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Listen "'The Crane Flies' by Michelle Hamadache, read by Charlotte Salusinszky"
Episode Synopsis
In this episode we’re going to hear the short story ‘The Crane Flies’ by Michelle Hamadache, read by Charlotte Salusinszky at StorySALOON's Nov 4, 2025 show.
Michelle Hamadache is a writer of short stories, essays and reviews, with publications in Australian, British and US journals. She’s had short stories long listed for the Elizabeth Jolley and short-listed for the Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize. Michelle is also a lecturer in creative writing at Macquarie University and has been a fiction editor with the journals Southerly and Mascara Literary Review.
Reading the story is the talented Charlotte Salusinszky —actor, writer, and theatre-maker —who has worked with Griffin Theatre’s emerging playwright program, with PACT, and Q Theatre. Her recent acting work includes Mercury Poisoning at KXT theatre, where I first saw her perform, and Shakespeare in Love at New Theatre. Her passion for stories about survival made her a perfect choice for this short story.
‘The Crane Flies’ is a story that takes us to Italy ostensibly in 1991 but with the myths of Dante’s inferno licking at the story’s edges. This is a rich, literary tale that’s completely contemporary with its themes of illegal immigration and wage theft, but also wonderfully gothic in style.
StorySALOON is hosted by Jane Messer. Find out more about StorySALOON's live shows and podcasts at www.storysaloon.com.au
Subscribe to StorySALOON Podcast and follow us on socials.
StorySALOON acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first storytellers of this land. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, as we create, perform and listen on unceded Gadigal land.
Michelle Hamadache is a writer of short stories, essays and reviews, with publications in Australian, British and US journals. She’s had short stories long listed for the Elizabeth Jolley and short-listed for the Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize. Michelle is also a lecturer in creative writing at Macquarie University and has been a fiction editor with the journals Southerly and Mascara Literary Review.
Reading the story is the talented Charlotte Salusinszky —actor, writer, and theatre-maker —who has worked with Griffin Theatre’s emerging playwright program, with PACT, and Q Theatre. Her recent acting work includes Mercury Poisoning at KXT theatre, where I first saw her perform, and Shakespeare in Love at New Theatre. Her passion for stories about survival made her a perfect choice for this short story.
‘The Crane Flies’ is a story that takes us to Italy ostensibly in 1991 but with the myths of Dante’s inferno licking at the story’s edges. This is a rich, literary tale that’s completely contemporary with its themes of illegal immigration and wage theft, but also wonderfully gothic in style.
StorySALOON is hosted by Jane Messer. Find out more about StorySALOON's live shows and podcasts at www.storysaloon.com.au
Subscribe to StorySALOON Podcast and follow us on socials.
StorySALOON acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first storytellers of this land. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, as we create, perform and listen on unceded Gadigal land.
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