A WEEKLY course for lovers of dramatic text at Hereford Courtyard - The Reading Room - needs men.

Participants explore work by dramatists covering structure, characterisation, theme and style but for a balanced discussion director Estelle van Warmelo wants to attract a few men to the group.

"We are in danger of providing too biased a viewpoint," she said. "For example, Frank from Educating Rita narrowly escaped the dishonourable title of slimy Frank', and Petruchio from Taming of the Shrew is on the verge of being put through the shredder."

In the summer the class will be looking at Beckett's Waiting for Godot and Chekhov's The Seagull. The course itself is fun as well as challenging and the discussion and analysis of the texts goes as far as to bring in aspects of production, casting and direction.

There are also opportunities for the more enthusiastic members to develop their sight-reading skills, as well as dabbling in the joys of theatrical production.

For details call 0870 1122330.