Fauna Flash Fiction

[nfotxn]

Flast Fiction: Write in 20 minutes to present to an audience.


I had an opportunity last Sunday evening, on the eve of Lupercalia, to see a comedy show. My friend Jonathan Cohen, published author of the book Bear Like Me, was the guest speaker for a Flash Fiction comedy show.

The show starts with pieces the authors present, largely comedians including the Crispy Minis girl, that they had, presumably, written themselves in 20 minutes. My ability to enjoy the down right hilarious, well written and performed pieces was impeded greatly by my incredible need to piss. Notes for next time: don't drink ~750ml of water before any sort of captive audience affair. It's just good science.

David (thickslab) and I were the token bears in an audience that was largely straight and metro. I'd never been, like, out'ted as a bear in a non-gay public space really. It was kinda neat, I wish I were still in love with the identity as much as I was when I was 19. I wish beards were something you could smell rather than see and have to explain to people all the time:

"Why yes, we do have passionate lumberjack-on-lumberjack mansex. So, what do you do in the sack?"

It was still cool to see such an open minded audience who seemed genuinely interested in the concept of alternate gay identities.

At the intermission the MC calls for audience members and past speakers to come up and volunteer to write. It was during this juncture that I ran to the washroom to take the largest roaring rip-tide piss of my sober life.

The resulting fiction was actually surprisingly good. Almost akin to people reading their blog entries aloud. Most of it personal and humorous straddling the space between fiction and non-fiction. Almost magically real and in many cases coming to abrupt segues and pausing for tangental riffs. Neat stuff. Next time I will moderate my Dansi® intake and perhaps participate.

Afterwards we went for drinks with the cast. What a funny group of people to hang out with. Such talent.

Comments

[mikiedoggie.livejournal.com]

I would love to see a "Flash Fiction" sort of show. Between the pressure to perform under time constraints and with everyone watching... must have been some interesting tidbits.

Stars

[(Anonymous)]

This is a rather random post and I apologize for invading your blog, but I just happened to randomly come across your blog and noticed you're listening to STARS. Set Yourself on Fire is one of my favourite albums of 2004, and I burned a hole in my CD player as I played it non-stop for 6 weeks after it was released. A great complement to their 2003 release Heart and 2001's Nightsongs (which was just Torq and Chris before Amy and Evan joined in) and really show how the band had evolved. I recently saw them play a killer show at the Casbah - they are truly entertaining and great musicians (in my opinion - you could very well be listening to them but not really like them).

I also had a chance to glance at your entry where you discussed your favourite discs of 2004. Thanks for sharing such detailed thoughts. I'm with you on singing the praise of both The Arcade Fire's Funeral and Air's Talkie Walkie. 2 of my other top 10 for 2004. Thanks to your entry I checked out The Decemberist's EP "Tha Tain" and I really enjoy it.

Again, I apologize for such a random post, and for invading your blog.
Cheers
Drew

Re: Stars

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

No "invasion" whatsoever! I encourage new people to comment. Especially when they like cool music.

I was actually set on going to that Stars show at the Casbah but was after work I was just too darn tired. I'd not picked up Set Yourself On Fire yet but if I had I would have bit the bullet and dragged myself out.

I picked up a copy of Heart on a lark sometime in 2003 and basically burnt a hole in my copy. This new record is probably going to be the same given that I've listened to it all day already.