TEXT B. AT THE BOX-OFFICE
— I want four seats for Sunday, please. — Matinee or evening performance? — Evening, please. — Well, you can have very good seats in the stalls. Row F. — Oh, no! It's near the orchestra-pit. My wife can't stand loud music. — Then I could find you some seats in the pit. — I'm afraid that won't do either. My father-in-law is terribly short-sighted. He wouldn't see much from the pit, would he? — Hm... Perhaps, you'd care to take a box? — Certainly not! It's too expensive. I can't afford it. — Dress-circle then? — I don't like to sit in the dress-circle. — I'm afraid the only thing that remains is the gallery. — How can you suggest such a thing! My mother-in-law is a stout woman with a weak heart. We couldn't dream of letting her walk up four flights of stairs, could we? — I find, sir, that there isn't a single seat in the house[80] that would suit you. — There isn't, is there? Well, I think we'd much better go to the movies. As for me, I don't care much for this theatre-going business. Good day! TEXT С. PANTOMIMES Sally: Tony, there's an advertisement in the local paper saying that the theatre in the High Street is putting on[81] " Cinderella". I haven't seen a pantomime for years and years. Do you fancy going? Tony: Yeh, that sounds good. I don't think I've seen one since I was about fourteen — except for one on ice when I was crazy about skating, and that's not quite the same thing, is it? Sally: No. Ice shows don't have all the wonderful traditional scenery and that gorgeous theatre atmosphere. Tony: Pantomimes are awfully old, if you think about it, aren't they? I mean with a girl playing the part of the principal boy, all dressed up in tights and tunic... Sally: Mm, and the dame parts taken by men. I've never seen " Cinderella". I suppose the stepmother and the ugly sisters are the men's parts in that. Tony: Aladdin used to be my favourite, when a comedian played the Widow Twankey. And when Aladdin rubbed the magic lamp an enormous genie appeared... Sally: And the audience booing the wicked uncle, and joining in the singing of the popular songs they always manage to get into the play somehow. Tony: Yes! I wonder how on earth they manage to fit today's pop songs into pantomime stories? Sally: Well, why don't we get tickets and find out? Tony: Yes, OK. Come on, then. ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY (II) Words act υ gallery n properties acting n interval n (props) n balcony n lighting n repertoire n box n matinee n row n cast n orchestra-pit n stage-manager n company n pit n stalls n costumes n produce υ (theatre-) house n director n producer n treatment n dress-circle n production n
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