Review – Cafe Non-Fiction Opening Night
The name started out as a joke. Co-West founder Rob de Kok was doing video editing on a project, many years ago, when his colleague suggested to him that they retire for a desperately-needed coffee at “Café Non-Fiction”. He’d misspoke – he’d meant to say Café Bongiorno – but the name conjured to mind a venue of such Borgesian simplicity that it was almost a crime for it not to exist. And so now it does, although not so much as a café but as an artspace for these monthly, not-quite fiction readings.
What exactly does that mean? I suspect Rob is just trying to dissuade the event from becoming another exclusive outlet for poetry readings, or comedic monologues. Instead, he wants people to share their stories, real or near-enough, and in that respect the night was curiously successful. There was a strong turnout to the inaugural event for the free food, donate-what-you-want drinks, and the chance to listen to a respectable collection of talented local writers.
First up was Cameron Raynes, who shared a reading from his upcoming novel which took the theme of high-school shootings to an Australian setting. After him was Geoff Kemp, who recited a great deal of poetry, much of which was quite funny and thoughtful. (Although some of it was a bit on the nose: there was a one clunker of a line about war being as ubiquitous as environmental degradation. Not exactly subtle.)
It was after a short drinks break that the night really found its tone. Singer-songwriter James Hickey (aka Heymus) took the stage with an atmospheric, unpretentious acoustic set. Between songs he shared intimate stories from his life, and it was this openness, or perhaps the cumulative affect of alcohol, that contributed to an atmosphere where everyone was comfortable in sharing their stories. And, with that set-up, Margot Albrecht stole the night with a story about her short encounter with an Aboriginal man, in a pub, as he was being ejected with hostility by the bar staff and to the indifference of the other patrons. What could have come over as paternalistic, or self-serving, wasn’t, not entirely, because of her absolute earnestness in the retelling. It was a stunning story, complex and confronting, and open to many forms interpretation. (Not all of them flattering which, in its own way, only made the story more memorable.)
The evening wrapped up with a diary-reading from an audience member (the floor was open to everyone after Margaret) and a story by Rob about a sex worker who become convinced that he would be the person to help her write her novel. It was, all told, a tidy, curious little event, and a great place to catch with Adelaide’s literary types!
The next Café Non-Fiction is on Wednesday, 27th November, 6.30 pm.
