By Afia Khan
Philosophy is all around you. Even on toilet walls as Jess Fairfax, one of the founders of Cafe Philosophique, discovered.
It’s a Wednesday evening, and 15 Westsiders have gathered in the private dining rooms of Werribee institution The Bridge Hotel. They’re there to explore what it might mean to be living in the future.
Hosted by Jess and sister Kaarin Fairfax, Café Philosophique has been connecting community through poetry, music, and conversation in an effort to confront the inner forces that constitute how we live our daily lives.
The original concept began as a series some years ago in St Kilda. The first session was titled Café Philosophique: De Toilette.
Jess had begun taking quotes she found in public toilets and giving them to poets as inspiration for a written response.
“I was like, man, public toilets are amazing,” says Jess.
Since bringing it to the west in 2024, the format has been more participatory.
“We would just observe and listen,” says Kaarin, “But now we’re very much ‘you are Café Philosophique’.”
Tonight’s theme relates to time, in particular the future and our ability to plan and think ahead. When we focus too much on the future is it at the expense of the joys which can be found in the past?
The discussion kicks off with a preamble on why our brains spiral when we come across the word ‘future’. Goal setting, apparently, is a good antidote for that.
“The only real thing is the present. The past and the future just live in our minds, either as remembering, or imagining.” says Jess.
Then it’s time for vision boarding. People gather magazines and art supplies and begin crafting. Not surprisingly, the vision boarding component of the evening goes over time.
Next, people are treated to a spoken word performance from feature poet Alicia Sometimes Former Triple R broadcaster, writer, and poet, Sometimes has a gift of turning science into poetry.
She fills the room with vivid images of atoms dancing as she reads selected poems from her latest collection Stellar Atmospheres.
Attendees are then given time to write about the ideal world they want for future generations, and what they want their future selves to know. Then comes the highlight of the night; the open mic.
“People feel proud when they share stuff as well,” says Jess.
After being given a set of questions related to the evening’s theme, the night ends with people musing on existentialism while munching down on brownies (the legal kind) and fruit.
Conversation wraps up with some sort of hope for the future.
According to Alicia Sometimes, Café Philosophique provides a sense of community.
“We were journaling, we were talking, we were engaging with each other, it’s a real sense of community,” says Sometimes.
And the enthusiasm of the attendees are testament to this. Valda, who has lived in Werribee her whole life, recalls being super excited for a program like Café Philosophique to come to the west.
“I started using words I hadn’t used before,” says Valda.
Another participant, Karen, has been inspired by Café Philosophique to start scrapbooking.
“As women, sometimes we just keep quiet,” says Kaarin, “To be able to talk your thoughts and listen to other people’s thoughts and then re-evaluate your thoughts, it’s very powerful.”
It’s also a welcoming space for young Westsiders.
Emily attended one of the Café’s sessions a couple of months ago. This time, she’s brought along her friend Kya.
Kya says it’s important for young people to have a local place they can go to.
“We can’t always trek to the city when we want to do something,” says Kya.
The last Café Philosophique for 2025 is Wednesday Dec 10 featuring a music performance and writing-through-grief workshop, facilitated by Amanda Anastasia. Sign up to their newsletter at littletheatrecompany.com.au
