C1 · 63 words
Theatre and stage in Italian
Rehearsals, technicians, audience — from the read-through to the get-out.
Practise this list
From these 63 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
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La ridarella is made by a rule that English has no equivalent for. Italian takes a verb and hangs the ending -arella on it to name a fit that takes hold of a body against its will. From ridere, to laugh, comes la ridarella, the helpless laughter that arrives in the middle of a scene; from tremare, to tremble, comes la tremarella, the shakes before an entrance. The result is one feminine noun in the singular, carrying an article, and it is something that comes to you rather than something you do: mi è venuta la ridarella says it arrived. English reaches the same idea from the far end, with a plural that has lost its singular. We say « the giggles », « the shakes », « the shivers », « the jitters », « the hiccups », and every one of them has to carry « the » in front of it; nobody has a single giggle of this kind, and « a shivers » is not English at all. The theatre keeps a verb for precisely this entry, « to corpse », which is what an actor does when the laughter wins.
The words
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Adjective (1)
Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective stands
incasellatotypecastAdjectiveC1
Dopo quel film è rimasto incasellato per anni.After that film he stayed typecast for years.
Adverb (3)
Grammar for these: Adverbs in -mente
a fondo scenaupstage, at the backAdverbC1
Il coro aspetta a fondo scena, immobile.The chorus waits upstage, without moving.
in prosceniodownstage, at the front edgeAdverbC1
L’ultima battuta si dice in proscenio.The last line is spoken downstage.
dietro le quintebackstageAdverbC1
Dietro le quinte nessuno parla ad alta voce.Backstage nobody speaks out loud.
Phrase (5)
sinistra scenastage left (seen by the actor)PhraseC1
Entra da sinistra scena, subito dopo il buio.She comes on from stage left, right after the blackout.
destra scenastage right (seen by the actor)PhraseC1
Il tavolo resta a destra scena per tutto l’atto.The table stays stage right for the whole act.
rubare la scenato steal the showPhraseC1
Con quel cappello rubi la scena a tutti.With that hat you steal the show from everybody.
senza copioneoff the bookPhraseC1
Da lunedì si prova senza copione.From Monday we rehearse off the book.
smontare la scenato strike the setPhraseC1
Dopo l’ultimo applauso si smonta la scena.After the last round of applause the set is struck.
Noun (f) (27)
Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno
le quintethe wingsNoun (f)C1
Le quinte sono strette e piene di cavi.The wings are narrow and full of cables.
la scenografiathe setNoun (f)C1
La scenografia è una sola stanza girevole.The set is a single revolving room.
la botolathe trapdoorNoun (f)C1
La botola si apre sotto i piedi dell’attore.The trapdoor opens under the actor’s feet.
la buca dell’orchestrathe orchestra pitNoun (f)C1
La buca dell’orchestra è coperta da un telo.The orchestra pit is covered with a cloth.
la gelatinathe colour gelNoun (f)C1
Una gelatina blu basta per la scena notturna.A blue gel is enough for the night scene.
le luci di salathe house lightsNoun (f)C1
Le luci di sala si spengono e il pubblico tace.The house lights go out and the audience falls silent.
la battuta d’attaccothe cue lineNoun (f)C1
La battuta d’attacco è sempre la stessa parola.The cue line is always the same word.
la lettura a tavolinothe read-throughNoun (f)C1
La lettura a tavolino dura tutta la mattina.The read-through lasts all morning.
la prova antegeneralethe first dress rehearsalNoun (f)C1
Alla prova antegenerale manca ancora un costume.At the first dress rehearsal one costume is still missing.
la prova tecnicathe technical rehearsalNoun (f)C1
La prova tecnica si ferma a ogni cambio di luce.The technical rehearsal stops at every lighting change.
la quarta paretethe fourth wallNoun (f)C1
Guardando in sala rompe la quarta parete.By looking into the auditorium he breaks the fourth wall.
la battuta a soggettothe ad libNoun (f)C1
Quella battuta a soggetto non era nel testo.That ad lib was not in the text.
la ridarellathe giggles on stageNoun (f)C1
A metà scena le è venuta la ridarella.Halfway through the scene she got the giggles.
la paura del palcoscenicostage frightNoun (f)C1
La paura del palcoscenico passa dopo la prima frase.The stage fright goes after the first sentence.
la sala attorithe green roomNoun (f)C1
In sala attori si aspetta la chiamata.In the green room you wait to be called.
la sala teatralethe auditoriumNoun (f)C1
La sala teatrale si riempie lentamente.The auditorium fills up slowly.
la poltrona di plateathe seat in the stallsNoun (f)C1
Una poltrona di platea costa il doppio.A seat in the stalls costs twice as much.
la pausa tra gli attithe intervalNoun (f)C1
La pausa tra gli atti dura un quarto d’ora.The interval lasts a quarter of an hour.
l’apertura del sipariocurtain upNoun (f)C1
Chi arriva dopo l’apertura del sipario aspetta fuori.Anybody arriving after curtain up waits outside.
la chiamata alla ribaltathe curtain callNoun (f)C1
La chiamata alla ribalta si ripete tre volte.The curtain call is repeated three times.
l’ovazione in piedithe standing ovationNoun (f)C1
L’ovazione in piedi è durata parecchio.The standing ovation went on for a good while.
l’anteprimathe previewNoun (f)C1
All’anteprima i biglietti costano meno.At the preview the tickets cost less.
la prima assolutathe world premiereNoun (f)C1
La prima assoluta è prevista in autunno.The world premiere is planned for the autumn.
la sera della primathe opening nightNoun (f)C1
La sera della prima nessuno dorme bene.On the opening night nobody sleeps well.
la recita pomeridianathe matineeNoun (f)C1
La recita pomeridiana è piena di scolaresche.The matinee is full of school parties.
la teniturathe run of a productionNoun (f)C1
La tenitura è stata prolungata di due settimane.The run has been extended by two weeks.
la ripresathe revivalNoun (f)C1
La ripresa arriva dopo tre anni di pausa.The revival comes after a three-year gap.
Noun (m) (27)
Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno
il bozzetto scenicothe set design sketchNoun (m)C1
Il bozzetto scenico sta appeso in sala prove.The set design sketch hangs in the rehearsal room.
il fondalethe backclothNoun (m)C1
Il fondale dipinto sale prima del primo atto.The painted backcloth goes up before the first act.
gli oggetti di scenathe propsNoun (m)C1
Gli oggetti di scena tornano ogni sera nello stesso posto.The props go back to the same place every evening.
l’impianto lucithe lighting rigNoun (m)C1
L’impianto luci viene provato di mattina.The lighting rig is tested in the morning.
il cono di lucethe beam of lightNoun (m)C1
Resta fermo nel cono di luce fino alla fine.Stay still in the beam of light until the end.
il seguipersonathe follow spotNoun (m)C1
Il seguipersona la accompagna fino al centro.The follow spot takes her as far as the centre.
il dimmerthe dimmerNoun (m)C1
Il dimmer abbassa la luce molto lentamente.The dimmer brings the light down very slowly.
il segnale sonorothe sound cueNoun (m)C1
Il segnale sonoro arriva mezzo secondo troppo tardi.The sound cue arrives half a second too late.
il suggeritorethe prompterNoun (m)C1
Il suggeritore siede in un angolo, con il testo aperto.The prompter sits in a corner with the text open.
il copione di regiathe prompt bookNoun (m)C1
Nel copione di regia ogni cambio è segnato a matita.In the prompt book every change is pencilled in.
i movimenti scenicithe blockingNoun (m)C1
I movimenti scenici si fissano nella seconda settimana.The blocking is fixed in the second week.
il coverthe understudyNoun (m)C1
Il cover conosce la parte a memoria.The understudy knows the part by heart.
il soliloquiothe soliloquyNoun (m)C1
Il soliloquio dura più di cinque minuti.The soliloquy lasts more than five minutes.
il cambio rapidothe quick changeNoun (m)C1
Il cambio rapido si fa in venti secondi, dietro una tenda.The quick change is done in twenty seconds, behind a curtain.
il camerino degli attorithe dressing roomNoun (m)C1
Nel camerino degli attori c’è uno specchio illuminato.In the dressing room there is a mirror with lights round it.
il direttore di scenathe stage managerNoun (m)C1
Il direttore di scena dà tutti gli attacchi.The stage manager gives every cue.
il consulente drammaturgicothe dramaturgNoun (m)C1
Il consulente drammaturgico ha tagliato mezza scena.The dramaturg has cut half a scene.
il drammaturgothe playwrightNoun (m)C1
Il drammaturgo era presente alla lettura.The playwright was there for the read-through.
il loggionethe gallery, the top tierNoun (m)C1
Dal loggione si sente tutto, ma si vede poco.From the gallery you hear everything but see very little.
il servizio di salathe front of house staffNoun (m)C1
Il servizio di sala apre le porte mezz’ora prima.The front of house staff open the doors half an hour before.
il botteghinothe box officeNoun (m)C1
Il botteghino chiude poco dopo l’inizio.The box office closes shortly after the start.
il sipario di sicurezzathe safety curtainNoun (m)C1
Il sipario di sicurezza viene abbassato ogni sera.The safety curtain is lowered every evening.
l’allestimento in tournéethe touring versionNoun (m)C1
L’allestimento in tournée sta in due camion.The touring version fits into two lorries.
il repertoriothe repertory scheduleNoun (m)C1
In repertorio ci sono quattro titoli alla settimana.There are four titles a week in the repertory.
il fiascothe flopNoun (m)C1
La serata è stata un fiasco, e tutti lo sapevano.The evening was a flop, and everybody knew it.
l’allestimento in teatrothe get-inNoun (m)C1
L’allestimento in teatro comincia all’alba.The get-in starts at dawn.
il disallestimentothe get-outNoun (m)C1
Il disallestimento va avanti tutta la notte.The get-out goes on all night.
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This list belongs to Art and culture — 26 lists and 929 words that can also be practised as a whole.