Adelaide Fringe

Fringe Review: Sip’n & Sup’n: A Tapestry Of Space, Place & Words

Culture in the widest sense is promoted through the many books displayed at the Once And Again Cafe, by events, markets, music and an authors’ group who meet at the café.

Presented by Once and Again Cafe
Reviewed 15 March 2018

Owner Judy Forbes welcomed guests to the café which is a community hub where, it is hoped, you will visit once, and again, and again. Culture in the widest sense is promoted through the many books displayed there, by events, markets, music and an authors’ group who meet at the café.  The café provided a splendid spread of pates, cheeses and fruit with a great selection of Barossa and McLaren Vale wines for visitors to sip and sup with background music provided by guitar player Andy Salvanos at the event.

Freelance writer and artist Michele Fairbairn answered an atrtists’ call out to become the Artist in Residence at the Once and Again Café,  culminating in the opportunity to admire her art work and hear her read the writings inspired by the people and the place. She experienced something wonderful while she was there which inspired her to move to a more community focussed residency.

She discovered some talented writers in the Authors’ Group group which meets at the café and encouraged them to make their work more visible. With funding from Marion Council, Fairbairn was able to work with these writers and we were fortunate enough to hear some of them read their work in public for the first time. I especially enjoyed the tale of traditional Balinese culture at odds with a young woman’s desire for a more independent life. They have also created a zine of their writings which will, I hope, shortly be available to purchase at the café.

Fairbairn produced brilliant art works in cyanotype, some of which are sepia-toned by the addition of tea – very appropriate for a café. One of her art pieces was inspired by the meeting of two women who hadn’t seen each other for many years and the accompanying written piece evoked the memories of times past. The art pieces have an ethereal quality, with the blue cyanotype making them look like an image in a dream.

I think it’s great that local meeting places like the Once and Again Café are providing opportunities for artists of all stripes at The Fringe and beyond.

Reviewed by Jan Kershaw

Rating out of 5: 5

Season ended

 

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