Some clubs read Shakespeare alone. It is most certainly a noble
study, and one we can never weary of. Few can hope ever to excel in
delineating Shakespeare. Therefore it is well, if we meet together
for social enjoyment as well as improvement, to have a variety of
plays, such as Sheridan Knowles’ plays. Also, it is an admirable way
of learning to converse easily in German and French to read plays in
the different languages. In reading these plays, the parts, in the
beginning, should be given to different members.
The librettos of many excellent plays can be bought for a very small
sum, such as “Ion,” “Hunchback,” “William Tell,” “Love’s Sacrifice,”
and many other excellent old plays. These small books are less
cumbersome to carry around. It is well before the club meets to read
any play, to have each person read over his or her part, so as to be
able to comprehend the character. Therefore the play to be read at
each reading should be given out at the close of every meeting, and
the parts selected, each member having an equal share. Such clubs are
far more agreeable to its members, and less likely to cause unpleasant
rivalries, than clubs for private theatricals, as private actors are
often jealous, for human nature, alas! is weak.
We have known of some very successful clubs, where discord and jealousy
never appeared, and where harmony reigned. We will give the manner of
proceeding adopted by one of them, as it may assist in the formation
of others. The club was started by some young ladies, with a view
of making home and winter evenings agreeable to their brothers. A
committee was chosen to form a code of laws. Each one was to subscribe
a small sum to purchase the librettos of their plays. The following
rules were signed by all the members:--
1. Each member of the club must take his or her turn in choosing a
play, and in giving out the rôle of characters.
2. Every member must take the characters given him, and do his best,
unless he can exchange parts with some other member, with the consent
of the one who selected the play.