Theatre

On 15^th February we had an opportunity to see in Poznań the performance presented by  TNT THEATRE BRITAIN

OLIVER TWIST

by Charles Dickens

adapted by Paul Stebbings and Phil Smith
original score by Thomas Johnson
directed by Paul Stebbings

Here is the short background of the story.

OLIVER TWIST has been described as the first modern novel. It is one of the few novels who’s characters have entered into modern myth- Fagin, Bill, Nancy and the Artful Dodger can claim to be some of the best known literary creations outside of Shakespeare. The enormous energy of these characters and the full bloodied portrait of the first modern urban nightmare, London, make the story not only exciting and dramatic, but also truly contemporary.

The themes and social issues raised by Dickens are as relevant today as when it was first published over one hundred and fifty years ago. How do we treat the weak, especially child criminals? And is there a link between crime and poverty? OLIVER TWIST was the first novel to have a child as its hero. Dickens’ style is highly theatrical, and indeed he himself gave dramatic readings of much of OLIVER TWIST to huge audiences in Britain and the USA. Dickens’ style switches between the almost documentary to the comic, from action packed narrative to emotional drama.

TNT sweep away the sentimentality of so many versions and present the story through the eyes of Fagin as he stands on the gallows. The story is his last attempt at justifying his life of crime. Is he a criminal or a victim? Does he care for his boy thieves or does he exploit them?

In addition to powerful drama, there is plenty of comedy and fast moving action that switches from thriller, to love story to murder most foul. The production has been highly praised for it’s a capella score by the composer Thomas Johnson, whose composing credits include the West End and Royal National theatre. The action is developed through stunning five part harmony singing.

TNT’s production of OLIVER TWIST is being revived constantly since its premier in 1994. It is TNT/ADG’s most performed play. The production has only ever received positive reviews and thrilled a wide range of audiences on three continents. OLIVER TWIST was TNT’s “break through” production in China, and had a huge impact on its nationwide tour in 2006 and resulted in TNT becoming the number one touring theatre in China.

M.S.

Valentine's quotes

Funny and Humorous Quotes for Valentine's Day

• "Nobody will ever win the battle of the sexes. There's too much fraternizing with the enemy." - Henry Kissinger
• "Love is being stupid together." - Paul Valery
• "Love is an electric blanket with somebody else in control of the switch." - Cathy Carlyle
• "Lord! I wonder what fool it was that first invented kissing." - Jonathon Swift
• "Love is a game that two can play and both win." - Eva Gabor
• "Love puts the fun in together, the sad in apart, and the joy in a heart." - Author Unknown
• "Falling in love is so hard on the knees." - Aerosmith
• "Give me a thousand kisses, then a hundred, then a thousand more." - Catullus
• "Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly." - Rose Franken
• "Men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, - but not for love." - William Shakespeare
• "I love you like crazy, baby 'Cuz I'd go crazy without you." - Pixie Foudre
• "I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon." - Author Unknown
• "Like I've always said, love wouldn't be blind if the braille weren't so damned much fun." - Armistead Maupin, Maybe the Moon
• "What the world really needs is more love and less paper work." - Pearl Bailey
• "True love comes quietly, without banners or flashing lights. If you hear bells, get your ears checked." - Erich Segal
• "Love - a wildly misunderstood although highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, blood pressure to rise and the lips to pucker." - Author Unknown
• "Valentine's Day is when a lot of married men are reminded what a poor shot Cupid really is." - Author Unknown
• "Without love, what are we worth? Eighty-nine cents! Eighty-nine cents worth of chemicals walking around lonely." - M*A*S*H, Hawkeye
• "Love is much nicer to be in than an automobile accident, a tight girdle, a higher tax bracket or a holding pattern over Philadelphia." - Judith Viorst, Redbook, 1975
• "If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?" - Author Unknown

Valentine's vocabulary

This is a list of vocabulary items related to Saint Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day- 

Celebrated on 14 February. It is a day when you give a valentine card to someone you have a romantic relationship with or would like a romantic relationship with

A valentine- A decorative card which you send, usually without your name on it, on 14 February (Valentine's Day) to someone you love. When you are popular you get a lo of valentines

Did you get any valentines?
Yes, I also sent you one!
Look Leila is writing a valentine

A valentine (person)

Someone you love or would like to have a romantic relationship with, to whom you send a valentine card:
The message on the card said 'Be my Valentine'.

Cupid

The ancient Roman god of love, represented by a naked baby boy who has wings and shoots arrows at people to make them start to love each other

An arrow

Cupid shoots arrows at people to make them love each other.

Date

a.  (Noun) An appointment for a particular time, esp with a person to whom one is sexually or romantically attached
She has a dinner date
b.  (Noun) The person with whom the appointment is made
Who's your date for the prom (party)?
c. (Verb) To regularly spend time with someone you have a romantic relationship with.
They were dating for five years before they got married.
How long have you been dating Nicky?

Exchanging gifts -On Valentine's Day lovers express their feeling for each other, often by exchanging gifts. These gifts include:

A bouquet of flowers usually roses or carnations
A box of chocolate
Candy hearts

Bouquet

A group of flowers that have been fastened together and attractively arranged so that they can be given as a present or carried on formal occasion such as Valentine's Day.
Chris sent me a lovely bouquet on Valentine's Day.

Do the exercise below on the vocabulary related to Valentine's Day and click on the button to check your answers.

Choose the right words:

1. Valentine's Day is ……………………on February 14th.
2. This is a popular …………….for people to get engaged.
3. Flowers and……………. are popular presents to give.
4. It is also a custom to send greeting cards called …………………..
5. Many cards are ………………………. This means you don't know who they are from.
6. A popular symbol is a Cupid carrying a bow and an …………………….
7. A…………………………… is a slightly outdated term meaning "the one I love".
8. Wow! What a beautiful………………… !
9. Many couples go out on romantic …………………..on Valentine's Day.
10. When couples meet they usually have a ……………………….dinner in a romantic restaurant.

Answers: candlelight, day, anonymous, sweetheart, celebrated, bouquet, dates, arrow,chocolates, valentines

Geography lesson

Types of shoreline coasts


A Coast is a strip of land on both sides of the shoreline, which is currently visible .There are the effects of ongoing coastal processes (eg activities of sea waves, surf, coastal currents). As you can see the sea usually has 2 types of coast:

- Low, such as a  beach

- High, such as a cliff.

Taking into account the origin and course of the shoreline we can distinguish many types of sea coast, including fjords, skerries , Rias, Dalmatian, spit-flooding, lido-lagoon.

fjord coast  is the result of flooding  glacial valleys in mountain areas (eg, Norway, Greenland, Chile).
skerries  coast is characterized by "thousands" of small islands, is the result of partial inundation of hilly glacial sculpture (eg in Finland, Sweden).
Rias coast is a result of flooding of river valleys outlet sections ,they  are arranged perpendicularly or obliquely to the shoreline (eg France, Spain, China).
Dalmatian Coast was created by flooding the mountain ranges extending parallel to the sea; climaxes ridges form a chain of islands (eg Croatia).