The Night Sparkled with New Stars

Speakeasy’s first public event was a huge success! Flinders University students, staff, members of the Adelaide writers’ community and the general public came along to the spoken word event, where creativity was fostered in a supportive environment, at the Wheatsheaf Hotel on April 14th. All who spoke at the public event were astounding. The seven Flinders University students invited to showcase their talent at the Wheatsheaf after their stellar readings at the campus event last year were; Phillip Kavanagh, Tom Drahos, Amy Summerton, Amanda Williams, Jaqueline Rochow, Dennis Wild and Ronny Platt. These readers were complemented by three special guest headliners: Lisa Hannett, Clementine Ford and Amy T Matthews (winner of the 2010 Adelaide Festival for Literature Unpublished Manuscript Award). In the ten minutes allocated, each reader delivered an excellence in their voice and kept the audience entertained. Stylishly dressed in a suit, Flinders University English and Drama student, Neil Philbey, did a wonderful job as emcee. For some of the students it was their first time on a microphone. But while nerves may have been high, they did not falter. I overheard many in the audience who were impressed by the quality of the writing, ideas and the clarity of the voices on the night. It was tremendous to be around a group of like-minded people where Flinders staff and students, friends and family all gathered to hear the spoken word for a gold coin donation. People drank and ordered pizzas. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed. Co-directors of Speakeasy, Margot and Threasa, closed the event on a high note, giving credit to the other people who helped to organise the event. Speakeasy’s next campus event will be at: Flinders University refectory, next to the Scholar’s Bar, on Friday 28th May. The event will go from 3pm til 7pm. If you are a Flinders undergrad or Honours student interested in reading some Of your own creative writing in a 5 minute slot, please email your details to: speakeasy.flinders@gmail.com ~ Angela Darlington, Speakeasy reviewer .