Ququki

05.09.2021 22:44 •  Английский язык

READING TEST TOPIC: "WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE" THE GLOBE

That night the whole acting troop (труппа) took down their theatre, brick by brick (кирпич). They carried it across the river where they rebuilt it in its new home in Southwark. They called it the Globe to celebrate the new age of discovery.
Shakespeare's Globe was rather different from modem theatres. The plays were performed in the open air and the audience got wet if it rained.
There was no scenery and the only lighting was the daylight that came from the open roof above. So most plays were given in the afternoon.
Women in those days weren't allowed to act in public and all the parts (even Juliet!) were played by men.
Much of the audience stood to watch the performance and moved around, talking with each other and throwing fruit at the stage if they didn't like something.
When a new play was to be performed the flag was put, the trumpet (тpy6a) sounded and because there was only one bridge, the town people got into their boats and crossed the river to see a new play by William Shakespeare.
But if the weather suddenly changed for the worst, the flags were pulled down and the performance was cancelled (отменять).
Some people sent their servants two or three hours before to keep seats for them. Few women, except those of the lowest classes, visited public theatres in Elizabeth's time. If a lady went to see a performance, she wore a mask.
In the summer of 1613, during the performance of Shakespeare's King Henry W/the Globe caught fire and was burnt to the ground. The theatre was rebuilt in 1614, but a new blow fell upon it in 1616.
William Shakespeare, me greatest playwright the world had ever known, died of a fever (лихорадка), ironically on the same date as his birthday, April 23.
The theatre was closed in 1642 by the Puritans and pulled down in 1644.
Today, after almost 400 years, the Globe Theatre has been opened to the public again. The architects who have worked on the building believe the new theatre is as close to the original as it is possible to be.
Shows at the new Globe are staged in much the same way as they were then — with no scenery, spotlights or microphones. And, as in Shakespeare's time, the crowd is free to join in, calling out to the actors and taking part in the story.
Women now play on the stage of the Globe, but on special days you can watch Shakespeare's plays the way his audience would have: an all-male performance in original clothing and without interval. If it rains, however, you'll be given a rain hat so that you wouldn't get wet to the skin.
The theatre's artistic director. Mark Rylance, says that his dream is "to reawaken a love of words — a theatre for the heart, not just the intellect". He expects the audiences to move around, talk, drink beer and throw fruit at the actors as they did in Shakespeare's time.
FIND THE RIGHT SENTENCE.
8. a) The best parts were performed by women-actresses.
b) Women didn't perform on the stage because they were not talented.
c) Women didn't perform on the stage because they were not allowed to.
d) Little children performed all the parts.
9. a) William Shakespeare died during the Great fire of London.
b) William Shakespeare died during the fire in the Globe in 1613.
c) William Shakespeare died because he got wet through during one of the performances of his plays and caught a cold.
d) William Shakespeare died because he was ill with fever.
10. a) The new Globe stages the plays in much the same way as they did at Shakespeare's time—with no scenery, spotlights or microphones.
b) The new Globe is a modem theatre nowadays with a colourful scenery, spotlights and microphones in it.
c) The new Globe is situated in the same old building and it has the same scenery, spotlights and microphones.
d) There is no electricity in the Globe, so there are no spotlights or microphones there.