Understanding the task

Read this review of the play “The Woman in Black”. Match the reviewer's ideas a–f to paragraphs 1-6. Ignore the nouns in brackets.

a. recommendations to readers

b. technical details of the production

c. brief summary of the plot

d. introduction to the characters

e. subject of the review

f. own opinions about the play

1) The Woman in Black, now showing at the Fortune Theatre in London, is a play based on a ghost story adapted from a novel by Susan Hill. It tells the tale of a strange figure who appears unexpectedly, throughout the play.

2) Although there are six main characters – young, old, male and female – there are only two male actors playing the ¹(difference) parts. They do this extremely successfully by adopting another voice or physical appearance, or simply putting on another coat.

3) The story centres around a young man who visits the isolated house of someone who has recently died. The local inhabitants seem unwilling to talk about the house, or its previous owner. As the story develops, the truth about the strange figure is slowly revealed but the real twist comes at the end, when the audience is left ²(amazement) that a stage play could convey such a³(power) message.

4) The stage direction is quite simply ⁴(spectacle). For a start, the use of lighting is highly ⁵(originality), transporting the audience from place to place in seconds. In addition, a basket becomes a railway carriage, eliminating the necessity for ⁶(expense) and ⁷⁽inconvenience) scene changes.

5) Some scenes are truly ⁸(fright) and there were occasions when the audience was screaming in terror. However, the play never allows the audience to see too much, and merely suggests supernatural happenings, which is surprisingly ⁹(effect).

6) То say more would give everything away. So, if you are ready to suspend your belief in reality, and be transported into the thrill of a lifetime - you won't be ¹⁰(disappointment).

Word formation

Change nouns 1-10 in the review into their adjective form.

Structuring a review

A. Look at a-f in 1 again. In what order are they arranged in the review?

B. Here are some ideas which might be included in a review of a play. Use a-f as headings and group these ideas in the appropriate paragraph.

•producer • location of theatre • setting • length of play • strengths • your opinion • writer • recommendations • cost of production • other critics’ opinions • weaknesses • plot • characters • director • special effects • music • stage props • actors • technical details

C. Decide which ideas in В are important to include and which ones are unnecessary.