Student Brandon Gorley reacts to Bhanu Kapil’s BathHouse reading:
I greatly enjoyed the Bhanu Kapil reading. I had read Humanimal beforehand (it was assigned in class), but I didn’t really connect with the text. My main problem is that it seemed very distant and unemotional. Certainly, the imaginary, “humanimal” sections were emotional, but I couldn’t get into the documentary portions due to the static tone. However, hearing her read the text aloud, I realized that just because I didn’t pick up on the emotion doesn’t mean it isn’t there. I can’t really describe how my perception changed, but hearing her voice gave me insight into her “voice” in the book. I’ve found it flows better in subsequent readings, and I feel that I “get” the book much better than I did before.
I also enjoyed Bhanu Kapil’s style of performance. I’ve been to several BathHouse readings, so I don’t expect a whole song and dance routine, but I have come to realize that a good performer can convey emotion and story without acting like a fool on stage. Bhanu Kapil’s rhythm and voice kept me in the story and made me forget how fractured the actual text is. For the first time since picking up Humanimal, it actually seemed like a complete story.
Also, she borrowed my watch. Awesome.