Speakeasy
Review
Words by Sean Stockham and Jess
Miller
What came to Humanities 133
a few weeks ago? Well, there was an alien. That’s for sure. Riots, break ups,
wars. I guess a more pressing question is what didn’t come to Humanities 233?
If the answer is you, then I hope you were parasailing across the Antarctic
while teaching Spanish to whales, because not many Fridays could top this
one.
Justina Ashman opened the afternoon, taking us to a dystopian future where sexual oppression and political homophobia have led to horrifying psychological practices. We were witness to the tedium and torture of minimum wage work with Kayla Gaskell’s words; we caught a glimpse of our own identity in Lise van Konkelenberg’s sculptural art, and of our own scalding emotional reverie in Taeghan Buggy’s poetry.
Then came the first break. Snacks and conversation; some stayed and talked to the readers, whilst others roamed outside, trying to remember we’re still at Flinders. Or to get coffee. Mostly to get coffee. We’re writers after all.
Starting off the second set, Richard Falkner immersed us in a tantalising world of fate and responsibility. The room turned dark and foreboding as Cameron Lowe created a terrifying alien before our eyes. Riana Kinlough took us all the way to China, to the tense beginnings of a werewolf’s first full moon.
The third break saw some of us high on caffeine, others finishing off wine bottles. People bought Speakeasy Zines, wanting to know more about the writers. Laughing, drinking and finally settling down for the final set.
Amelia began by raising Edgar Allan Poe back from the dead and giving us a new take on his old Raven classic. Sean Stockham thrust us into an underworld where we walked on the sky, and saw far into the future. Ebony concluded the amazing afternoon with romance, giving us a deep look into the yearning of a new love.
The sets were over then. All stories and travel done. We could go home, or get dinner. Still, most people stayed, talked, made new friends and caught up with old. Once again, writers had a chance to share their work and, most importantly, tell a story.
Justina Ashman opened the afternoon, taking us to a dystopian future where sexual oppression and political homophobia have led to horrifying psychological practices. We were witness to the tedium and torture of minimum wage work with Kayla Gaskell’s words; we caught a glimpse of our own identity in Lise van Konkelenberg’s sculptural art, and of our own scalding emotional reverie in Taeghan Buggy’s poetry.
Then came the first break. Snacks and conversation; some stayed and talked to the readers, whilst others roamed outside, trying to remember we’re still at Flinders. Or to get coffee. Mostly to get coffee. We’re writers after all.
Starting off the second set, Richard Falkner immersed us in a tantalising world of fate and responsibility. The room turned dark and foreboding as Cameron Lowe created a terrifying alien before our eyes. Riana Kinlough took us all the way to China, to the tense beginnings of a werewolf’s first full moon.
The third break saw some of us high on caffeine, others finishing off wine bottles. People bought Speakeasy Zines, wanting to know more about the writers. Laughing, drinking and finally settling down for the final set.
Amelia began by raising Edgar Allan Poe back from the dead and giving us a new take on his old Raven classic. Sean Stockham thrust us into an underworld where we walked on the sky, and saw far into the future. Ebony concluded the amazing afternoon with romance, giving us a deep look into the yearning of a new love.
The sets were over then. All stories and travel done. We could go home, or get dinner. Still, most people stayed, talked, made new friends and caught up with old. Once again, writers had a chance to share their work and, most importantly, tell a story.
If
you were one of the unfortunate people who chose teaching Spanish to whales
over attending our event, not to worry; just bring them along to our next
public event, which will be announced soon. You’ll have a whale of a time!
