Read Timon of Athens - In Person

Read Timon of Athens with us!

Come join us for an afternoon of (debatable) compliments, bad dinner party menus, odd poetry, excellent insults, and one extremely disappointed millionaire as we gather for a spirited readthrough of Shakespeare’s wonderfully grungy play, Timon of Athens. It is the play embodiment of a Reddit board.

If you’ve never encountered this play before, you are in excellent company. Timon is one of Shakespeare’s most obscure plays— which means there are no famous schoolroom speeches to memorize, no pressure to “get it right,” and plenty of delightful surprises along the way. It begins as a glittering comedy of extravagant generosity and fawning friends; it gradually transforms into a ferocious satire in which humanity itself is put on trial.

Our gatherings are always informal, welcoming, and joyfully low-pressure. We simply sit together and read the play aloud, each participant taking one or more roles. No acting experience is needed. No preparation is required. No one expects polished performances, perfect pronunciation, or “Shakespearean” voices. We are not producing the play — we are exploring it together, discovering its humor, oddities, and flashes of brilliance as we go.

Whether you are a lifelong Shakespeare enthusiast or merely Shakespeare-curious, we would be delighted to have you join us for this singularly entertaining descent into magnificently eloquent misanthropy.

Logistics
Recommended text is Folger's, but we make it work no matter which version you have!
https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/timon-of-athens/

This is an in-person reading.

On the day, we will read through the first half of the play, take a break, read the second half of the play, short break, then have a short discussion.

We look forward to reading with you!