"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 "Living Room Players" group currently meets once a month in a willing member's apartment, where a play is distributed, members take on roles and read the play out loud, and then 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 a reasonable amount of time

Among other plays, the group has read the following to date:

  • 12 Angry Men, (Television adaptation)
  • The Pretentious Young Ladies, by Molière
  • 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:

play-reading@wice-paris.org

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UPCOMING EVENTS

  • LF271 Living Room Players: The Mousetrap, by Agatha Christie

    • 27 Feb 2025
    • 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
    • A member's apartment in the Marais
    • 0
    Join waitlist


    The registration limit for this event has been reached. Please put your name of the wait list, and you will be contacted if a seat becomes available. Also, registration for the 27 March reading of A Midsummer Night's Dream opens on 28 February.


    Would you like to be a murderer or to discover who the murderer is?

    Come to a play-reading of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, a classic murder mystery following a group of strangers who are snowed in at a manor where one of them is murdered. The remaining guests must figure out who the killer is before the killer strikes again. As the investigation unfolds, secrets are revealed, and everyone becomes a suspect. 

    The debut of the play was in 1952 but this rendition will involve eight people in the Marais. Sign up for some thrilling fun!



    The general concept of WICE play readings is that people are given the script when they arrive, and then pull straws for roles. Attendees sit around a living room and simply read their parts with as much theatrical flourish as they care to give (but there are no expectations of real acting).

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


    Show details

  • LM271 Living Room Players: A Midsummer Night's Dream

    • 27 Mar 2025
    • 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
    • A member's apartment in the Marais
    • 8

    A Midsummer Night's Dream" is one of William Shakespeare's most delightful comedies.

    The story unfolds in the enchanted forest of Arden, inhabited by fairies just outside ancient Athens. The plot revolves around the romantic entanglements of four Athenian lovers whose passions are manipulated by the fairy king Oberon and his mischievous servant Puck. Amidst their escapades, a group of amateur actors rehearses a play for the Duke's wedding, leading to hilarious misunderstandings and magical transformations. With its intricate plot twists, sparkling wit, and timeless themes of love, illusion, and the transformative power of the imagination, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" remains a beloved masterpiece of Shakespearean comedy, captivating audiences with its charm and whimsy for centuries.

    Roughly 12 characters.



    The general concept of WICE play readings is that people are given the script when they arrive, and then pull straws for roles. Attendees sit around a living room and simply read their parts with as much theatrical flourish as they care to give (but there are no expectations of real acting).

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

    Registration opens on 28 February 2025.





    Show details