The quote of the Rogue comes from Andrew Corcostegui, who paused midway through his intriguing reading last weekend as part of the "Poetry and Prose from Fresno State" performance at Spectrum Gallery, looked up at the assembled listeners and wryly observed:
"No one's left yet."
There you go, Rogue artists. There's something to aspire to: Perform something that just might make you wonder if you're going to completely freak out and alienate your audience. Isn't that what a fringe festival is all about?
In the case of Corcostegui, the subject matter had to do with, well, bleaching a certain part of one's anatomy that would normally never be exposed to the sun. As part of an assignment to research a topic, the Fresno State MFA student took it upon himself to dive into a subject for which the literary possibilities were rich indeed. (It isn't often that you get to work in the words "high definition anus" into a manuscript.) It turns out that porn stars are among the procedure's most enthusiastic supporters.
And how did Corcostegui's reading go on Saturday night? He didn't lose any audience members, though there were a few faces in the audience that could be described as ambling toward ashen. Corcostegui had a cute-as-a-button delivery with a low-key, sardonic style and reedy voice that suggested a young David Sedaris. I thought it was hysterical.
Other participating MFA students -- all solid in their own ways -- were Megan Baptista (poems), Marcus Chinn (poems) and Rachel Jackson (memoir).
Here's the thing about these readings: There will be different students at each, so you never know what you're going to get. (You already missed the bleaching installment, alas.) But that's part of the fun. And certainly in the spirit of the Rogue.
Playing: 8:45 p.m. Wednesday 3/4, 5 p.m. Saturday 3/7, Spectrum Gallery, 608 E. Olive Ave. Cost: $4. Rating: PG-13, though it can be a crap shoot.)
ew.