"The play's the thing" -Hamlet, William Shakespeare

Play reading groups have a long tradition.

In Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway," the character Peter Walsh describes reading Shakespeare out loud with some companions.

In E.M. Forster's "A Room with a View," the character of Mr. Beebe remarks on the pleasure of reading plays out loud.

And in his book, "Caravans," James A. Michener talks about how—in the mid-1940s—foreign embassy personnel in Kabul, Afghanistan gathered in the evenings and read plays out loud as a form of entertainment.

More recently, during the COVID lock downs, online play reading group activity soared. Here at WICE we thought this would be a very nice addition to our Literature program, and a recent survey of WICE members indicated that there's a real interest in it.


WICE's "From Page to Stage" group currently meets on the 1st Friday of the month is a willing member's apartment, where members read a play out loud and discuss it afterwards. The group looks for plays to read with the following qualities:

  • Available in English
  • Award-winning
  • 7 - 10 characters
  • 1 - 2 acts
  • Able to be read out loud in under 90 minutes

Furthermore, the group strives to have a balance in gender among the authors, and a mix of nationalities.

To date, the group has read the following plays:

  • The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde
  • The Autumn Garden, by Lilian Hellman
  • Great Catherine, by George Bernard Show

Participation in this group is free for WICE Members, although registration is required. Note: There are two reserved spots for new WICE members in each play reading.

If you would like more information or if you have questions, please email:

literature@wice-paris.org

Return to Literature

UPCOMING EVENTS

  • LF141 Play Reading: Arcadia, by Tom Stoppard

    • 14 Feb 2025
    • 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
    • To Be Announced
    • 13

    "Arcadia" is a 1993 stage play by Tom Stoppard that intertwines two storylines set in the same English country house, Sidley Park, but separated by two centuries.

    In the early 19th century, the story follows the inhabitants of Sidley Park, including Thomasina Coverly, a young girl fascinated by mathematics, and her tutor, Septimus Hodge. Their intellectual pursuits intersect with romantic entanglements and the landscape architecture of the garden.

    In the present day, a group of academics and historians investigates the events of the past, attempting to uncover the truth behind a mysterious hermit who lived on the estate and the fate of Thomasina.

    As the play unfolds, themes of love, science, literature, and the elusive nature of truth emerge, with Stoppard blending humor, intellect, and emotion to explore the interconnectedness of past and present, and the eternal quest for knowledge and understanding.

    This play is 48 pages and has 13 characters. The estimated reading time is 1 1/2 hours.

    The reading will take place at a member's apartment. The address, door code, and phone number will be sent in the two reminder emails.

    As always, two spots are reserved for new WICE members until a few days before the reading. If they have not been filled, we open them to members on the wait list.

    Registration opens on 09 September 2024.

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