An Evening with the Vegetarian Librarian: Pre-Show Notes
Below is the transcript of the pre-show notes for the Adelaide Fringe 2025 season of An Evening With the Vegetarian Librarian.
There are two audio files available for this show, the recording of these pre-show notes and the recording of the program given to audience members at the performance.
The audio recording of these pre-show notes ia available on my soundcloud page here.
The audio recording of the program is available on my soundcloud here.
Pre-Show Notes: Transcript of the Recording
Hi, I'm Tracy Crisp, the writer, performer and producer of An Evening With the Vegetarian Librarian. I've written these pre-show notes to give you some added context to the production. It includes general information about the production, followed by descriptions of the theatre space, the sets and props, my appearance and costume and the main actions and movements I perform throughout the show.
Show credits
Written and performed by Tracy Crisp
Directed by Maggie McGinty
Technical design and support by Adam Hawes
Show blurb
She might be a vegetarian, but she's also the Gen-X meat in the inter-generational sandwich of the modern workplace. A mostly true, slightly made-up tale of thwarted ambition, underachievement, and a funeral in a library. A meditation on reading and an ode to life before the device.
General information about the production
An Evening with the Vegetarian Librarian is one of the six shows in my series of 'memoir monologues.' They are solo shows (I am the only character and performer) and they are all a blend of standup, theatre and storytelling. This was the third show I wrote. However, each of the shows stands alone, and they don't follow a clear chronology so you won't be missing any backstory if this is the only show you've seen.
Each of the shows is based on a particular event or stage of my life. While some of the shows such as Pearls tell the story of real life events, An Evening With the Vegetarian Librarian is one of the stories I call 'mostly true, slightly made-up.'
An Evening With the Vegetarian Librarian debuted at the Adelaide Fringe in 2020. I have staged several single performances of it since then in Adelaide and around the state.
The theatre
For the 2025 Adelaide Fringe season, the show is being played in the Studio space at the Goodwood Theatre and Studios. The theatre is on Goodwood Road, on the corner with Victoria Street. During the fringe season, you will enter the theatre through a small gate off Victoria Street. Follow the path straight then to your right and into the foyer and bar area. There is a short ramp leading from the outside into the bar. There will be an announcement made when the doors are open and you will be invited into the studio space. The front-of-house staff will check your tickets. It is a 50-seat space and general admission. If you need assistance to find the best seating for your needs please ask the front-of-house staff and they will be happy to help.
When you walk into the room, the performance space is on your left. It is not a raised stage. The audience seats are to your right. The tech desk is in the corner immediately to your right as you enter. There are four rows of seats. The front row is on the floor and the three rows behind that are stepped up. All of the walls are covered in thick black curtains.
The set and props
The stage is already set when you come in. The lights are on over the audience seats, and the stage is lit with a soft, golden wash.
As with all my shows, the set is a simple one. In the centre of the performance space is a white office desk and behind it a black swivel chair. There are three small trolleys filled with books, some of the books placed neatly in stacks, others more haphazardly. Two trolleys are to the left of the desk (from the audience perspective) and the other is to the right.
On the desk there is a typewriter placed as if in use by whoever has been sitting in the chair. On the right of the desk is a small pile of four books. There is also a coffee cup on the desk.
There are no other props used during the show.
My appearance and costume
I am short (five foot two, 158 centimetres). My skin is white. My hair is straight, shoulder-length, brown with grey streaks. I have a fringe. I wear laregeish round, brown glasses. I don't wear much makeup, just mascara, foundation, a light blush and a neutral shade of lipstick.
I am wearing a 50s style dress with a fitted bodice and flared skirt. The fabric is from the Alexander Henry collection called The Ghastlies. It has a white background and illustrations in the style of a spooky, but quirky, children's story with a haunted house and witches. I am wearing black stockings and patent red ankle boots.
Action and movement
In all my performances I am a reasonably static performer. I am generally either siting in the chair or standing downstage centre.
The show begins with a recorded Welcome to Country. The lights are dimmed but not blacked out. I am standing in the room just inside the door as the welcome plays. When the Welcome to Country is finished, the intro music plays. As the music plays I walk onto the stage and stand downstage centre.
The following list describes the key points of lighting and action throughout the show:
- For the opening monologue the stage is lit in a pale gold wash. I am standing downstage as I speak, then move around the desk to sit at the typewriter as I talk about taking my mother's typewriter into my bedroom.
- At the end of that scene, I move the chair to the front of the desk, the lights go up to a golden wash and I stand in front of the desk as I begin telling the story, then sit.
- When I talk about the police officer coming to the library, I walk around to the back of the desk and pick up the books on the desk one by one as I say each of the titles.
- When I talk about going to the Mayor's office for my interview, I bring the chair downstage centre and sit.
- When I talk about going back to the library I pick up the chair and return it to its place in front of the desk.
- When I am reading the story, 'Antonia's Gift,' I am reading it directly from the book and the stage is lit in a pale blue wash.
- When I finish reading the story the lights return to a golden wash.
- When I am describing the events of my facebook group, I am seated and take books out of the trolley one-by-one as I mention them and hold them on my lap. At the end of that story, I return them to the trolley.
- When I am talking about giving away two thousand books I am standing downstage centre and the stage is lit in a pale blue wash.
- As I talk about feeling sorry for Barb, the lights return to a gold wash and I am seated.
- As I describe the funeral ceremony I am standing, then when I describe being disappointed about not getting the job I return to the chair.
- In the final scene as I say 'on the day I turned 46' the lights fade to pale gold and I am standing downstage centre.
- On my final line, the lights fade to black.
When the show ends
The lights blackout after I have said my final line, then come up. As the music starts, I take my bows, acknowledging the team who are there, in particular the technician, Maggie the director if she is in the audience that night and my partner, Adrian.
I open the doors of the theatre and leave. As you leave the theatre, Adrian (or another member of the team) stands at the door giving a small packet of rock candy to everyone who wants one as they leave. The candy is rainbow coloured. In the middle is printed the word 'sixology.' I will standing in the foyer to thank people for coming.
Thank you for coming to An Evening With the Vegetarian Librarian and for sharing this time with me.
