“Because everything’s political nowadays, you know? Like, everyone. You gotta have your answers about where you stand on every issue just, at the ready. So I’d want to know.”
Dania stirred her tea slowly, considering Eleanor’s answer. “But why her?”
“Why not her?”
“I’m not saying she wouldn’t have an answer,” Dania continued, guardedly. “But of all the people to ask, it seems an odd choice.”
Meet the Hanslick Girls: Gwen, Eleanor and Dania. Created by writer Zach Barr, they are a trio of friends who are always out experiencing the best of entertainment. Be it plays, films, concerts, exhibits, or games, they’ve learned that the arts are best when experienced together. They may not have the same opinions, but their conversations tend to make for an entertaining read. This week, the Girls discuss a recent narrative chestnut: a miniseries of minute-long episodes, distributed via Instagram, and produced almost entirely by women. Let’s hear what they had to say…
The new year was now a week old, and the novelty of throwing the past year over her shoulder had finally faded. Avoiding the end of her lunch break, Eleanor killed time in the break room on her phone. She swiped through Instagram expectantly – this was the best time of year, when everyone posted their photos from over the break. Family after family of smiling people in front of fake fireplaces lit up the screen.
One of the posts stood out, catching Eleanor’s attention enough to stop scrolling for a moment. It was a drawing of three women – from left to right, a blonde in an orange top, a woman glancing up from a mane of thick black hair, and a woman with her hair tucked and pulled back over her head. All three glanced up to the right, with expressions ranging from distrust to distaste. The teal background was empty, save for the word “menace,” in script, sitting in the center of the image. At the top was scrawled the artist’s name, “Partes,” and the handle @MENACEseries.
Meet the Hanslick Girls: Gwen, Eleanor and Dania. Created by writer Zach Barr, they are a trio of friends who are always out experiencing the best of entertainment. Be it plays, films, concerts, exhibits, or games, they’ve learned that the arts are best when experienced together. They may not have the same opinions, but their conversations tend to make for an entertaining read. Recently, a hit HBO series led to a discussion about its online source material. Let’s listen in on the conversation…
Dania awoke groggily, glancing up at the clock.
9:08.
She groaned. She was working from home this afternoon, but had planned to start at 9am. Now, needing to get dressed, eat breakfast, focus herself…she mentally adjusted her schedule and drooped her way to the kitchen.
Meet the Hanslick Girls: Gwen, Eleanor and Dania. Created by writer Zach Barr, they are a trio of friends who are always out experiencing the best of entertainment. Be it plays, films, concerts, exhibits, or games, they’ve learned that the arts are best when experienced together. They may not have the same opinions, but their conversations tend to make for an entertaining read. Recently, the discussion centers on “Cuphead,” a video game by the Moldenhauer Brothers that evokes the spirit of the Fleischer Brothers . Let’s listen in on their conversation…
Gwen worked silently in her room, making notes in a script as she parsed through the pages. Lying on her bed in the silent day, she was struck by what appeared to be a muffled cry of grief from outside the window. She stopped, sat up, and waited for the noise to repeat itself. But nothing came.
“Hello?” Gwen put the script down, and peered out her window towards the street. Nothing seemed amiss – in fact, no one who could have emitted the cry was in sight. Gwen was just sitting back down on the bed when – perfect timing, she thought – the cry happened again. Longer, more indistinguishable words this time.
The Hanslick Girls 