Shows
StorySALOONIn the SALOON with Margo Lanagan and Paul CapsisIn our latest 'In the SALOON with…', host Jane Messer talks with writer Margo Lanagan and performer, Paul Capsis.
We take a deep dive into Margo's short story ‘Singing My Sister Down’ which was performed by Paul at StorySALOON’s June live show. In this episode, Margo speaks about the original writing of 'Singing My Sister Down', and the unique aspects of the short story as a genre, and Paul discusses his performance of the work, and his own life as a performer, and the impact of his family on his work and his reading of 'Singing M...2025-06-3050 minStorySALOON'In Disguise, Lying Low' by Anne Casey-Hardy, read by Esha JessyIn this week's episode we’re going to hear ‘In Disguise, Lying Low’ by Anne Casey-Hardy, read by Esha Jessy.
The story is taken from Anne’s debut collection of short stories, wickedly titled Cautionary Tales for Excitable Girls (published by Scribner https://shorturl.at/Wk1To). Her acclaimed short stories are wonderfully sharp, irreverent tales of sisterhood, motherhood and friendships. In the words of one reviewer, her stories “crackle with energy and desire.”
Reading ‘In Disguise, Lying Low’ tonight is the Esha Jessy — a recent graduate of NIDA, the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Esha’s been quick...2025-06-2321 minStorySALOON'Singing My Sister Down' by Margo Lanagan, read by Paul CapsisIn this episode we’re going to hear Margo Lanagan’s short story ‘Singing My Sister Down’, read by Paul Capsis. This is a story with a big heart that may well move you to tears.
Margo Lanagan is one of Australia’s most outstanding writers of short stories and novels for adults and young adults. Her work has been published widely in Australia and internationally.
For those amongst you who’re unused to the fantasy genre, what you’ll find in 'Singing My Sister Down' is that you recognise the community and characters, but there are litt...2025-06-1733 minStorySALOONThree flash fictions by Gillian O'Shaughnessy, read by Monica SayersIn this episode we present three flash fictions by West Australian writer Gillian O'Shaughnessy, from our June live show.
Gillian is an award-winning writer whose flash fictions and short stories have been published widely in Australian and international journals and anthologies.
The reading is by Monica Sayers, returning to StorySALOON a second time. Sayers is a proud Australian born Chinese actor, director, and voice artist. She has acted in many film and television roles, and with major theatre companies including the Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare, and Hayes Theatre.
Gillian O...2025-06-1014 minStorySALOON'In the SALOON with' Paddy O'Reilly and Monica SayersWelcome to 'In the Saloon With...', where StorySALOON host Jane Messer meets with an author and actor from the live show for a deep-dive into the writing of the short story and the actor's performance of it.
In this episode we talk with Paddy O'Reilly, author of 'Baggage Claim' and Monica Sayers, who read the story live for StorySALOON's May 2025 show.
Paddy's novels and short stories have been published, anthologised and broadcast in Australia, Europe, China, the UK and the USA. Her most recent book, the novel Other Houses, was shortlisted for the Prime M...2025-06-0200 minStorySALOON'Baggage Claim' by Paddy O'Reilly, read by Monica SayersOur final story from StorySALOON's live 6 May show is 'Baggage Claim' by Paddy O'Reilly. Paddy's novels and short stories have won and been shortlisted for a number of major awards, and been published, anthologised and broadcast in Australia, Europe, China, the UK and the USA.
'Baggage Claim' was read by Monica Sayers, a proud Australian born Chinese artist who works as an actor, director, and voiceover artist. Her tv and stage roles have included The Messenger, Rake, Love My Way and Romeo and Juliet (Bell Shakespeare) Chimerica and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui with Hugo Weaving (Sydne...2025-05-2719 minStorySALOON'GPS' by Cate Kennedy, read by Jules BillingtonThis week's short story is 'GPS' by Cate Kennedy. It's a short story for lovers of twisted fairy tales and bushland suspense. Every girl should have a grandmother like this one in their lives.
Cate Kennedy has been writing and publishing short stories, along with poetry, novels and essays for over three decades. Recent short stories have been published in The Saturday Paper, and the anthologies The Scarlet Stilleto: 30 Years of Mystery, Murder and Malice, and Into Your Arms : Nick Cave’s Songs Reimagined. When not in Castlemaine, Victoria, Cate can be found teaching on the faculty of...2025-05-1900 minStorySALOON'Aitu' by Oliver Coulter, read by Chris AlosioThis week's short story is 'Aitu' by Oliver Coulter, was performed live by Chris Alosio for StorySALOON on May 6, 2025 at The Vanguard, Newtown. A young man of Samoan heritage is driving along a Northern Territory highway carrying special cargo. It's a road story that's both spiritual and darkly funny, and is about the importance of knowing your culture. In Polynesian languages the word 'aitu' refers to ghosts or spirits.
Oliver Coulter is a Samoan-Australian writer raised in the Northern Territory. He has won a NT Literary Award and his work has also featured on ABC Radio National.2025-05-1312 minStorySALOON'In the SALOON With...' Nic Low and Taofia Pelesasa and host Jane Messer
Welcome to the first of our in-depth conversations, 'In the Saloon With...', where StorySALOON host Jane Messer meets with an author and actor from the live show for a deep-dive into the writing of the short story and the actor's performance of it.
In this episode we talk with Nic Low, author of 'Octopus' and Taofia Pelesasa, who read the story live for StorySALOON's April 2025 show.
Based in Melbourne and New Zealand, Nic Low's Ngāi Tahu Māori and European heritage shape the short story 'Octopus', which is set in Rotorua on New Zea...2025-04-2948 minStorySALOON'Protocols of Transference', by Kathryn Gledhill-Tucker, read by Dakotah LoveThis week's short story is 'Protocols of Transference' by Kathryn Gledhill-Tucker, a Nyungar technologist, writer, and digital rights activist living on Whadjuk Noongar boodjar, Western Australia.
Build a mechanical brain to hold and remember First Nations stories. 'Protocols of Transference's' narrator is a First Nation person who is gathering and saving Indigenous stories. They do this by building a digital and mechanical brain to hold the many stories that have been taken from Australia’s first peoples, and which they collectively mourn the loss of – and in this story - work to recover and revive.
The...2025-04-2210 minStorySALOON'Octopus' by Nic Low, read by Taofia PelesasaThis week's short story is 'Octopus' by Nic Low, a writer of Ngāi Tahu Māori and European heritage. Based in Melbourne and New Zealand, Nic is the author of three acclaimed books, Arms Race, Uprising, and Little Doomsdays. 'Octopus' is set on New Zealand's South Island. It is about a rowdy road gang and an octopus, a story in which myth and reality energetically collide.
It is read by Taofia Pelesasa, Western Sydney creative practitioner of Tokelauan and Samoan heritage. Pelesasa has worked as an actor, writer and filmmaker in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and...2025-04-2121 minStorySALOON"Tinder Date" by Monique Choy, read by Zoe CaridesThis week's short story is "Tinder Date", written by Sydney fiction and travel writer Monique Choy. It's an inner city - rural love story. Set in a Marrickville bar. City Celia meets farmer Alistair. It’s hilarious and excruciating. How will the date go?
Performed live by Zoe Carides at The Vanguard, Newtown. Zoe Carides' TV and film career includes Death in Brunswick, the Netflix TV drama Pieces of Her and thriller Interceptor, Top of The Lake, Rake, Pieces of Her, Brilliant Lies, and Mystery Road.
‘Tinder Date’ by Monique Choy was first published in Soak: U...2025-04-0822 minStorySALOONIntroducing StorySALOON: Short Stories, Centre StageStorySALOON Podcast is your listen-anytime creative fix— contemporary short stories published in our best journals and anthologies, written by award-winning and emerging writers, then narrated on stage by Australia’s most talented actors at The Vanguard, Newtown.
Your host and Chief Saloonist is Jane Messer.
2025-04-0701 min