Arneth & Williams Offer ‘A Lighter Look At Life’––

Play’s The Thing As Two Blithe Spirits

Lead Library Book Talks

Starting the New Year out with laughter might be the best possible medicine, says Liz Arneth, who will be teaming up with her good friend Gordon Williams once again to host four separate book discussion programs at the Cyrenius Booth Library.

The discussions will take place at 7:30 pm in the library’s Special Collections Room, and the schedule includes four plays: Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward on January 8; You Can’t Take It With You by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman on January 22; Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw on March 11; and As You Like It by William Shakespeare in April (date to be announced).

The two Newtown residents are both retired English teachers with a specialty in American Studies. Ms Arneth taught at Ridgefield High School and Mr Williams taught at Trumbull High School. This will be the fourth time they have led library discussion series, and they look forward to the experience of sharing insights with anyone who cares to join the group.

In selecting these four plays, the two presenters are hoping to debunk the oft-quoted theory that great literature is boring. Their goal is to prove that great writers can indeed see the amusing side of life and, from time to time, even write about it.

“We are always surprised. We never know who is going to come. Just read the plays, sign up, and show up. It’s easy,” said Ms Arneth.

“People’s lives are so busy, the miracle is that we have found four nights when we can do this together,” Mr Williams added.

Fifteen copies of each play will be available at the Booth Library circulation desk, and participants are urged to sign up for any or all of the discussions at the library by calling 426-4533.

The first play to be discussed, Blithe Spirit, is a droll comedy about life and death in English society. It was written and produced in 1941, a particularly dark period for Britain, as the country was preparing for the eminent invasion of Nazi forces.

In the midst of fear and suffering, the playwright Noel Coward successfully wrote a comedy about death. It is the story of a middle-aged widower who is doing research for a book on séances. He invites a medium to dinner and the evening takes a surprising turn when the medium proves she can successfully conjure up the spirit of the writer’s first wife.

Mr Williams and Ms Arneth are both members of the Booth Library Board of Directors and they are involved in many community service projects. Ms Arneth leads young adult book discussions at the library. She also moderates a poetry group and a memoir writing group.

Mr Williams actively participates in a variety of civic projects through the Lions Club as well as the Newtown Historical Society, where he serves as president. He has helped build the new playground at Dickinson Park and has worked on the renovation of the Orchard Hill Nature Trail. He is currently serving on the Tercentennial Committee.

Kim Weber, Booth Library program director, commented recently that the library is particularly fortunate to have Ms Arneth and Mr Williams as facilitators for the book discussion presentations, since all funds for presenters have been cut off since the Connecticut Humanities Council, which sponsors the “Time for Ideas In Libraries” programs, did not receive funding from the state this year.

“The great thing is, we can still make it happen,” Ms Weber said.

She organizes the publicity and posters herself, and the two Newtown presenters are volunteering their services.