AN EXCELLENT IDEA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1157, 2 May 1884, Page 4

AN EXCELLENT IDEA.

If an excuse be needed for social gatherings during the long evenings of 1 the winter, one may be found by inducing one’s friends and neighbors to join a sort of Shakespeare Club for the study and reading ot; the works of | that great poet. But even without such formality as the constitution of a club, it is very agreeable to select a beatiful play and to invite some guests i to apportion a character 10 each, and then to sit round and read the play through in this way. Of course each friend who is asked to join is told beforehand what part his or hers will be, and there is no appeal from the decision of the hostess, who naturally andeavours to cast them suitably. I [ went to such a little gathering tor the purpose of reading >one of Shakespeare early plays, comparatively but little known, for it is seldom acted. “Love’s Labor Lost” has eighteen characters in it, and when we arrived at our friends drawing-room, books in hand, just as if we were going to church with our prayer books, there were eighteen chairs placed round the room, wirii the names of the dramatis jersonue written on pieces of paper and pinned to eaoh chair, so that there was no delay and no disputing. Everybody knew which character was to be theirs, and having previously studied it and probably marked their Shakespear, the conversation ran briskly on without halting. Our hostess took care that every reader should, have a good light thrown on his or her book, which is a most important help to good reading, and is often forgotten, causing hes> tation and confusion. The witty, sprightly passages between Byron, “ that merry madcap Lord,” and Rosaline, “ the most bStuteous lady with the snow white hand," were well given, but one felt that in comparison with Benedict and Beatrice they bore marks of their auth ir's youth and experience, Moth, the saucy little page to the fantastical Spaniard, A rmade, was taken by a young lady, who did nor. fail melodiously to whistle an air with variations just at the right time most cleverly when i idden by the master to make “ passionate- his sense of hearing." . VVe were two hours and aha f reading this play ; but the time passed quickly, and after some pleasant refreshment we went Home, feeling that we had nor spent an uupr - fitable or dull evening—Adelaide Observer's London correspondent,