2. Fill in the blanks with the words from the list below; explain your choice.

1. They played every night to ____________houses.

2. I bought a seat in the ____________.

3. We sat in the ____________, quite far from the stage.

4. The ____________ where John says goodbye to Susan is very moving.

5. There was no change of ____________ during the play.

6. It’s an interesting play. I’d like to see it ____________.

7. The orchestra went ____________ to great applause.

8. There were some very original ____________.

9. Julia Trevelyan Oman’s ____________ was very effective.

10. The ____________ was rather unresponsive.

11. I’ve got two ____________ for the theatre.

12. Have you got any tickets ____________ for tonight.

List of words: packed, audience, scene, gods, tickets, scene, stalls, on the stage, set, lighting effects, on stage, for.

3. Answer the following questions.

1. What does a theatre begin with?

2. What do we do in the cloak-room?

3. What can a cloak-room attendant offer us?

4. What does an usher do?

5. Why do the audience buy programmes?

6. Where do the audience walk during an intermission?

7. What can we see on the walls of the foyer?

8. Where can we buy a drink or a snack?

4. Match the word (1-10) with its definition (a-j).

Auditorium Balcony Box Dress circle Foyer Gallery House Orchestra pit Stalls Wings	the area in which musicians play their instruments;
	the seats on the main floor;
	an area of seats at an upper level;
	the sides of a stage which cannot be seen by the people watching the play;
	the part of the theatre where people who are watching and listening sit;
	the first level of seats above the main floor;
	a large open area just inside the entrance of a public building;
	the people watching a performance;
	a small area with seats that is separate from the other seats;
	the highest floor that contains the cheapest seats.

5. Comment on the seating plans below pointing out the following things:

• similarities and differences of the four plans;

• view of the stage from each seating section;

• your preference for the theatre and the seat.

The Phoenix Theatre (London, UK)

The Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)

The Merrill Auditorium (Portland, Maine, USA)

San Francisco Ballet (San Francisco, USA)

(to see the view of the stage from each section go to

http://www.sfballet.org/tickets/seating/stage_view)

6. Fill in the gaps.

1. Last night Mr. and Mrs. Smith went ____________ the theatre. When they approached ____________ the theatre, they saw some people standing ____________ the entrance, waiting ____________ their friends. First of all they came________________________ the box-office and asked ____________ two seats ____________ the dress-circle. But the dress-circle seats were sold ____________, and they were offered two seats ____________ the tenth row ____________ the stalls. Then they went ____________ the cloak-room and left their coats and hats ____________ the cloak-room attendant. After that they went ________________________ the usher and bought the programme. The usher showed them ____________ their seats.

2. What’s ________________________ the Opera and Ballet House tonight?

3. I am not much ____________ a theatre-goer.

4. My sister is fond ____________ ballet.

5. Did you buy tickets ____________ advance or ____________ the day ____________ the performance?

6. They couldn’t get tickets ____________ the first night ____________ “Hamlet” ____________Smoktunovsky____________ the leading part, because the house was sold ____________ long ____________ the performance.

7. This theatre is famous ____________ its excellent company.

8. I was completely carried ________________________ her wonderful acting; it was so true ____________ life.

9. We are going ____________ the theatre tomorrow. Would you like ____________ join us?

10. The play was a success ____________ public.

11. I have an extra ticket ____________ the matinee ____________ the Mussorgsky Opera and Ballet House.

12. The house was sold ____________ long ago ____________ the day ____________ the performance. So, I did not het the tickets.