Авторские разработки.

British Theatre

Britain has a long and rich dramatic tradition. The two national companies, the National itself which stages a wide range of modern and classical plays and the Royal Shakespeare company, which is performing in Stratford-upon-Avon, and in London, are the society hostesses of drama, elegant and sophisticated but isolated from the rest of the British theatrical world by their prestige.

British theatre has become more cosmopolitan in outlook, with the World Theatre seasons that started in London in 1964, and more receptive to influences

from abroad. Whatever other changes have taken place over the past years, the theatre in Britain has gained in diversity.

A clear division has emerged between established theatre practice, whether commercial or subsidized, and what is called its «Fringe», the experimental, mostly small-scale activity that is free, or almost free, from financial and conventional restraints.

Contemporary British playwrights who have received recognition at home and overseas include Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard and some others. Of all the many dramatists now writing for the English theatre, there is one who has occupied a dominant position ever since the late fifties, namely Harold Pinter. His work is particularly hard to assess, though it must be noted that he is one of that small company of writers whose name has been turned into an adjective which seems to sum up some common element in our experience. It is those situations when language is used without communicating, when one misunderstanding leads on to another, when no one listens to what anyone else is saying, that is described as «Pinteresque». It is part of Pinter's achievement. He remains con¬centrated on problems of communication; on how far a small group of people can convey anything to each other, whether by words or silences or gesture. Pinter's achievement points the way towards the future; he has shown that it is possible to combine the poetic imagery, the open construction of the Theatre of the Absurd with techniques, which do not deviate too much from the mainstream of the tradition of drama. «The Caretaker» (1960), a disturbing but funny play, first established Pinter as a major talent.

Considerable interest is shown at present for the professional arts festivals which take place each year. The Edinburgh International Festival featuring a wide range of different arts is the largest of its kind in the world.

VIII. Найдите в тексте эквиваленты следующих слов и выражений:

ставить пьесу

утонченный

обособленный

восприимчивый к

влияние

добиться разнообразия

устоявшаяся практика

традиционные ограничения

современник

получить признание

занимать господствующее положение

сосредоточиваться на вопросах

поэтическая образность

приемы

отступать от традиций

основное направление (в литературе)

IX. Ответьте письменно на вопросы:

1. What are the two national companies in Great Britain? What do they stage?

2. How has British Theatre changed since 1964?

3. What is called «Fringe»?

4. Why is Harold Pinter's work hard to assess?

5. What way does Pinter's achievement point?