Come in, come in. Make yourself cozy. Here’s your name tag. Christian, right? Do you need another cushion? A blankie or a biscuit? Have you finished the mandatory reading? Of course not. Bookcrastinators Anonymous is part book club, part support group. A safe space for us bookcrastinators. We’ll put off finishing a book because we like it too much and don’t want it to end. Or because of Netflix. No matter the circumstance, we are here to be rehabilitated.
Our host Jacqui starts the session confidently, gently chiding us in her bathrobe when most confess not having read Catcher in the Rye. When pressed for her opinions on the book, our poor hostess quickly buckles and drops the façade. Sculling tea straight from the pot, she confesses that she hasn’t finished a single book in the last two years.
It is hard to keep Jacqui’s spirits down. With an infectious enthusiasm, she confides in song what makes books so special to her. Epic fantasy series are her fave. Inviting an audience member onto stage, she recreates the kind of escapism that immerses you into a world where we can all be stronger and braver than our real selves. Harry Potter has a special place in Jacqui’s heart, with a song to show for it.
Then there’s the box of shame. Fifty Shades of Grey being at the top of the pile. Oh, not because she would kink-shame anyone; this club is all about acceptance. Jacqui is not shy about showing off her box of book porn. Some books bring shame unto themselves from their cringe-worthy writing, if not for being indistinguishable from the writings of serial killers, as we learn through a fun trivia experiment.
Bookcrastinators Anonymous is a delightful and lighthearted love letter to books and those that love them, with a mix of catchy tunes and easy audience participation that feels just right.
– Christian
Christian G. is an international man of mystery; lover of books, cats and the performing arts; moonlighting as a finance professional by day.
Bookcrastinators Anonymous runs 22-26 September 2017 at Errol’s, North Melbourne. Buy tickets now. The venue is not accessible.
Read our guide to Melbourne Fringe Festival 2017.
