Work with your partner. Cover the second part.

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B) · What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘theatre’? · Do you use the British spelling ‘theatre’ or the American spelling ‘theater’? Does it matter which one you use? · How often do you go to the theatre? · Is the theatre only for rich people? · What do you like and dislike about the theatre? · What’s the best thing you’ve ever seen at the theatre? · Would you like to work as a theatre critic? · Are theatre tickets easy to get in your country? · How do you feel when you sit in a theatre before the performance begins? · What’s the nicest theatre you’ve ever been to?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A) · Why is the theatre important? · What kind of theatre history does your country have? · Do you prefer watching a play at the theatre or a movie at the movie theatre (cinema)? · Do you think theatre tickets are reasonably priced? · Have you ever been to the theatre in another country? · Do you think people will always be interested in the theatre? · What questions would you like to ask a theatre actor? · Would you like to perform or act on stage at the theatre? · Would you like to see a theatre play in English? · What’s are the differences between movies and plays?

Speaking task 2

Roleplay: Pretend that you are going to organize a performance in a form of a play, an opera or a musical devoted to one of the famous historical events of your country. Choose the event which deserves the special attention. Discuss the possible plot of the performance. Offer some famous people for a cast. Count the possible price of the tickets and where it could be played. Choose the leader of your group who will present the information to the jury.

 

 

Task

Writing a review

Over the weekend, visit an opera or a theatre performance/play in your town.

Write a review of the performance/play you have seen.

 

Before You Attend the Production

Read the play before going to the production. (It is important to be prepared for the production you plan to attend; otherwise, you run the risk of having to see it several times.)

• In your mind, have a good sense of how a "standard" production might look, complete with a sense of what the characters might look like, the type of costuming that might be used, a suitable set design, and an appropriate rendering of the theme and tone of the work.

Attending the Production

Attend the play with an open mind, a willingness to accept the play as the director has presented it in production.

• Note any deviations from your concept of a "standard" production and try to find a good explanation for that deviation.
• You may want to consider some of the following:
• Why the choice of costumes, and why the set design?
• How did the actors deliver their lines (seriously, comically, realistically, formally)? Were there any significant actions or gestures that contributed to the play's meaning?

After the performance, jot down the details you recall and talk about the performance with friends. You'll need these details for your paper in order to substantiate your argument.

Evaluate the performance.

• Did the director miss any important opportunities to convey something you were able to see in your reading of the play?
• Would you have liked to have seen more attention paid to what you perceived as critical passages, passages the director seemed less interested in?
• Why would you have preferred this attention, and why do you think the director avoided giving the passage such attention?

Consider the following practical aspects:

• Are the actors professionals, amateurs, or students? What restrictions does this impose on the director? Are the actors capable of dealing with the script's requirements? (Be fair to the actors in your assessment of their talents and the level of their "craftsmanship.")