Record Number: 31505
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'Meeting held at Frensham. Saturday 11th July ’42
H. R. Smith in the chair
[...]
3. The minutes of the last meeting were read and signed..
[...]
6. Two One Act Plays were then read. The first of these ‘The Proposal’ by Tchekov
was chosen no doubt in tribute to our gallant allies. Howard Smith as a Russian
landowner Muriel Stevens as his daughter and Arnold Joselin as a healthy, well-
nourished but hypochondriacal suitor for the daughters hand in marriage, all
displayed great histrionic ability. The author calls his play ‘A jest’ and it certainly
was very funny. Howard Smith’s part was largely “and so on’ alternating with ‘and
all the rest of it’ but the infinite variety of expression he managed to put into these
few rather simple words soon reduced us to a state of helpless laughter, and the
fervour of his prayer “Good Lord: what it is to have a grown up daughter” brought
down the house.
7. The second play was “The Workhouse Ward” by Lady Gregory and no doubt a
student of national character could draw many conclusions from the difference
between the Irish and the Russian sense of humour as revealed in these two plays.
Certainly this was altogether a quieter & more subtle work that The Proposal but it
was also very amusing & well read by F. E. Pollard & A. B. Dilks as the two
paupers and Rasamund Wllis as the Countrywoman relation.
[...]
[signed by] F. E. Pollard
17. IX. 42.'
1900-1945
Date:11 Jul 1942
Country:England
Timeevening
Place:city: Reading
county: Berkshire
specific address: Frensham, Northcourt Avenue
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary reactive unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:Adult (18-100+)
Gender:Female
Date of Birth:n/a
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:n/a
Religion:Quaker
Country of Origin:Unknown
Country of Experience:England
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
Members of the XII Book Club
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:The Proposal
Genre:Drama
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Detailsn/a
Provenanceunknown
Source Information:
Record ID:31505
Source:Manuscript
Author:Margaret Dilks
Title:XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 4 (1938-1943)
Location:private collection
Call No:n/a
Page/Folio:126–30
Additional Information:
Margaret Dilks was secretary to the XII Book Club from 1940 to 1970. It is inferred from this, and from the handwriting, that she was the author of this set of minutes.
Citation:
Margaret Dilks, XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 4 (1938-1943), private collection, 126–30, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=31505, accessed: 17 August 2024
Additional Comments:
This play is also known as A Marriage Proposal. Material by kind permission of the XII Book Club. For further information and permission to quote this source, contact the Reading Experience Database (http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/contacts.php).