Сценарий вечера . О. Генри. На английском языке.
методическая разработка по английскому языку (8 класс) на тему

Сценарий

литературного вечера,

посвященный творчеству О. Генри

 ( на английском языке)

O. Henry (1862 - 1910) is a well-known American short-story writer. He had to earn his living from the age of fifteen and he educated himself with the help of friends.

O. Henry knew people very well, especially the ordinary people of New York. In his stories you can feel satirical criticism of the American way of life. Most of his short stories are full of warm sympathy for ordinary American people.

THE COP AND THE ANTHEM.

Characters.                                                                                                                      

Author,                                                                                                                     Two waiters,

Soapy -  a beggar,                                                                                               Well-dressed man

Policeman,                                                                                                              Men and women

Scene I

P l a c e:  A street. As the play is announced, the lights go out. When they are switched on, we see a bench in front of the curtain. A man in shabby clothes is lying on this bench. He moves uneasily and then sits down.

S o a p y (turning to the audience):It is growing cold. I can't sleep on my bench in Madison Square any more. I must do something to make them take me to Blackwell's prison. Three months of assured board and bed will save me. Well, now I know what I should do!

( The lights go out and when they are switched on again, we see a street. There is a shop to the left and a restaurant to the right. Soapy appears. He approaches the shop window, takes a stone and throws it through the glass. People come running, a policeman in the lead. Soapy stands still, with his hands in his pockets and smiles at the sight of the policeman.

P o l i c e m a n ( addressing Soapy): Where's the man who did that?

S o a p y ( with sarcasm): Don't you figure out that I might have had something to do with it?

P o l I c e m a n : I am sure you have nothing to do with it. Men who smash windows don't stay on the scene. They take to their heels.

*(Suddenly the policeman sees a man running and runs after him.)

S o a p y ( sadly) : It didn't work. But there's another easy way of being put to prison.

( He enters a restaurant of no great pretensions and sits down at the table. A waiter approaches him.)

W a t e r : What would you like to order, sir?

S o a p y ( looking through the menu) :  An apple-pie, a beef-steak and some beef-steak and some beer, please.

W a I t e r : In a moment, sir.

( the waiter leaves and soon comes back with some bread, a beef-steak, beer and a pie, puts everything on the table and goes off. Soapy eats up everything very quickly. When he has finished his meal, the waiter reappears.)

S o a p y : I have no money. Now, get busy and call a cop. Do it quickly. Don,t keep a gentleman waiting.

W a I t e r : No cop for you. ( Turning away.) Come here, Con.

( The second waiter enters and they both take Soapy and throw him out of the rastaurant. Soapy gets up and beats the dust from the clothes. He looks at the policeman, who is standing some distance away. The policeman laughs and walks down the street.)

S o a p y ( sadly ): Arrest seems but a rosy dream. The prison seems very far away.

Scene II

P l a c e : A street. There is a cigar store to the left and an old church with an iron fence to the right.  Near the cigar store we see a well-dressed man who is lighting a cigar. His silk umbrella is standing by the door. Soapy approaches him, takes the umbrella and slowly goes off. The man follows him.

The W e l l – D r e s s e d - M a n : Stop, stop!  What are you doing? That's my umbrella.

S o a p y (ironically) : Oh, is it? Well, why don't you call a policeman? I took it, your umbrella. Why don't you call a cop? There's one standing on the corner.

( The well-dressed man looks at the policeman and slows his steps. Soapy does likewise. The policeman looks at them curiously.)

The W e l l – D r e s s e d - M a n : That is – well, you know how these mistakes occur – I – if it's your umbrella I hope you'll excuse me – I picked it up this morning in a restaurant – if you recognize it as yours, why – I hope you'll.........

S o a p y : Of course it's mine.

( The well-dressed man retreats and Soapy angrily throws the umbrella away. Then he comes up to the church. Suddenly sweet music is heard.)

A u t h o r : Look at Soapy. This music brings about a suddern and wonderful change in his soul. The anthem that organist is playing reminds Soapy of his life when it contained such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends.

S o a p y ( with tears in his eyes ) : I'll make a man of myself again. I'm comparatively young yet. Tomorrow I'll go into the roaring downtown district and find work. A fur importer once offered me a place as a driver. I'll find him tomorrow and ask for the position. I'll be somebody in the world again. I would.....

( Suddenly Soapy feels a hand laid on his arm and looks quickly around into the face of a policeman.)

 P o l I c e m a n :What are you doing here?

S o a p y ( in surprise) : Nothing.

 P o l I c e m a n : Then come along. Three months in prison is what you deserve.

An announcer : O. Henry wrote 273 short stories and one novel “Cabbages and Kings”. Their great popularity has continued to the present day.

A DOUBLE-DYED DECEIVER

Characters

Kid – a young man,

Thacker – the United States consul in Buenas Tierras,

Santos Urique – rich man,

Donna Urique, his wife,

People in the gambling house.

Scene 1

P l a c e : A room in a gambling-house. Two tables with several chairs stand on the left. Several chairs are around them. There are some people at the tables. They are playing cards. Music is heard. Suddenly the gamblers begin to quarrel and one of them pulls out his revolver and shoots. The other man falls down.

The men surround the wounded man.

O n e of the men: Send for trhe doctor.

K i d : It's too late.

Scene 2

P l a c e : The consul's office. A table and two chairs make up the furniture. The consul is looking out of the window. There is a knock at the door.

T h a c k e r : Come in.

( the door opens and Kid enters.)

K i d : Good morning, sir!

T h a c k e r :  Good morning

K i d : I'm sorry to trouble you, but I was told that people usually called on you before going to see the town. I've just come from Texas.

T h a c k e r : Glad to meet you, Mr. …....?

K i d : Dalton. But they simply call me Kid in the Rio Grande country.

 T h a c k e r : My name is Thacker. Take a chair. ( Kid sits down on the nearest chair. Thacker takes another chair.) Mr. Dalton, if you  intend to buy land, I'll be very glad to help you. Besides, they speak Spanish here and you'll need an interpreter.

K i d :I'm not buying anything and I speack Spanish much better than English.

T h a c k e r ( thoughtfully ): You speak Spanish? ( He looks at Kid in silence ). You look like a Spaniard, too, and you can't be more than twenty or twenty-one. Are you brave?

 K i d : What do you mean?

 T h a c k e r : Are you ready to accept any work?

 K i d : I must tell you that I took part in a little row and killed a man. As I was afraid that his friends would avenge his death. I was obliged to leave the place and come here. So I'm ready to take any work. ( Thacker goes to the door, closes it and comes up to Kid.)

 T h a c k e r : Show me your left hand. ( He takes Kid's left hand and examines the back of it very carefully.) I can do it. Your hand will heal in a week.

 K i d  ( in surprise ):  What do you mean?

 T h a c k e r : Come with  me. ( They go towards the window.) In that house an old gentleman and his wife are waiting for you: they will fill your pockets with money. Old Santos Urique lives there. He owns half the gold mines in the country.

K i d : Are you drunk?

T h a c k e r :  Sit down and I'll tell you everything. ( They take their seats.)  Twelve years ago this old gentleman and his wife lost their only son. He was eight years old. Some Americans, who were looking for gold and who often visited the Uriques, told the boy a lot of wonderful things about the States: and a month later the boy disappeared. It was said that he was seen once in Texas. The Uriques looked for him everywhere, they spent a lot of money, but in vain. The mother was quite ill. They say she believes that her son will come back and they've never given up hope. A flying eagle was tattooed on the back of the boy's left hand. ( Kid answers nothing.) I can do it and in a week you'll have the eagle tattooed on your hand. I'll call old Urique and when he sees that you have the tattoo mark, that you speak Spanish and call tell him about Texas, the parents will be happy. The rest of it is simple. Old Urique keeps about 100,000 dollars in his house in a safe which a child can open. Get the money, we'll divide it; take a steamer going to Rio Janeiro. What do you think of it?

K i d : I like your plan.

Scene 3

P l a ce : The same room.

K i d : What have you written to them?

T h a c k e r :  Here is a copy of my letter. Shall I read it to you?

K i d : Do, please.

( Thacker takes the letter and begins to read it.)

T h a c k e r :

Dear Sir,

I have the pleasure to inform you that I have a guest in my house who arrived from the United States a few days ago. I think that he is your son and that he  intended to return to you, but at the last moment his courage left him because he doesn't know how you will receive him.

      I remain, dear Sir,

                Yours faithfully,

                                 Thomson Thacker.

K i d : Well done. Will they come soon?

T h a c k e r : I hope they will.

( The Uriques enter. Thacker meets them with a bow.)

S a n t o s  U r i q u e  ( anxiously) : Where is he?

( Suddenly he sees Kid standing near the window. Donna Urique glances at his face and his left hand and folds him in her arms.)

D o n n a   U r i q u e : Oh, my son!

S a n t o s  U r i q u e  : Oh, my dear son!

Scene 4

P l a c e : The same room.

( Thacker is walking up and down the room. He stops for a moment and addresses the audience.)

T h a c k e r : ( nervously) A month has passed and Kid hasn't come. I've sent him a message which I am sure will make him come today. ( Kid appears.) What'a the news?

K i d : Nothing new.

T h a c k e r :  It is time to start business. Why don't you get the money? Everybody knows that Urique's safe is full of money.

K i d : Oh, there's a lot of money in the house, and my adopted father has shown me where the key of the safe is.

T h a c k e r  ( angrily ): Well, then, what are you waiting for? Don't forget that I can tell Don Urique and everybody who you really are.

K i d  ( raising his voice) : Listen, when you speak to me, address me as Don Francisco Urique. As to my father's money let him have it. I don't intend to take it.

T h a c k e r  ( furiously ): Don't you intend to give me half then?

K i d : Of course not and I'll tell you why. The first night I was at Don Urique's house, just after I had gone to bed, my new mother came and tucked in the blanket. “My dear boy,” she said, and tears dropped from her eues on my face. I have had very little to do with mothers in my life, but I think that this mother must be kept fooled. She stood it once but she won't stand it twice. That's why things must stay just as they are. And don't forget that my name is Don Francisco Urique.

 T h a c k e r  ( angrily ): I'll tell everybody today who you really are. ( Kid takes Thacker by the throat with his left hand, draws his revolver with his right hand and aims the revolver at the consul's mouth. Thereis a sound of wheels outside. Kid puts his revolver into his pocket.)

K i d : There is one more reason why things must remain as they are. The fellow who was killed in a gambling-house in Laredo had an eagle on his hand.

(Donna Urique enters.)

D o n n a   U r i q u e : Where are you, my dear son?

K i d  ( softly ): I am here, dear Mother.

( He walks up to her, puts his arms round her and they leave.)

THE LAST LEAF.

   Sue and Johnsy were poor artists who lived in a little New York district west on Washington Square. They painted pictures which they hoped to sell. Their studio was on the third floor of an old brick house.

   They became friends in May and decided to live together. In November Johnsy fell ill. She lay in bed near the window and looked at the side of the next brick house.

   One morning, the doctor asked Sue to come out into the corridor. “Your friend is very ill, she has one chance in – let us say, ten.” he said, as he looked at his clinical thermometer. “ And the chance is for her to want to live. Your little lady  has decided that she's not going to get well. I promise to do all that I can, but you must help me. Let her think not of her illness, but of some other things.”

   After the doctor had gone, Sue went into Johnsy's room. Johnsy lay with her face towards the window. Sue thought that she was sleeping. So she began a drawing to illustrate a magazine story.

As Sue was working she heard Johnsy counting. She went quickly to the bedside. Johnsy's eyes were open. She was looking through the window and counting something.

   “Twelve,” she said, and a little later  “eleven”, and then  “ten”, and “nine”; and then “eight” and “seven” almost together.

   Sue looked out of the window. What was there to count? There was only a yard and the brick wall of the next house. An old, old ivy-vine was growing on the brick wall.

   “What is it, dear?” asked Sue.

   “Six,” said Johnsy. “They are falling faster now. Three days ago there were almost a hundred. There goes another one. There are only five left now.”

   “Five what, dear? Tell me.”

   “Leaves. On the ivy-vine. When the last one falls, I must go too. I've known that for three days. Didn't the doctor tell you?”

   “Oh, I never heard of such nonsense,” said Sue.  “ The doctor told me this morning that your chances for getting well were ten to one! Try to take some soup now and let me draw my pictures.”

   “No, I don't want any soup. There are only four now. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark. Then I'll go, too.”

   “Johnsy, dear,” said Sue, “will you promise me to keep your eyes shut, and not look out of the window until I finish working? I need the light.”

   “Tell me as soon as you have finished,” said Johnsy, shutting her eyes, and lying white and still as a fallen statue, “because I want to see the last one fall.”

   “Try to sleep,” said Sue. “ I must call Behrman to be my model.”

   Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor in the same house. He was over sixty. Behrman was a failure in art, but he still hoped to paint a masterpiece. He earned a little by serving as a model to those young painters who could not pay the price of a professional.

   Sue found Behrman in his little room. She told him about Johnsy's illness.

   “She thinks that she will die when the last leaf falls from the old ivy-vine on the wall of the next house.”

   Johnsy was sleeping when they entered her room. They went to the window and looked at each other for a moment without speaking.

   When Johnsy opened her eyes the next morning, there yet stood out against the brick wall one yellow and green ivy leaf. It was the last one on the vine.

   “It is the last one,” said Johnsy. “I thought it would fall during the night. I heard the wind. It will fall today, and I shall die at the same time.”

   The day came to its end and even in the evening there was still one leaf on the ivy-vine. Then, with the coming of the night, the north wind vbegan to blow again, the rain beat against the windows.

   In the morning, the girls looked out of the window. The one last leaf was still on the vine.

   Johnsy lay for a long time looking at it. And then she called to Sue and said, “I've been a bad girl. Something has made that last leaf stay there to show that we must always hope for the best. You may bring me a little soup now, and some milk.”

   An hour later, she said, “Sue, some day I hope to paint a beautiful picture.”

The doctor came in the afternoon. In the corridor he said to Sue, “She's much better now, she's getting well. Now I must see old Behrman on the ground floor, some kind of a painter, I believe. PNEUMONIA, too. He's an old man. There is no hope for him; but he goes to the hospital today. He'll be more comfortable there.”

   The next day, the doctor said to Sue, “She's out of danger.You've won. Good food and care now – that's all.”

   That afternoon Sue came to the bed where Johnsy lay.

   “I have something to tell you, dear.” she said. “Mr.Behrman died of pneumonia today in the hospital. He was ill only two days. He was found helpless in his room in the morning of the first day. His shoes and clothing were wet and he was very cold. They also found a lamp and a ladder in the room, some brushes and some yellow and green paints. Now look out of the window, dear, at the last ivy leaf on the wall. Do you know why it never moved when the wind blew? Ah, dear, it's Behrman's masterpiece – he painted it there the night that the last leaf fell.”

Этот рассказ учащиеся,  после первого прочтения, сами переделывают в диалогическую речь. Доктор измеряет температуру, выписывает рецепт, узнает у больного о самочувствии. «Больную» можно усадить в кресло около нарисованного окна, укрыть  шотландским пледом. Очень плодотворна сама подготовительная  работа. К остальным произведениям можно только нарисовать афиши. Желаю удачи!