4
Stage and screen
Starting out◆
Sichuan Opera
LISA
Face-changing
BROWN
7 July 7 pm
CENTRAL STADIUM
The Old Teahouse
22 23 December 8 pm
9 April
Palace Theatre
2 pm &7 pm
CHINESE
Waiting
CHINESE
SPRING
for
CROSSTALK
FESTIVAL
Godot
SHOW
29 May
Gala
6 pm
EAST THEATRE
10 February
26 October 7 pm
Royal Theatre
1 Look at the posters and answer the questions.
2 Watch the video and answer the questions
Which of these types of entertainment are you
What theatres are mentioned in the video
most familiar with
What are the differences between them
What other types of entertainment have
In what ways are they similar
you seen
Which do you like most Why
37
Harlet
15991602
Understanding id
Look at the pictures of two performances and
1
I thought I knew a lot about Hamlet.As
talk about their differences and similarities.
a high school student with English literature
Consider the following:
as one of my main subjects,I have to!
.orchestra
Shakespeare's Hamlet is probably the most
。costumes and masks
important play by the most important writer
。stage set
in English.Almost everybody knows"To be,
To be or not to be,is a question.
performers'movements
or not to be",right Having seen quite a few
productions of Hamlet and read the play
many times,I was full of confidence-until
the Peking Opera came to town!
2 Dating back to the 18th century,Peking
Opera has over two hundred years of
history.Does this mean it's easier than
a Shakespeare play to understand To find
out the answer,I just had to go and see The
Revenge of Prince Zidan-the Peking Opera
version of Hamlet.
Starting with an orchestra playing
traditional Chinese instruments,the opera
brought a completely new sound to my
Western cars.At first,I thought what
I heard was a violin,but later I learnt that
it was an instrument with two strings called
jinghu.Then,sceing the main characters
come on stage,I was surprised!The
costumes and masks were amazing.The
performers of course sang in Chinese,but
Read the passage and find out wha
the music,exaggerated movements and
of Peking Opera most impressed thev.
mime helped get the meanings across to the
n.
audience.The voices themselves sounded
really unique-some of the female voices
nale voice
were so high that I was sure they could
break glass!And the stage was really simple:
a decorated whip represented a horse,and
38
UNIT 4