Here's another Reading the Theatre post from Staircase Wit, about the "Gemma" books by Noel Streatfeild. You may not have heard of this series, which is less well known than her "Shoes" books, but it's worth searching out if you can, for another variation on the theme of performing children that Streatfeild did so well. … Continue reading Gemma and company at Staircase Wit
If you enjoy seeing plays in the theatre, it's likely that you can't see as many as you'd like -- especially at the moment, due to pandemic closures. An alternate way to experience a play script is to read it, trying to bring it to life in your mind. It's a different activity than reading … Continue reading Do you read plays?
Last month I read two books that serendipitously contained the same quotation, taken as inspiration by two very different creative artists. The first instance was in Dance to the Piper, Agnes de Mille's wonderful memoir of her early years of struggle as a dancer and choreographer, which includes portraits of several notable figures in the … Continue reading Martha Graham’s inspiring words on creativity and individuality
Here's another review at Staircase Wit, of Black Banner Players by Geoffrey Trease. I'd never heard of the Bannermere series and it sounds like a lot of fun! The theme of a group of kids putting on a show is always irresistible. Have you read anything by Geoffrey Trease? Does this one sound interesting to … Continue reading Black Banner Players at Staircase Wit
Jeanne has written a wonderful post over at Necromancy Never Pays. about her theater experiences before and during lockdown. At the end she asks, "What do you miss? How do you think theater might change when it does come back?" I wonder about that too. I hope you'll check out the post and share your … Continue reading Missing the Theater at Necromancy Never Pays
In these uncertain times, I've given myself permission to just wander the shelves at will and pick up whatever strikes my interest, one thing often leading to another. This month, that meant reading everything from a classic consideration of gnosticism vs. orthodoxy to an in-depth presidential biography to light fiction set in the Swiss Alps … Continue reading Month in Review: February 2021
Two bloggers have posted great lists of "books with characters with theatrical jobs" to add to your TBR -- I know mine is growing by the day! Check them out at She Reads Novels and Calmgrove. What other books could you suggest on this topic? Some of the books from Helen's list at She Reads … Continue reading Reading the Theatre: Books with theatrical characters
The first link to a Reading the Theatre post has come in, and it's a great one to start with! At Staircase Wit, you can read all about The Swish of the Curtain, a classic children's book that (according to the modern jacket copy) fed Maggie Smith's desire to become an actor. Clearly a must-read … Continue reading The Swish of the Curtain at Staircase Wit
Welcome to a month of Reading the Theatre! I'm planning to have a blast this month with one of my favorite reading themes, so I hope you will indulge me, or even -- in the best-case scenario -- join in to share what inspires your own enthusiasm. I wanted to start out by collecting all … Continue reading Reading the Theatre: The story so far
