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TEACHERS´ MATERIALS.
Please look out the extensive teachers materials for use in the
classroom. They are a great tool to help prepare your students
before seeing the play
Read More >
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HEY, TEACHERS !
VIDEO, watch scenes from our plays
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BANALITY SHOW is a hilarious comedy inspired
by the junk “reality shows” we often see on television
the likes of “Big Brother”. In our programme, there
are four contestants for the big money prize. Two men and two
women, who all come from English-speaking countries, must live
in an isolated house somewhere in Spain. These “fame-seekers”
cannot leave this house or hide from the constant vigilance of
the television viewers. Neither can they escape the close observation
of “The Voice” (the only person who can talk directly
to the contestants) or from the stupid behaviour their other companions.
(compañeros).
But our reality show is different from the rest: the four contestants
must take part in a series of very funny physical and linguistic
tests which will measure how much they know (or don’t know)
of the Spanish language and culture. These tests will also make
the four contestants look very ridiculous.
What’s more, apart from the very funny dialogue (whose English
has been carefully graded for intermediate students) our young
audience can also participate actively in BANALITY SHOW by deciding,
with their votes, WHO will be the final winner of the competition.
Sinopsis en castellano
BANALITY SHOW es una hilarante comedia inspirada en los programas
de tele-basura, los “reality shows” estilo “Gran
Hermano”. Al igual que en este programa, veremos a los aspirantes
al gran premio. Dos hombres y dos mujeres, cuya lengua materna
es el inglés, tienen que vivir en una casa aislada en algún
lugar desconocido de España. Estos “busca-fama”
no podrán escaparse de esta casa ni de la constante mirada
de los telespectadores. Tampoco podrán evitar la vigilancia
de “The Voice”, el único interlocutor con quien
se les permite hablar, ni las estupideces provocativas de los
otros concursantes.
Lo que diferencia este “show “ de los demás
es el hecho de que les obliga a someterse a unas divertidas pruebas
lingüísticas y físicas que medirán su
escaso, o, mejor dicho, nulo conocimiento del castellano, y que
dejarán a todos en ridículo.
Y, además de disfrutar de un guión divertido (cuyo
contenido en inglés ha sido cuidadosamente adaptado para
sus necesidades lingüísticas), los jóvenes
espectadores de nuestro BANALITY SHOW tienen la oportunidad de
participar activamente en la obra contribuyendo, con sus votos,
a decidir quiénes continuarán en el juego, y quiénes
serán expulsados.
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BANALITY SHOW is a television “reality
show” set in Spain. When the programme begins, we see two
men and two women enter a house where they must(1) live together(2)
for some weeks. The house is full of(3) cameras that will watch
them for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
The contestants(4) are Val (or Valerie), Conan, Paris and Barry.
At the start(5) of the programme, they can only speak English.
They all want to win(6) the prize of one million euros and become
very rich and famous. They can never leave(7) the house and they
can only talk to(8) the Voice. We never see the Voice(9) ; we
can only hear him.
During the show, the contestants must obey(10) a number of rules(11)
. They must try to learn(12) Spanish, so they cannot read or listen
to(13) the radio in English but they can read and listen in Spanish.
They can’t sing in English; only in Spanish. They can’t
smoke, drink alcohol or talk on their mobiles(14) . Inside the
house, the contestants have to(15) complete a number of “Spanish”
tests. In the first test, they teach the house parrot(16) , to
speak in Spanish. In test number two, they must learn a “Sevillanas”
dance. In the third test, they have to drink a “popular
Spanish” liquid and in the last test, they must answer some
questions on Spanish culture and sport.
As the weeks go by(17) , the contestants are nominated(18) to
LEAVE the house one by one until there is only person left(19)
. The contestants make the first nomination and they tell the
Voice which person they want to(20) leave. The Voice chooses(21)
the second person and finally the audience(22) decides who will
win. (So that is YOU, the audience!) Who will be the winner? We
are not going to tell(23) you. If you want to know, you must come
to see BANALITY SHOW.
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| VOCABULARY |
1. must = deber
2. live together = vivir juntos
3. full of = lleno de
4. contestants = concursantes
5. At the start = Al comienzo
6. to win = ganar ; winner = ganador / a
7. to leave = salir de (o dejar)
8. to talk to = hablar con
9. The Voice = La Voz.
10. obey = obedecer
11. rules = reglas
12. to learn = aprender
13. to listen to = escuchar a
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14. mobile = teléfono
móvil
15. to have to = tener que
16. parrot = loro
17. as the weeks go by = Con el paso de las semanas
18. to nominate = nominar
19. one person left = sólo queda una persona
20. to want = querer
21. to choose = elegir
22. audience = público
23. to tell = contar, decir |
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BARRY Davies is
from England. He likes rock music, (especially Elvis Presley)
drinking beer and beautiful women. He thinks he is very
handsome and talented. He likes to sing. He talks a lot
and goes to bed very late.
PARIS Milton is
from the United States. She is beautiful. She likes fashion,
make-up, shopping, talking to her friends on her mobile
phone, and more fashion. She thinks she is very sophisticated
and beautiful.
CONAN Woodward-Spencer
is English. He is an animal rights activist and a vegetarian
He believes plants and animals are more important than people.
Conan has got long, dirty hair. He doesn’t like to
wash himself and he’s smelly.
VAL (or Valerie)
Thomas is also English. She is not sophisticated like Paris.
Val is a very normal person. She likes sports, reading and
studying. She is interested in charity work. She doesn’t
smoke or drink alcohol and she goes to bed early.
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NOTES FOR TEACHERS |
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AN EXTRACT |
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TEACHERS’ MATERIALS.
Please look out the extensive teachers materials for use in the
classroom. They are a great tool to help prepare your students before
seeing the play (and for use AFTER seeing it).
It is common to see a great amount of BANALITY in certain “reality”
television shows in which we witness would-be “famosos”
behaving very badly in an attempt to gain fame and fortune without
doing any of the hard work normally required. As such, the aim of
Lingua-Arts’ BANALITY SHOW is to satirize such TV programmes
and the banal people who appear in them. We want to ridicule their
bad behaviour whilst highlighting what we see are more positive
values such as POLITENESS, GENEROSITY, INTELLIGENCE, THE DESIRE
TO LEARN, TALENT AND HARD WORK.
Teachers, it is IMPORTANT to note that, unlike many of today’s
reality programmes, our “reality show” is totally suitable
for students aged between 10 and 14 years with a level of English
especially adapted to their needs. This bilingual play is highly
visual and thoroughly entertaining. Its success is based on a very
funny script, sharp comic timing, hard work and lots of talent -
and the result is a hilarious theatrical experience.
BILINGUALISM: About 70 to 75% is in ENGLISH.
The four main characters, or contestants, all speak English to each
other. In addition, the Voice directs his comments to the contestants
mainly in English, although at times he uses Spanish with Val who,
unlike the others, quickly begins to learn Spanish. Spanish is also
used by the “presenter” of BANALITY SHOW, an extra character
who does not get involved in the action inside the house, but who
makes comments “outside” directly to the audience. These
interventions help explain the story for the slower students whilst
providing an amusing sub-plot for the others.
STUDENT PARTICIPATION: The presenter also DIRECTLY involves the
audience by asking the students early in the play to vote for their
favourite contestant and at the end, when he calls on them to choose
the final winner.
TEACHERS’ MATERIALS.
Please look out the extensive teachers materials for use in the
classroom. They are a great tool to help prepare your students before
seeing the play (and for use AFTER seeing it).
Read More |
Barry and Conan are in the living-room. Barry is making a noise.
CONAN: Do you mind? I’m meditating.
BARRY: Sorry mate. Hare Krishna, hare Krishna, hare rama, Harry
Potter…
Barry exits. Phone rings. Paris enters speaking on her mobile.
PARIS: Courtenay! How are you? Have you seen me? I’m on television!
It’s so cool.
VOICE: Paris. You cannot use your mobile in the house.
PARIS: Courtenay, wait a second. Just one little conversation, please,
please.
CONAN: You heard the Voice. No mobiles.
He takes her phone and throws it in the bin..
PARIS: Don’t touch me, you, you… hippy.
CONAN: Peace and harmony, sister.
PARIS: You’re disgusting!
She sprays his face with perfume. Barry enters.
BARRY: What’s going on?
PARIS: It’s him… again.
BARRY: Look. I’ve got an idea. Put this on and we’ll
take him to the bathroom.
(Barry gives her a surgical mask)
PARIS: Good idea.
CONAN: My eyes! My eyes! (They attack Conan) What are you doing?
BARRY: To the bathroom!
CONAN: Leave me alone!
PARIS: Val, come and help! (Val enters)
VAL: Sorry, Conan! It’s just a little water!
CONAN: Help!!! (They all exit)
PARROT: Eso es… ¡A la ducha con él! Dale fuerte
con el estropajo... Echarle detergente, amoniaco, lejía.
Allí. fuerte… (Val enters and covers up the parrot)
¿Qué pasa? ¿Es hora de dormir ya? Bueno, pues...
goodnight, goodnight.
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