— 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[76] 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[77] "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
