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Reporter: Is there anything else?
Bob: To play a role well, actors should know about human emotions and attitudes. They must be able to express them so that the audience could understand them. A good performer has the habit of observing others and remembering how they behave. If an actor takes the role of an old man, for example, he may prepare by observing how old men walk, stand and sit. An actor also learns how different people react to such emotions as happiness, grief and fear. Concentration is also very important. Actors must be able to put themselves in an imagined situation and forget about the real world.
Reporter: Well, thank you, Bob. Unfortunately, we are out of time already but I hope we'll meet again soon.
TS 37
Chris: Mom, can you tape something for me because I'm going out tonight? Mom: What is it, dear? Chris: Batman Returns.
Mom: Batman Returns? Isn't that the film starring Michael Keaton? I heard it's a very good film.
Chris: Yes, ft is. Listen to what they say about it in the TV Guide. 'Michael Keaton stars in this adventure film, directed by Tim Burton. The film is set in an imaginary city in America where Batman, the action hero, fights the evil villain, Penguin and Cat Woman. Their acting is brilliant, especially Michelle Pfiffer who plays the Cat Woman. The plot is a little complicated at times and hard to follow. But the costumes and the special effects are out-of-this-world and very imaginative. This is an excellent film not to be missed.' Sounds good, doesn't it? It starts at 9 o'clock.
Mom: M-m-m. I think I might watch it myself tonight. TS 38
Reporter: Good evening, dear listeners. Today out guest is John Leary who's a theatre
critic. Mr Leary, what is the topic of your today's talk? J. L: I'd like to talk about the history of theatre. And I am particularly interested in the past of the theatre: Ancient Greece, Rome, Middle Ages.
I will start from the beginning — Ancient Greece. Theatre there started as religious ceremonies, which took place only twice a year. During the festivals, plays were performed every day from morning till night at the foot of a hill. It was a contest of poets. Every Athenian came to see it. The drama was the middle part of a series of three performances, the events always ended with dance. No more than three actors, all of whom were men, played different roles wearing masks. There was also chorus on stage singing songs. The result of the contest was decided by a jury from the public.
Roman theatre was less religious. The performances were done on a platform with a street and three or four houses in the background. The audience was sitting around on the hill. People were so loud and rude that most of the performance was a pantomime and the actors, all of whom were men too, had to repeat things many times and wear special costumes: the colour of the hair or dress had some meaning: black hair meant a young man, red hair — a servant, yellow dress — a woman. There were more actors on the stage and the chorus gradually disappeared.
During the Middle Ages, theatre was part of religious life of the country. Plays were written in Latin. Their Bible stories were performed by church members. There were also mimes and street actors who performed one-act dramas in town squares or other parts of the city on a decorated platform on the wheels. In most cases the actors were men, but in some countries women performed, too. The actors had to wear their own costumes.
The 19th century brought the development of theatre architecture and stage equipment, sets with perspective and coloured lighting were introduced. Most
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