INDEX:
1. to take part in a show, concert, play etc
2. to perform without having planned or practised something
3. someone who performs in a show, concert, play etc
4. to arrange and perform a show, concert, play etc
5. an occasion on which a play, piece of music etc is performed
6. something that is performed in public to entertain people
7. the business of entertaining people with shows, plays, films etc
RELATED WORDS
to perform an operation, ceremony, duty etc : ↑ DO/NOT DO
to practise performing something : ↑ PRACTISE/PRACTICE
see also
↑ ACTOR/ACTRESS
↑ CLAP
↑ DANCE
↑ MUSIC
↑ SING
↑ ART/CULTURE
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1. to take part in a show, concert, play etc
▷ perform /pəʳˈfɔːʳm/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to perform in a play or show :
▪ Before every concert, she worries about how well she will perform.
perform a play/show/song etc
▪ The children perform a Christmas pantomime every year.
▪ Russell’s one-woman show, Shirley Valentine, was first performed by Pauline Collins.
performance /pəʳˈfɔːʳməns/ [countable noun]
▪ Paltrow won an Oscar for her performance in ‘Shakespeare in Love’
▪ A packed arena with a receptive crowd lifts any singer’s performance.
▷ appear /əˈpɪəʳ/ [intransitive verb]
to be one of the actors, singers, dancers etc that can be seen performing in a film, play, or show :
appear in
▪ Pavarotti will be appearing in a number of concerts over the summer.
▪ The American actors’ union threatened to prevent her from appearing in the New York version of the show.
appear as somebody
play a particular character
▪ Hopkins will be appearing as Willie Lomax in next week’s production.
▷ be in something /biː ˈɪn something/ [transitive phrasal verb] especially spoken
to act in a particular play, film, or television show :
▪ Do you remember Larry Hagman? He used to be in ‘Dallas’.
▪ It’s my ambition to be in a film.
2. to perform without having planned or practised something
▷ improvise /ˈɪmprəvaɪz/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to play music, give a speech, act on stage etc without having planned or practised what you are going to do :
▪ Modern jazz players like to take a theme and improvise around it.
▪ It was difficult to believe that the whole sketch was improvised.
improvisation /ˌɪmprəvaɪˈzeɪʃ ə nǁɪmˌprɑːvə-/ [countable/uncountable noun]
▪ His new album is full of improvisations.
▪ Rapping relies heavily on improvisation.
▷ ad-lib /ˌæd ˈlɪb/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to say or sing something as part of a public performance or speech without having planned or practised it :
▪ No one could remember the song very well, so we had to ad-lib.
▪ The other actors were thrown into confusion when she started ad-libbing her final speech.
3. someone who performs in a show, concert, play etc
▷ performer /pəʳˈfɔːʳməʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who performs in a show, concert etc :
▪ Enrico is impressive both as a performer and a choreographer.
▪ As a jazz performer she is astounding, capable of expressing a broad range of feeling and expression.
a seasoned performer
someone who has been performing for a long time
▪ Tara is a seasoned performer who started acting at the age of 10.
▷ artist /ˈɑːʳtɪst, ˈɑːʳtəst/ [countable noun]
a professional performer, especially in music, dance, or the theatre :
▪ Many of the artists in the show donated their fees to charity.
a recording artist
▪ The band are not just successful recording artists - they are constantly touring and playing live to sell-out crowds.
4. to arrange and perform a show, concert, play etc
▷ put on /ˌpʊt ˈɒn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to arrange and perform in a show, concert, play etc :
put on something
▪ The students are putting on an end of term concert.
▪ A special show is being put on to raise money for famine victims in Africa.
▷ stage /steɪdʒ/ [transitive verb]
to arrange and perform a show, concert, play etc especially one that needs a lot of planning and organization and costs a lot of money :
▪ It cost thousands of pounds to stage the concert, including performers’ fees and the hire of equipment.
▪ They staged a magnificent production of ‘Aida’ in the amphitheatre.
▷ do /duː/ [transitive verb] informal
to arrange and perform a show, concert, play etc :
▪ We’re doing "The Merchant of Venice' at the local theater for two weeks.
▪ I’ve done dozens of shows in the north of England, and the audiences were great!
▷ present /prɪˈzent/ [transitive verb]
if an organization such as a theatre presents a show, concert, play etc it provides the money and arranges for it to be performed :
▪ The National Theatre is presenting "King Lear' later this month.
▪ This evening PBS presents the first part of a six-part historical drama about the Civil War.
5. an occasion on which a play, piece of music etc is performed
▷ performance /pəʳˈfɔːʳməns/ [countable noun]
▪ The evening performance will begin at 8:00 pm.
performance of
▪ There was a performance of ‘Giselle’ in the San Diego State Open Air Theatre.
6. something that is performed in public to entertain people
▷ show /ʃəʊ/ [countable noun]
something that is performed in public to entertain people, usually with music, songs, and dancing :
▪ We went to see a show on Broadway when we were in New York.
put on a show
▪ Every year the theatre puts on a show that runs until the end of January.
a one-man show
▪ Cowan’s one-man show opens on April 16th.
▷ production /prəˈdʌkʃ ə n/ [countable noun]
a play, film, television programme etc which has been prepared to be performed to the public :
▪ Have you seen the new Shakespeare production at the Arts Center?
production of
▪ He will star in the Los Angeles production of "Phantom of the Opera' this year.
put on a production/stage a production
▪ The Riverside Theatre is used to staging major productions.
▷ act /ækt/ [countable noun]
a short performance as part of a show which has several different performances in it :
▪ We used to do a comedy act together.
▪ Part of his act involves dressing up as a woman.
a circus/mime/juggling act
▪ He was injured in a circus act that went wrong.
7. the business of entertaining people with shows, plays, films etc
▷ entertainment /ˌentəʳˈteɪnmənt/ [uncountable noun]
the business of entertaining people with shows, plays, films etc :
▪ Blackpool was where I got my first taste of the world of entertainment.
▪ Frankie is known throughout the entertainment business as an energetic performer.
▷ showbusiness also showbiz informal /ˈʃəʊˌbɪznɪs, ˈʃəʊˌbɪznəs, ˈʃəʊbɪz/ [uncountable noun]
the entertainment industry, for example film, television, and popular theatre :
▪ Famous sportsmen and people from the world of showbusiness are among their clients.
▪ Here’s Sarah with the latest showbiz gossip.
in showbusiness/showbiz
▪ What made you decide on a career in showbusiness?