The Reader’s Penny Readings to take a well-earned break.
Written by Emma Walsh, 28th October 2016
An update on The Reader's Penny Readings...
The Penny Readings, a Victorian tradition popularised by Charles Dickens, were public performances of readings and musical entertainment, aptly-named as audience members paid only a penny to attend. As Thomas Wright, a social commentator of the time said, they put literature ‘within the reach of every working man.’
For the last twelve years, The Reader has brought The Penny Readings back to life in fun-filled events celebrating all things Shared Reading.
In 2016 and 2017 though, we’re doing things a little differently. Taking a page from Glastonbury’s book, we’re having a couple of fallow years.
Organisers of the Glastonbury Festival do this to let the grass grow; we need to focus and allow space for Shared Reading to grow, at the same time as overseeing our amazing building project as we refurbish Calderstones Mansion.
The Penny Readings will return in 2018, as we mark the 10th Anniversary of Liverpool as European Capital of Culture and the transformation of Calderstones Mansion into the International Centre for Reading and Well-being.
This December, members of our Shared Reading groups will be invited to a Big Reading Party - we are planning something full of reading, laughter and cake! Group leaders will have further information to share in the coming weeks.
