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EVENTS IN 2008
The Oscar Wilde Society has an exciting and diverse programme of events year round.
The programme of future events, with booking forms, is published in Intentions the Society's Journal/Newsletter which is issued to all members about six times a year.
Intentions also gives accounts of the Society's recent events, illustrated with photographs.
Some of the events for members during the year so far, and planned for the reminder of the year are:
The Resurrection of Oscar Wilde
In February we had one of the Society's popular author's lunches at Rule's Restaurant in Covent Garden. The venue is luxurious and the food and wine most excellent. Julia Wood gave a lively and entertaining talk about her new book, The Resurrection of Oscar Wilde and the writing of it.
Remembering Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel
In April the Society was invited to participate in a 'relaunch' event at the Cadogan Hotel where our Chairman, Don Mead gave a talk about the arrest, recalling the facts and comparing them with the inventive versions in films and plays about Oscar.
Aubrey Beardsley in Brighton
Also in April, Alexia Lazou led a walking tour of the places in Brighton associated with Aubrey Beardsley's early years. His childhood homes, the site of his school, and the church where he worshipped
Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries
In May Gyles Brandreth gave an enormously entertaining talk at another author's lunch at Rule's Restaurant about his series of novels in which Oscar Wilde turns detective to solve some Sherlockian mysteries.
Oscance
In June we celebrated the anniversary of the marriage of Oscar Wilde and Constance Lloyd at St James's Church, Paddington. This annual celebration is a delightful mix of words, music, food and drink.
Luncheon at Magdalen College
At our annual lunch at Magdalen, on a glorious summer's day, Pimm's was served in Addison's Walk, where Oscar's poem 'Magdalen Walks' was recited. After lunch in the New Room we enjoyed delightful and often moving presentation by Bill Glen-Doepel of twenty of Lord Alfred Douglas's poems.
Annual General Meeting 2008
This was held at the Cadogan Hotel and followed by a fascinating talk by John Stokes called 'Encabsulation: the role of the horse-drawn cab in the literature of the fin-de-siecle'.
Annual Birthday Dinner 2008
At the annual Birthday Dinner, held at Simpson's-in-the-Strand at the weekend closest to Oscar's birthday, our speaker was Oliver Parker, the director of the most recent film adaptations of An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest, who discussed his new version of The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Author's lunch at Greig's Restaurant
A particularly interesting and popular event was a joint author's lunch in November to celebrate the publication of Thomas Wright's successful exploration of the personality of Oscar Wilde through his reading, Oscar's Books, and the Oscar Wilde Society's publication of Oscar Wilde The Women of Homer edited by Thomas Wright and Donald Mead. Simon Scardifield read extracts from both books.
These events are arranged for members and their guests and details and booking forms are in the Society's Newsletter Intentions.
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EVENTS IN 2007
Art Nouveau in Compton
Oscar Wilde admired 'the glories of the art of George Frederick Watts' including his portraits (one of the best-known being of Lillie
Langtry). With Anne Anderson as our expert guide, we visited the Watts Gallery in Compton and gained valuable insights into Wilde's
era.
Reading Gaol
Tony Stokes who has assembled an historical archive at Reading Prison has written a comprehensive history: Pit of Shame: The Real Ballad of Reading Gaol. He gave a fascinating talk to the Society at an author's lunch in April.
Oscance Day
In May the Society joined in the commemoration of the anniversary of Oscar and Constance's wedding at St James's Church, Paddington. This annual event is organised in association with the Society, the aim being to build up a Commemoration Fund to construct a substantial memorial within the church building.
Luncheon at Magdalen College
At our annual lunch at Magdalen, Pimm's was served in Addison's Walk and after a convivial lunch in the New Room we enjoyed a talk by Dr John Sloan, author
of the Oxford World Classics book Authors in Context: Oscar Wilde, and a special display of items relating to Wilde and Bosie from the College archives.
Annual Birthday Dinner
The annual Birthday Dinner is held at the weekend closest to Oscar's birthday. This year, at Simpson's-in-the-Strand, our speaker
was Rick Gekoski, rare book dealer extraordinaire and author of Tolkien's Gown and other stories of great authors and rare books.
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