Through spoken word, poetry, music and conversation Cafe Philosophique aims to look deeply into the things that make us human and provide a space to question and dissect their roles in our lives.

A night in the Balcony Bar with the setting sun and sounds of artists in a series of performances, De L'amour. Ending with an open conversation where you are invited to share your thoughts and experiences while listening to those of others.

This is a series of Tuesday nights, individually ticketed, exploring the nature of relationships.

DATE:

Tuesday October 8, 7:00pm

Loneliness and Distance

Spoken word from: Randall Stephens, Declan Furber Gillick, Madison Griffiths, Farah Beaini (pictured)

Music: Amadou Suso

Sometimes we can be surrounded by loved ones and still feel a deep sense of loneliness or distance from them.
Where do these feelings stem from and how may we overcome them?

Farah Beaini

Farah Beaini is a poet and performer interested in exploring stories of identity and belonging in an age of constant movement. Liquid and lyrical, she has featured in major festivals including the Melbourne Writer’s Festival, with her first poetry collection, To those who love me next, due to be released late next year. A passionate community advocate, Farah’s work often tackles difficult conversations within the community. Her #FridaysWithFarah facebook series was the subject of her recent TedX Melbourne appearance, attracting a loyal following. Through 60 questions spaced over two years, the series invited us to reflect on who we are and how we can bring our best selves to the digital communities we are creating.

Declan Furber-Gillick (KNOMAD)

Declan Furber Gillick is a multi-award-winning Arrernte artist, performer, playwright, author of prose, poetry and non-fiction. He is also a musician, rapper and producer, as well as a teacher and activist. His award-winning play BIGHOUSE DREAMING is touring nationally from August this year and his first EP "Love & Politics Pt. 1" was released under his stage-name KNOMAD in 2019 and is available on all electronic platforms. Declan is currently a writer-in-residence at Melbourne Theatre Company, where he is working on a main-stage play called 'Jacky'. He is also writing a commission for Ilbijerri Theatre Company called 'Scar Trees'; a new play that will tour from October. Declan lives between Mparntwe (Alice Springs) and Victoria.

Madison Griffiths

Madison Griffiths is a writer, artist and poet whose work has been published in The Guardian, VICE, Meanjin, Kill Your Darlings, Overland, The Lifted Brow and more. She is also the producer of the Tender podcast, an audio-documentary that explores what happens when women leave abusive relationships. Her work revolves predominantly around issues concerning women, digital media and resistance.

Randall Stephens

13.4 Billion years ago an infinitely massive and dense singularity exploded creating the universe. Then nothing much happened. In 1980 The Empire Strikes Back came out and Randall Stephens was born. Randall writes poetry about dinosaurs, cycling, feeling anxious, eroticism, masculinity and sexuality, and other lightweight topics like surviving Hepatitis C. Randall currently lives in Denial, and has toured extensively through other emotional states throughout Australia, as well as New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and Borneo. He’s been published, broadcast, vilified, ostracized, substance affected and performed at hundreds of spoken word and poetry events. Randall works as a health promoter and  social worker; he’s retired from poetry several times but can still be taunted or blackmailed into performing occasionally. He also hates re-writing his bio, and has vowed not to do so again for a while.

Amadou Suso (Musician)

Amadou Suso plays the Kora, a traditional West African stringed instrument and is a direct descendent of the world’s first kora player, Koriang Musa Suso. As a music maker, or ‘jali’ by birthright, Amadou embodies the griot traditions of the Mandinka of West Africa. Known widely as the ‘Jimi Hendrix of the kora’, Amadou fulfils his ancestral duties to share the culture of his people through an intoxicating contemporary mastery of the African harp.

MORE DATES WITH CAFE PHILOSOPHIQUE

Tuesday October 15, 7:00pm

Relationships with Ourselves

Spoken word from: Sean M Whelan, Andy Jackson, Manisha Anjali, Ebony Moncreif 

Music: Matt Wicking

Tuesday October 22, 7:00pm

Relationships with Our Families

Spoken word from: May Jasper, Helen Kassa, Consciously Kyah, Tumi

Music: Parvyn

Tuesday October 29, 7:00pm

Relationship with Place

Spoken word from: Sermsah Bin Saad, Enza Gandolfo, Soreti Kadir, Jacky T

Music: The Orbweavers

Join us for one session, or all. There will be light snacks provided and drinks available for purchase.

MEETING POINT: Please either check in with the host on arrival to be led into the Balcony Bar

ACCESSIBILITY ENQUIRIES: If you require assistance, please email any accessibility requirements and questions through to arts@hotelesplanade.com.au and our staff can assist you.

U18's MUST be accompanied by a legal parent or guardian at all times

**Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the start time of Cafe Philosophique

We acknowledge the lands on which we present this work are the lands of the Yalak-ut Weelam people of the Kulin Nations. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.