Засідання гуртка англійської мови

«Театр Шекспіра»

Theme: Theatre. Shakespeare’s Theatre.

Aim: to sum up the material on the theme;
to bring up the students in the love for theatre.
Visual aids : pictures, cards, multimedia projector and screen.

I. Organization moment. Listening to the text:

«English Theatres»
London is the centre of the theatre art. In early evenings if you come to London
you can see the groups of people, sitting or standing near the theatres. They are
waiting for tickets for opera or the ballet. As you know , Christmas is a great
holiday in England. During the Christmas season you can see many shows for
children called pantomimes.

Englishmen have loved the theatre since the days of Shakespeare.

A Londoner will always pay a visit to the theatre on a birthday or an anniversary.
There are more than 50 theatres in London.
Englishmen like to see light comedies and serious plays. The leading and the
most famous theatres in England are the National Theatre in London , the
Aldwijch Theatre and the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. There you can see
modern plays, old and new plays and the Shakespeare’s plays.

II. Read the poem:

Work while you work
Play while you play
That is the way
To be happy and gay.

III. To begin our discussion I’d like to ask you some questions:

1. What do you prefer: to read a book, to see a stage version of this book or
watch it on TV ?
2. Why art is so important in our life?
3. What is theatre in your life?
4. What theatres do you know?
5. What kind of plays do you prefer?

IV. Listen and say what is it

1. A building , where different plays such as dramas, comedies and tragedies

are on (a theatre )
2. A part of the theatre where the spectators sit ( a hall)
3. The place in the theatre where the actors and actresses perform ( a stage )
4. A room in the theatre where we leave our coats and hast ( a cloak- room )
5. The place in the theatre where we can walk and discuss the play during the
intervals (a foyer )
6. The seats which we occupy if we have little money ( a balcony )
 7. The seats which we occupy if we have a lot of money ( the stalls )
V. I’II give you a task. On one side of the card there is a question and on
the other side there are some expressions. Make up dialogues.
1
Where will you go tonight?
- What is on?
- It’s a good idea.
- To have a look at …
- To book tickets beforehand
- With great pleasure .
2
What do people usually speak about before the performance?
- To take the seats
- I wonder
- As for as I know
- The roles are performed by….
- Curtain will go up
- Light are going out
3
What do people usually speak about after the performance?
- It was a wonderful performance
- Enjoy every minute of it
- What an ovation
- Play brilliantly

VI. Speak about:

1. Theatre .
2. My last visit to the theatre.

VII. Read the text by yourselves:

«The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre»
Stratford-upon. Avon is a well-known town in England because there is the
Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in it. This theatre was opened on April 23
1879.From that time festivals were held for a few weeks every year in Shakespeare
Memorial Theatre. In 1926 the theatre was burned to the ground. New Shakespeare
Memorial Theatre was opened in 1932.
Today this theatre is one of the most comfortable in the world. It has wardrobes
and workshops , a library, a picture gallery and a restaurant. Famous plays of
Shakespeare are shown here . They are : “King Lear” , “ Hamlet”, “ Romeo and
Juliet”. Well-know actors and actresses played in this theatre. They are Wien
Leigh, Laurence Olivier and Richard Johnson.

VIII. Test:

1. What is Stratford-upon Avon?

 a) a river in England
b) a well- known town in England
c) a street in England
2. What is it famous for ?
a) for Shakespeare Memorial Theatre
b) for National Theatre
c) for opera and ballet theatre
3. When was it opened ?
a) on the 23d of April , 1879
b) not long ago
c) last year
4. How often are the festivals held in Stratford-upon Avon ?
a) for a month every year
b) twice a year
c) for a few weeks every year
5. What has happened in 1926?
a) the theatre was destroyed
b) the theatre was burned
c) the theatre was shut
6. What kind of theatre is Shakespeare Memorial Theatre ?
a) the most comfortable in the world
b) the biggest in the world
c) the oldest in the world
7. What plays are shown here ?
a) the plays of Ukrainian writers
b) the plays of English writers
c) the plays of Shakespeare

IX. Now we are going to speak about Shakespeare

Answer the questions .
1. When and where William Shakespeare was born?
2. How did actors perform in those times?
3. How did he begin his career ?
4. What was his theatre called?
5. How many plays did he write?
6. What are the main topics of his plays ?
7. What plays by William Shakespeare do you know?

X. Some students will show a piece from “ Romeo and Juliet”

( Act III Scene V )
Juliet’s Chamber. 
Enter ROMEO and JULIET
 
Juliet. Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day.
It was the nightingale, and not the lark,
That pierc'd the fearful hollow of thine ear.
Nightly she sings on yond pomegranate tree.
Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.
Romeo. It was the lark, the herald of the morn;
No nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks
Do lace the severing clouds in yonder East.
Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.
I must be gone and live, or stay and die.
Juliet. Yond light is not daylight; I know it, I.
It is some meteor that the sun exhales
To be to thee this night a torchbearer
And light thee on the way to Mantua.
Therefore stay yet; thou need'st not to be gone.
Romeo. Let me be ta'en, let me be put to death.
I am content, so thou wilt have it so.
I'll say yon grey is not the morning's eye,
'Tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia's brow;
Nor that is not the lark whose notes do beat
The vaulty heaven so high above our heads.
I have more care to stay than will to go.
Come, death, and welcome! Juliet wills it so.
How is't, my soul? Let's talk; it is not day.
Juliet. It is, it is! Hie hence, be gone, away!
It is the lark that sings so out of tune,
Straining harsh discords and unpleasing sharps.
Some say the lark makes sweet division;
This doth not so, for she divideth us.
Some say the lark and loathed toad chang'd eyes;
O, now I would they had chang'd voices too,
Since arm from arm that voice doth us affray,
Hunting thee hence with hunt's-up to the day!
O, now be gone! More light and light it grows.
Romeo. More light and light- more dark and dark
our woes!
 
Enter NURSE
 
Nurse. Madam!
Juliet. Nurse?
Nurse. Your lady mother is coming to your
chamber.
The day is broke; be wary, look about. [Exit.]
Juliet. Then, window, let day in, and let life out.
Romeo. Farewell, farewell! One kiss, and I'll
descend.
[He goes down.]
 Juliet. Art thou gone so, my lord, my love, my
friend?
I must hear from thee every day in the hour,
For in a minute there are many days.
O, by this count I shall be much in years
Ere I again behold my Romeo!
Romeo. Farewell!
I will omit no opportunity
That may convey my greetings, love, to thee.
Juliet. O, think'st thou we shall ever meet again?
Romeo. I doubt it not; and all these woes shall
serve
For sweet discourses in our time to come.
Juliet. O God, I have an ill-divining soul!
Methinks I see thee, now thou art below,
As one dead in the bottom of a tomb.
Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale.
Romeo. And trust me, love, in my eye so do you.
Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Adieu, adieu!
[Exit.]
Juliet. O Fortune, Fortune! all men call thee
fickle.
If thou art fickle, what dost thou with him
That is renown'd for faith? Be fickle, Fortune,
For then I hope thou wilt not keep him long
But send him back.

XI. Discussing a proverb- “Art is long life is short.”

XII. Comment on William Shakespeare’s sayings :

1. “ Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.”

2. “ Cowards die many times before their deaths.”
3. “ Wake not a sleeping wolf .”