A play a week reading challenge

A play a week reading challenge is perhaps pretty self-explanatory, but I’ll tell you what it’s about anyway!

It’s no secret that I like reading challenges, even if I am fairly slow in completing them. (I’m such a mood reader!). But this challenge is something I noticed somewhere on social media a few years back. At that point I was still in university so I read plays from time to time (I studied Dramaturgy). But now that I’m working in the field, I don’t actually read that many plays anymore.

So why not make it a reading challenge for myself?

52 plays reading challenge

52 plays – a play a week for a year

It’s very simple actually. Each week for a year I have to read a script for a play. It can be any kind of play, but I have to read at least one a week. I figured this was doable, since I do want to read other books as well.

So for 2020, I started trying to read a play a week. You can follow my progress here or create your own weekly challenge – even if it’s in the middle of the year! Any week can be the starting week.

Below is a list of all the plays I’ve read for this challenge. Some might be re-reads or part of other challenges as well. I’ll start by reading plays I already have at home or can easily access, without buying more.

This should be fun. Let me know in the comments if you want to read with me, are taking up the challenge or have created your own!

The list of 52 plays – A play a week reading challenge

*This list will be updated as I read the plays and I’ll include the reviews of each play as well, when I get to it. I will most likely attempt this challenge every year, especially since my first attempt didn’t exactly succeed. Also, new plays are published all the time!

2021

Niqabi Ninja by Sara Shaarawi (Egypt)
Not That Woman by Tosin Jobi-Tume (Nigeria)
I Want To Fly by Thembelihle Moyo (Zimbabwe)
Silent Voices by Adong Judith (Uganda)
Unsettled by JC Niala (Kenya)
Mbuzeni by Koleka Putuma (South Africa)
Bonganyi by Sophia Kwachuh Mempuh (Cameroon)

2020

“The Chairs” – by Eugene Ionesco
“The Lesson” – by Eugene Ionesco
“Professor Taranne” – by Arthur Adamov
“The Keyhole” – by Jean Tardieu
“Conversation-Sinfonietta” – by Jean Tardieu
“Henry IV” – by William Shakespeare
“The Vagina Monologues” – by Eve Ensler

Are there any playwrights missing from my list, that you think should be represented here?

I have started my list by grabbing whatever I already had on my shelves so there is no grand plan behind which plays are chosen.

I might create a 52 Plays reading list with a broad selection of representative pieces, for inspiration. But for now, I’ll read whatever plays I happen to find. Also, some of the plays are represented in other reading challenges like my Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge and the 50 books to read before you die challenge, so I’m definitely reading those too.