For a Writing Sems major who isn't taking any writing classes this semester, last Thursday's poetry reading presented by Thoroughfare magazine was welcome time spent with part of Hopkins's creative community.
Thoroughfare sets itself apart from some of the other literary magazines on campus by including all forms of media: prose, poetry, art, film and music. Their magazine is published once a semester online and on CD, a perfect venue to showcase creations like music made through Matlab or a bevy of well-curated photography from artists across campus.
Thursday's reading took place at Nolan's on 33rd and was the first in a series of coffeehouses to come. Nolan's is a difficult place to hold a reading because of a higher-than-ambient level of noise during the dinner rush at 8 p.m., but the set-up and form of the show was seamless.
Writers read their work with the Thoroughfare website flashing in the background, a nice accompaniment that also made it easier to follow along when the clatter of dishes and loud conversations sometimes overpowered the reading.
The first reader of the evening was multi-talented junior Angela Hu, who read a story and a poem while pieces of her artwork flickered in the background. Hu started with a tense, well-measured piece of short fiction about two high school friends, Tony and Francis.
Francis is an artist trying to escape from life's expectations, and she shows up at Tony's apartment to stay with him in the interim.
Hu's writing was beautiful and full of clarity, and a particular scene where Tony looks at Francis's sketchbook and sees her breathtaking renderings of the view from out his window that he himself has never noticed before is exquisite.
Meanwhile, one piece of Hu's artwork in the background particularly stood out. "Painting the Sea" depicts an artist whose work comes alive off of the canvas, fish streaming through the background. Having art in the background in general really set the tone of the work and created an encompassing artsy vibe.
Other poems read included Alexa Kwiatowski's "Mona," about a college girl in love with an older man rendered in ethereal imagery, and Alessandra Bautze's "History," a haunting tale of teenage lovers with the refrain "People were getting shot in the streets."
One of the night's most interesting moments was a screening of a short film by Joshua Gleason entitled The Golden Years. The film showcased what was unique about Thoroughfare's multimedia coffeehouse, and the various forms of media on showcase kept the pace of the evening fresh and fascinating. The Golden Years was a short piece, a love story without words told through elegant choreography and extreme close-ups. It really set a mood, all without saying a thing.
The final performance of the evening came with a reading of a play by Christina Warner, Federal Inn. Despite technical difficulties that came with the actors' microphones squealing intermittently, the heart of the piece shone through. Jared and Danni are two strangers that meet in the parking lot of a motel, and the twist ending hits like a sucker punch.
The only real critique of Thoroughfare's coffeehouse is that it could have run longer; half of the night was saved for a raffle. With so much talent included in their spring issue, there's a lot to choose from and the audience was definitely interested in what they had already heard.
Overall, these readings provide an excellent glimpse into some of Hopkins's most talented and diverse artists, and they're a stimulating way to spend an evening whether you're looking for inspiration for your next IFP story or an intellectual way to break up the monotony of homework.
