Such a talented and varied group of writers

And what fabulous readers they were. For the first time, the on-campus speakeasy event featured a microphone and speakers, and it made a huge difference. Words were no longer caught on the breeze and gone was that awkward silence where the audience tries to discern whether the reader’s lips have ceased moving so that they can applaud. Instead, we were able to savour every word, be it sweet and touching, funny and awkward or downright bloody and morbid. And there seems to be a lot of delightfully twisted minds at work in Flinders University. As our wonderful MC, Courtney, observed, “There’s so much blood today!” Whether it was the tragically bloodied breast of a seventeen year old girl, or the comically bloodied severed leg of a parking inspector, the stories were oozing with it. It wasn’t all gore, mind you, and less grim tales seemed to attract the interest of some very attentive ducks. It all proved too much for one duck, however, whose exit from the event comically coincided with a reader’s mention of “duck hockey.” Having attended both on-campus Speakeasy events, and having read at the first, I was thoroughly impressed by the quality of the readings, both in content and presentation. Everyone seemed incredibly at ease in front of the crowd, aided by the relaxed environment of the Humanities Courtyard and the splendid weather we enjoyed. It was great to hear the work of such a talented and varied group of writers. Writing can be such a lonely enterprise, and it’s a true testament to the organisers of this event that they have created a community where writers can escape from the solitude of their computer rooms to share their brilliant creations with the world. We began the day split into the factions of teachers and students, each side seeking refuge from the sun in the shadows cast by the Humanities building. But as the event wore on, we were brought together by so much more than the passage of the sun across the sky. We were brought together by the shared experience of listening to these wonderful stories. I look forward to the next public event, and the future of Speakeasy, with plans announced to join forces with the undergraduate and postgraduate students of Adelaide University to create a cross-campus event. This sounds like a fantastic way to foster community between both universities, and share our work with each other. Congratulations to all of our incredible readers, and to everyone on the Speakeasy committee for organising such a fantastic event. And special thanks to Margot and Threasa for making Speakeasy happen. I feel like this is the start of something big.



Review by Phillip Kavanagh Phillip Kavanagh is currently completing a Masters Degree in Creative Writing at Flinders University. He has had several short plays produced and is working towards completing his first full length stage play. .