Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a student and a university theater manager.

旁白：请听一段学生和大学剧院管理员之间的对话。

Student: I'm sorry if my email wasn't clear.

学生：很抱歉我的邮件没有说清楚。

It's probably best that we are meeting now.

可能我们见面说是最好不过的。

I have a lot of questions.

我有很多问题要问。

Manager: So do I.

管理员：我也有很多问题。

But first let me say that I'm so glad that this tradition is continuing.

但是首先我需要说我很高兴有人延续了这个传统。

I guess for the last twenty years now, every senior classes put on a Shakespeare Play.

我猜最近20年里，每个大四的班级都会演出一场莎士比亚的戏剧。

Student: It won't be anything like the drama department's productions in the main theater, but we are really excited.

学生：我们的戏剧并不会和大剧院里戏剧部门的演出一样的，但是我们为此而激动。

We are doing "As You Like It" this year.

我们今年打算演《皆大欢喜》。

Manager: Great! Let's start with the timing.

管理员：太好啦！我们从时间开始吧。

You want the production to run on two consecutive nights, Thursday and Friday?

你想这场演出连着演两天，周四和周五？

Student: Right.

学生：是的。

The end of April will be best.

最好是四月的末尾。

Maybe the last Thursday and Friday?

也许可以是四月最后一个周四周五？

We are flexible with the dates.

我们对于时间还是很灵活的。

Manager: The only bookings at the small theater are some recitals in the beginning of the month, so I'll make sure to get it on the calendar.

管理员：现在剧院唯一的预定只有四月初的朗诵活动。所以我肯定可以满足你们的时间。

But your other questions...let's see.

但是你其他的问题……我们看看。

You want to use fire on stage?

你想在舞台上用火？

Student: Well, our idea is to reproduce the conditions of an Elizabethan playhouse, make it as authentic as possible.

学生：我们的想法是再现伊丽莎白一世剧场的样子，越真越好。

And of course, they didn't have electric lights 500 years ago.

当然，他们500年前没有电灯。

So we thought if we had candles, a lot of candles actually...

所以我们想是不是可以用蜡烛，许多蜡烛……

Manager: To light the stage?

管理员：来照亮舞台？

Student: Yeah.

学生：是的。

Manager: Okay. Um...you'd need a special permit.

管理员：好吧。嗯……你需要特殊的批准。

You could get one from the city council.

你可以从城市议会哪里申请一张。

But for one thing, it's difficult and time-consuming to get permission and expensive.

但是有一件事，这是很困难而且耗费时间的，并且还很贵。

And it's not just a permit, you'll have to pay for an inspection and to have a fire marshal present at the shows.

这不仅仅是一纸许可证，你需要花钱请一个督查还有一个火焰司仪出席演出。

Student: That does sound expensive.

学生：那听上去是挺贵的。

If we had a budget like the drama department...but it looks like we'll have to scale back a bit.

如果我们有戏剧部门的预算的话……但是看起来我们需要缩一下开支。

Manager: Are you charging admission?

管理员：你们打算收入场费吗？

Student: There will be a small admission fee.

学生：会收一点。

In Shakespeare's time, if you paid a little more, you got a more comfortable seat.

在莎士比亚时代，如果你多付一点钱，你可以做到更舒服的椅子。

I don't see how we could do that though.

但是我不知道我们要怎么实现这个。

I mean, all the seats are the same, right?

我的意思是，剧院里所有的椅子都是一样的，对吗？

Manager: Right. I guess you could charge more for the seats upfront, but it's a small theater.

管理员：是的。我觉得你可以向想坐前排的人多收一点，但这是一个小剧院。

Student: And there isn't much difference between the front and the back.

学生：所以坐前排还是后排并没有太大区别。

Manager: Anyway, for lighting, you could buy those electric lanterns that are made to look as if they had a natural flame.

管理员：无论如何，对于照明，你可以买一些电灯笼，那种制作得看起来像是有真的火焰的一样。

Student: If that's the best we can do, not exactly authentic, though.

学生：这可能是我们最好的办法，尽管还是有点不真实。

Manager: But safer and less expensive.

管理员：但是更安全也更便宜。

And about the food...

对于食物……

Student: Selling food was also done in Shakespeare's time.

学生：莎士比亚时代也会售卖零食。

It's related to the candles actually.

其实这个和蜡烛有关。

When the candles burn down, they stops the play so they can bring out new ones, and that's when they sold snacks.

当蜡烛燃尽，戏剧会暂停，让工作人员换上新的蜡烛，这个时候就是工作人员卖零食的时候。

That's how the custom of having an intermission started.

这就是幕间休息的传统的来源。

Manager: I always thought intermissions began as a way to change the scenery.

管理员：我一直以为幕间休息是为了更换舞台场景。

Student: Oh, speaking of scenery...do you have the exact dimensions of the stage?

学生：哦，说到场景……你有没有舞台的准确尺寸？

Manager: Sure.

管理员：当然。