The Hanslick Girls

June 25, 2018

Far From Home: Alexandra Silber’s “After Anatevka”

Despite being the one to suggest that they read it, Gwen was the last to finish reading After Anatevka. She had put it off: work got in the way, or she meant to bring it on the El with her but forgot, or it was lumpy to carry around anyway. Excuses, excuses, she knew. But the fact remained that, on the afternoon when Gwen finally closed the book shut with a satisfying slap, Eleanor was already waiting on the couch.

“Oh, finally,” she said, as Gwen sat up in her chair. “Now we can discuss.”

“Not so fast,” Gwen pulled back. There was much to be digested in the book, and Gwen wanted enough time. “I have to think about it first.”

June 18, 2018

Out Looking Fierce: Jennifer Kent’s “The Babadook”

“You know, honestly, I thought it would be scarier,” Gwen said, gripping an empty bowl of popcorn. “What did you think?”

Dania, meanwhile, gripped the arms of the couch, her nails just starting to break the fabric. “Did we have to watch it at night?” she whimpered.

Gwen brushed this off. “It’s creepy, sure. But it’s more unsettling than anything I’m actually going to be afraid of.”

“Don’t be a tool, Gwen,” Eleanor said, her hand on Dania’s shoulder. “Just because you’re all unfazed by horror movies…”

June 11, 2018

Emotional Support Animals: Rarecho and Netflix’s “Aggretsuko”

Five days a week, from 8am until 5pm, Gwen could be found sitting calmly at the reception desk of a Chicago architecture firm. This was her job – her “survival job,” she told people back home. Freelance writing and literary management not serving to pay her rent, Gwen had joined the silent ranks of the artistically unfulfilled, eager for the day when she could stick up a middle finger to her job, quitting as she marched out the front door and into the awaiting limousine to success.

It was a dumb fantasy, and Gwen knew that. It’ll be a cab, not a limo, she thought to herself. But in her heart, she knew she wouldn’t be quitting the job soon – and when she did, wouldn’t want to burn bridges with the people who had been nice to her while there. As she set a phone back in its dock and began to type out client information into a spreadsheet, she considered her ideal departure from work: a new job arising in theatre, the discomforting assertiveness of handing in two weeks notice, the inevitable half-hearted departure conversations about staying in touch and we-hope-you’ll-visit-us-soon. This would happen. In the future. Not now.

June 4, 2018

The Rhythm Warp: Hiromi’s Sonicbloom’s “Time Control”

“Mind if I put on some music?” asked Eleanor.

“Sure,” Gwen replied.

Eleanor scrolled through her playlists, trying to find a suitable jazz album – jazz was always her ideal genre to listen to while doing other work. Many a paper in college had been completed to the tune of Esperanza Spalding’s upright bass solos.