B. Success and failure
A. Useful adjectives for describing works and performances
Match the words in column A with their equivalents in column B. Give Ukrainian equivalents to the following words.
Work in pairs. Match the definitions of functions below with the artistic staff professionals in exercise 15.
| A.responsible for actors' clothes | B. in charge of finding actors | C. interprets the play | D. writes plays | E. responsible for sound effects | F. in charge of the light on the stage |
| G. responsible for scenery, furniture etc used on a stage | H. writes stories and words for a performance | I. in charge of technical aspects of a performance | J. responsible for technical aspects of the production process | K. gives instructions to actors and others working on a play |
18. Work in pairs. Discuss the artistic staff and technical theatre personnel needed to produce and stage a play. What kind of responsibilities do each of the production team members have?
| A | B |
| 1. performing arts | a. belief |
| 2. spectacle | b. fundamental |
| 3. mummer | c. whole |
| 4. paramount | d. matter |
| 5. entire | e. harlequin |
| 6. creed (n) | f. theatre plus music etc |
| 7. enormous | g. image |
| 8. concern (n) | h. preeminent |
| 9. seminal | i. tremendous |
| 10. act out | j. story line |
| 11. narrative (adj) | k. modern |
| 12. root | l. study |
| 13. routine | m. affection |
| 14. contemporary | n. agitator |
| 15. passion | o. play |
| 16. plot | p. pattern |
| 17. catalyst | q. storylike |
| 18. critique | r. stem |
| adjective | Meaning | Example |
| overrated | Not as good as people say | It’s an overrated play. |
| hackneyed | done so often it is boring | The plot was so hackneyed! |
| impenetrable | complex and impossible to understand | His films are impenetrable. |
| disjointed | unconnected and not in a clear order | The play was disjointed and difficult to follow. |
| far-fetched | impossible to believe | The film Green Aliens from Mars was a bit far-fetched. |
| risqué | slightly immoral and likely to shock some people | The play was a bit risqué, and some religious leaders criticized it. |
| gripping | exciting and keeping your attention the whole time | It was a gripping film from start to finish. |
| harrowing | extremely upsetting | It was a harrowing documentary about war and refugee camps. |
| moving | making you feel strong emotion, especially pity or sadness | It’s a moving story about a child whose mother dies. |
| memorable | you remember it long after | That was a memorable performance. |
| understated | done or expressed in a simple but attractive style | The whole ballet is really understated. |
His latest opera was panned [very negatively criticised] by the critics, which is strange, since all his previous works have been universally lauded [highly praised).
The play bombed in London's West End, but was more successful in New York. [was a failure].
Her latest CD has won three awards. [prizes/honours, e.g. “Best CD of the Year”]
Anthony O'Donnell won the award for “Best up-and-coming actor” of 2001. [likely to become very famous or successful]
The critics generally agree that her new symphony is a masterpiece. [very great work of art]
Novak was definitely miscast as the father in that film. [was the wrong person for the role]
She has become typecastas a middle-aged mother. [always associated with that type of role]
He was given several encores for his performance of the violin concerto. [calls from the audience to repeat it]
She got a standing ovation for her performance of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. [the audience stood up and applauded]
C. From memory, give an adjective from A which is opposite in meaning to the following words.
1 credible/believable
2 original/novel
3 underrated
4 exaggerated
5 coherent/smooth-flowing