A midsummer night's dream

We were seven participants, including Michael Spriggs, an English gentleman who told us about his experience of performing in this play as Oberon, the king of the elves.
After a cup of tea, Michael gave us a little resume of the play, and focused on the different levels of understanding, from to childish part with the fairies, to the darker uneasing sides of domination and submission. And we concluded that this play was focusing on the extremes.

I performed an extract from the beginning of Act 2 scene 1 usually refered to as "A fairy song", in the original "early modern" English- with original pronounciation.
And I gave a lecture of another extract, in the modern transcription from Sparknotes edition, from Act 2 scene 1, a discussion between Helena, who is lovesick, and Demetrius, who doesn't love her back (for the moment).
"DEMETRIUS : Do I ask you to follow me ? Do I speak to you kindly ? Don't I tell you in the clearest terms that I do not and cannot love you ?
HELENA : Yes, but that makes me love you even more. I'm your little dog Demetrius. The more you beat me, the more I'll love you. Treat me like you would treat a dog - kick me, hit me, neglect me, try to lose me. Just let me follow behind you, even though I'm not good enough for you. Could I ask for a worse place in your heart than to be treated as you would treat a dog ? And yet I would consider it an honor to be your dog.
DEMETRIUS : Don't push it. Just looking at you makes me sick.
HELENA : And I get sick when I can't look at you."
...
We all know people trapped in this kind of unhealthy relationship. So well described !

The prticipa ts who knew the play told us about their experience with it.

Then we went to the reserve for the old and precious books (that can't be borrowed) with Didier the guy in charge, to see very ols Shakespeare editions.
To conclude, we decided the themes and planning for the whole year :
March 21st: Sherlock Holmes
April 25th: Wuthering Heights
May 16th: Agatha Christie
June 13th: John Irving
July 18th: Call of the wild
August 15th: nothing, because bank holiday (the library is closed)
September 19th: On the road
October 17th: Harry Potter
November 21st: The Canterbury tales
December 19th: Charles Murray (with the author)

Very nice morning !