Amusements for Christmas Holidays.
ADAPTED TO ALL AGES.
Shakespeare reading clubs, private theatricals, charades, and tableaux are deservedly the popular home amusements of the present day. They certainly strengthen the lungs and memory, and improve the intellectual tastes. These amusements are peculiarly adapted to enliven long winter evenings. As some of our young friends may not understand the modus operandi of these amusements, we will try and enlighten them.
1.—SHAKESPEARE READING CLUBS.
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.