The beautiful home of Françoise AYMOZ was barely vast enough to seat the numerous members of the Grenoble Lyceum Club in their best array for a Christmas-time theatrical rendering of part of the Frank Hatt play devoted to the events leading up to the founding of the Club at the beginning of the XXe century.

Having installed many delicious treats in the kitchen for later enjoyment, the excitably chattering group finally quietened to listen spellbound to five actresses who had practised hard over many weeks to present this interesting play. Françoise AYMOZ, Anne OUDET, Dominique DESOUTTER, Lucile BALLU & Mao TOURMEN brought to life the courage and tenacity
of a young lady who ignored her own physical handicaps to attain her dream of creating an International Club for working women to meet and share their intellectual and artistic interests. She had to fight against a certain family reticence against this innovative project, quite unheard of in those strict puritanical victorian days, but her enthusiasm eventually charmed her family and friends into supplying the necessary finance. She unremittingly worked at extending the range of these cultural and artistic meetings to other towns and countries practically all around the world.

Enthusiastic applause rewarded the theatrical troupe, before all minds turned to tasting the dishes provided by the imaginative and sometimes adventurous members. Much of the food was a Frenchified improvement on English dishes, so that even if unfamiliar, all was enjoyed.
Florence EXPERTON had even had the bright idea of bringing some “crackers” and a Christmas Pudding, typically festive treats essential to Christmas time in England, but quite unknown to most of the group.
They participated gaily in the singing and amusement, which culminated in the setting alight of the Christmas Pudding.

Midnight chimed an unwelcome end to a delightful evening which put everyone in festive mood for the Christmas season.
Congratulations to all,
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Monica
(Nombreuses étaient les Lycéennes en tenue festive qui se sont retrouvées chez Françoise Aymoz au soir du 16 décembre. Elles étaient venues faire honneur à la représentation d’un extrait de la pièce de Frank Hatt au sujet de la fondation du Lyceum Club par Constance Smedley à Londres au début du XXe siècle.

Cinq membres du Club de Grenoble avaient préparé avec talent la mise en scène de cette pièce qui retrace les efforts d’une jeune femme handicapée pour vaincre les réserves de sa famille et de son époque, afin de créer un club pour femmes souhaitant partager des intérêts culturels et artistiques.

Comme le thème de la soirée avait un parfum britannique, le buffet lui aussi s’inspirait, en mieux, des plats traditionnels anglais lors des fêtes de Noël. L’ambiance des chants et des traditions était chaleureuse, minuit a sonné trop tôt!)
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