In the past week or three, we’ve let you know about some of our lovely opening readers – kind folk that Betsy and I admire and respect who have agreed to warm up the stage each night with a word or two. They are our friends, roam-ens and countrypeople. Scott Sneddon, Thomas Day, Andrew Phillips, Trudie Murrell, Liz Bennett, Ahliya Farebrother and John Wainwright – I humbly thank you in advance.
Humblest thanks however must go to Betsy Turcot, for all the generous hours of collaboration and thought. We may not be rock star poets, but we are people who have offered each other call and response. I’m nervous in the pit of my stomach, proud in the belly of my laugh, and excited in the rock paper scissors of making the best choice you can with the stuff you got in your hand at the time.
I’d also like to thank her families: chosen, biological, original, unique, newborn, naturalised and beloved.
For giving her so much beauty to write.
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For those who missed it:
Chosen Family is an extended poetic dialogue between Betsy Turcot and Eleanor Jackson, two of Brisbane’s most dynamic and interesting spoken word performers.
Set in a post-modern family, this poetic dialogue subverts the classic children’s story question, “Are you my mother?” to embrace kin in all kinds of flux.
Tickets: $15/$10
Dates: Thu 16 to Sat 18 May @ 6:30pm & 8:00pm
Place: Justice Earth Building, 192 Boundary St, West End, QLD 4101 website
Duration: 40 mins
Hope to see you there.
eleanor j jackson 