South Solihull u3a Play Reading Group - Blithe Spirits
INTRODUCTION
Unleash your inner thespian and join our friendly group, to read aloud everything from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night & Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard to Joe Orton’s Loot and Peter Schaffer’s Amadeus.
We are a small group, who meet once a month, in each other’s homes, on a Monday afternoon. A different member of the group gets to choose the script and 'direct' for each session, providing a background to the play and assigning the roles. We break for tea and a discussion of the play, which continues at the close of the reading, if time allows. The emphasis is on exploring a range of plays and developing our individual ‘voices’.
We have organised a number of theatre visits, in association with the plays we read – recently, for example: Playboy Of The Western World at the Loft Theatre in Leamington. The group occasionally provides entertainment at the monthly ssu3a meeting – for instance, a snippet of a Noel Coward play for a 1930’s themed meeting and a mini pantomime at Christmas.
Unleash your inner thespian and join our friendly group, to read aloud everything from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night & Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard to Joe Orton’s Loot and Peter Schaffer’s Amadeus.
We are a small group, who meet once a month, in each other’s homes, on a Monday afternoon. A different member of the group gets to choose the script and 'direct' for each session, providing a background to the play and assigning the roles. We break for tea and a discussion of the play, which continues at the close of the reading, if time allows. The emphasis is on exploring a range of plays and developing our individual ‘voices’.
We have organised a number of theatre visits, in association with the plays we read – recently, for example: Playboy Of The Western World at the Loft Theatre in Leamington. The group occasionally provides entertainment at the monthly ssu3a meeting – for instance, a snippet of a Noel Coward play for a 1930’s themed meeting and a mini pantomime at Christmas.
SEEKING NEW MEMBERS
Come along to a meeting and give us a try; we’d love to welcome you. If you are interested, please contact Kris Clark
Come along to a meeting and give us a try; we’d love to welcome you. If you are interested, please contact Kris Clark
FORTHCOMING MEETINGS

Monday 18th September 2023, 1:45pm start
Reading: Boeing-Boeing by Mark Camoletti.
A hit comedy of merry misadventures and mistaken identities, Boeing Boeing tells the exploits of French bachelor Bernard and three flight attendants, all of whom believe they’re engaged to Bernard. In the past, Bernard has been able to juggle these women due to his detailed timetable of his fiancés’ flight schedules. Then the situation changes and all of the women end up at his apartment on the same day!
Venue: Mark’s house
Reading: Boeing-Boeing by Mark Camoletti.
A hit comedy of merry misadventures and mistaken identities, Boeing Boeing tells the exploits of French bachelor Bernard and three flight attendants, all of whom believe they’re engaged to Bernard. In the past, Bernard has been able to juggle these women due to his detailed timetable of his fiancés’ flight schedules. Then the situation changes and all of the women end up at his apartment on the same day!
Venue: Mark’s house

Monday 16th October 2023, 1:45pm start
Reading: Top Girls by Caryl Churchill
Famously using iconic female, historical figures, the play explores the realities of being female and the potential price of achieving success.
Venue: Cherrie’s house
Reading: Top Girls by Caryl Churchill
Famously using iconic female, historical figures, the play explores the realities of being female and the potential price of achieving success.
Venue: Cherrie’s house
Monday 20th November 2023, 1:45pm start
Reading: The Pitmen Painters by Lee Hall
Working down the pit by day and discussing the old masters by night, the men discover that there's more to the art world than they had first thought. And when they start painting for themselves, the art world discovers there's more to this group of coal miners than they expected too.
Venue: Jane’s house
Reading: The Pitmen Painters by Lee Hall
Working down the pit by day and discussing the old masters by night, the men discover that there's more to the art world than they had first thought. And when they start painting for themselves, the art world discovers there's more to this group of coal miners than they expected too.
Venue: Jane’s house

Monday 18th December 2023, 11:00am start
Reading: The Flint Street Nativity by Tim Firth
Miss Horrocks' class of seven-year-olds is about to perform their nativity play at Flint Street Junior School for the proud mams and dads - and the occasional social worker. Both the children and their parents are played by adults in this funny and warm-hearted take on an annual rite of passage in British primary schools.
Venue: Kris’s home
Reading: The Flint Street Nativity by Tim Firth
Miss Horrocks' class of seven-year-olds is about to perform their nativity play at Flint Street Junior School for the proud mams and dads - and the occasional social worker. Both the children and their parents are played by adults in this funny and warm-hearted take on an annual rite of passage in British primary schools.
Venue: Kris’s home