1. Writing

2. It sounds difficult to write a play, even a small part of it sounds difficult. Writing a play or drama is quite different from writing a story. The main purpose of a play is to let the characters speak for themselves

3. as much as possible. How actors show us what the characters think and feel is also important.

4. 写作要点 剧本主要介绍人物、矛盾冲突和 背景。并通过舞台指导告诉演员如 何说话、如何表演和如何移位。

5. 写作准备 a. 确定角色 ▲ 剧中至少要有两个主要人物。以生活 中的人物为原型来塑造剧中人物。 ▲ 设计剧中人物的性格特征。具体描写 剧中人物的长相、行为和说话方式。

6. b. 选择问题和背景 剧中必须有一个矛盾冲突（问题）供人 物去解决，剧中所有的事件都与该矛盾 冲突（问题）有关；还要有一个背景， 确定该剧发生的地点，想一想是让每一 幕都发生在同一个地方，还是发生在不 同的场所。

7. 组织写作 ▲ 可以写独幕剧，也可以写多幕剧。但 要设计好每一幕的剧情。 ▲ 介绍剧中人物、矛盾冲突和背景。 ▲ 确定每一幕所发生的主要事件。 ▲ 交待人物在最后一幕或结尾是如何解 决矛盾冲突的或是如何失败的。

8. 注意问题 ▲ 要运用大量的对白，让观众了解剧中 人物及其与主题的联系，展示剧中人 物如何应对剧中发生的一切。 ▲ 将每一个主要事件编写为独立的一幕。 ▲ 剧本的写作格式。剧中人物的名字全 部大写，位于对白之前，后接冒号。 舞台指导用斜体字书写，置于括号中。

9. Suppose you are the director of this play. Write your own scene for this play with a partner.

10. Suggested scene:

11. Act One, Scene 5 Henry is smiling as he leaves the restaurant. As he is walking down the street, he sees a sign for a place that cuts hair. He decides to get it cut. N=Narrator H=Henry B=Barber

12. H: Good afternoon, I’d like to get a cut, if I may. (The barber looks at Henry’s hair and continues cutting another man’s hair.) Er-I’d really like to get a haircut. As you can see it’s much too long. B: (In a rude manner) Yes, I can see that. Indeed, I can.

13. H: Fine, well, I’ll have a seat then. (He sits in one of the barber’s chairs. The barber turns to look at Henry) B: It’s quite expensive here, you know! Are you sure you can afford it? H: Yes. I think so. (In comes the rude man)

14. R: Hey you there. I need a haircut quickly. Can you do me straightaway? B: All right, then, get in the chair and I’ll see what I can do. R: Thank you (sits down in one of the barber’s chairs). H: Excuse me, but I was here first. Aren’t you going to do my hair first?

15. B: This man’s in a hurry. N: Well, so am I ! I insist that you cut my hair first. B: OK, but I’ll have to be quick. This gentleman is waiting.

16. H: Thank you. (They both become quiet. After his hair is cut, the barber tells Henry how much he must pay. Henry shows the barber the bank note). B: Why, Mr… (looks shocked) H: Adams. Henry Adams. I’m sorry, I don’t have any change.

17. R: You’re THAT Mr Adams! Well, I’m glad I waited or I might never have known it was you. B: Why, Mr Adams, please don’t worry!(wearing a big smile) Nothing to worry about! Nothing at all! Please come back any time, even if you only need too little hairs cut! It will be my honour to serve you !

18. Writing Task (P60-61)

22. Imagine that after Henry marries Portia he has bad luck in business and becomes poor once again. Now he must tell his wife the bad news. Before you write, however, discuss these questions with your partner:

23. 1) Do you think Henry would worry about what his wife would say to him after she heard the bad news? For example, do you think she would get angry at him? 2) Do you think Henry would worry that his wife would leave him?

24. 3) Do you think Portia would ask Henry how he suddenly became so poor? 4) Do you think Portia would worry about their marriage now?

25. Suggested dialogue: P=Portia H=Henry P: Oh, Henry. It’s nice to see you home so early! H: Erm, ah. P: (Looking worried) What’s happened?

26. H: I can’t hide much from you, can I, dear? We have lost our money. The railway company in Brazil has collapsed and all our money has gone. But I have a plan to help us. We can go back to America and start again. I can become a gold miner and we can make our fortune that way.

27. P: Leave London? Leave my stepfather? Oh no, Henry, please! H: I think it might be better for us. We would stand on our own feet. P: (crying) I shall have to go home. You can’t love me if you want to do this dreadful thing.

28. H: (putting his arms round her) Of course I do. It is for our sake that I suggest this. It will be an adventure. We will be able to travel where we like and I will be able to show you so many lovely places.

29. P: That would be nice. However, I ’ ll wait here till you ’ ve made some more money. Of course I ’ ll wait for you. H: Thank you and I ’ ll work twice as hard to make sure we do have a lot of money. I shall always love you. And I ’ ll!