If you are looking for an escape for an hour from the busy, chaotic landscape of life and the Fringe, Bravewords Live is the perfect choice. 

For sixty minutes, you are invited into the cool Le Cascadeur to sit and listen to four remarkable stories, read to you by their authors. The season has a rotation of different authors, so if you attend more than once you can experience a different selection of stories. 

Bravewords Live was founded by Adrienne Ferreira who wanted to build a stronger writing community and provide a supportive environment for people to get together and share stories. Usually held on the last Sunday of the month in NSW, Adrienne and her husband, Rob Carlton, have brought Bravewords Live to the Adelaide Fringe.

For the final weekend of shows, audiences heard stories from Rob and Adrienne, along with local writer and educator Kristen Doherty and theatre creative and producer Andrew Henry. 

Rob opens the proceedings with a moving acknowledgment of country as well as an overview of the history of Bravewords Live. One thing Rob said to the audience really opened my eyes and ears: “the more we listen to other people’s stories and perspectives, the less we become quick to anger. If we can see and understand where someone is coming from, the better our understanding is.”

Rob read the first story, which was about two friends who decided to travel to Perth and ended up staying a night in Colac, Victoria. Rob has a way of creating vibrant imagery with his writing. His story played out like a film in your mind as you listened to his warm voice. Details became so vivid, you could smell what was being described. His story was full of twists and turns.

Following Rob, local writer and educator, Kristen Doherty, shared a story based on how she got into teaching. Kristen has a very relatable way of writing. Casual in style, Kristen has a magical way of describing emotions in characters. Coming from a family of educators myself, I could easily relate to the emotional arc of this story.

Andrew Henry’s story certainly packed a punch. From what seems on the surface to be a light-hearted story about his love for Robbie Williams and the lengths he went to to attend his concert in Sydney many years ago, by the end, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Andrew has a powerful way of taking the audiences on a roller coaster journey through his words. 

Closing the performance was a story from Adrienne Ferreira about a holiday that she took with Rob soon after their children left home. Like the other stories we heard, Adrienne’s imagery was brilliant. Personal stories like Adrienne’s always seem easier to connect to because of the truth they bring. It was also rather amusing to watch Rob’s reactions from the front row to rather personal moments between them being recounted to the audience. 

There are only two more chances to see Bravewords Live at this year’s Fringe. Forget the heat, grab a cool drink, and spend an hour with four exceptional creatives reading honest, from-the-heart stories. I do hope that Bravewords Live becomes a staple part of the Fringe in years to come as I certainly would come back.