

stalls— партер

box— ложа

dress-circle— бельетаж

balcony— балкон

pit — амфітеатр

upper-circle — перший ярус

comparatively— порівняно, відносно

intricate— заплутаний, складний

to illuminate— освітлювати, проливати світло

scenery— театральні декорації, пейзаж

erformance — вистава, виконання

play — п'єса

to make an appearance— показуватися, з'являтися

inspiration— натхнення

ingenuity— винахідливість, хитромудрість

playwright — драматург

to conceive an idea — замислити

script— рукопис

rehearsal— репетиція

first night — прем'єра

to buy tickets — купити квитки

advance box-office — каса попереднього продажу квитків

stage version — інсценування

cast  — склад виконавців

leading actress — провідна актриса; актриса, виконуюча головну роль

 inexpressibly moving — неймовірно зворушлива

top favourite — найулюбленіша

to be at one's best — бути в хорошій формі

to keep the audience in suspense from beginning to end —тримати глядачів в напрузі від початку до кінця спектаклю

truly remarkable  play — дійсно чудова п'єса

moving — зворушливий

captivating — увлекательний

provoking laughter and tears by turns —   що викликає по черзі то сміх, то сльози
to be a great educational value — мати велике виховне значення

interval — перерва, антракт

acting — гра акторів на сцені

concluding scene — завершальна сцена

thrilling— що хвилює

to receive a tremendous acclamation— отримати грандіозну овацію

encore— біс

marvellous— дивний, дивовижний, чудовий

obvious— ясно, очевидно

to be a great success— мати великий успіх, користуватися великим успіхом