Show Ponies | Brisbane Writers Festival
All the way from New Zealand, Brisbane Writers Festivals’ Show Ponies was expressive, evocative and entertaining.
These talented Aoteroa artists brought a night of powerful poetry, mesmerising performances, and thought-provoking subjects. MC Miles the sad clown commenced the evening with a gorgeous acknowledgment of country, asking the audience for a minute of reflection for our colonial past and present.
Image + cover image: Markus Ravik
Let the poems commence! Anahera Gildea’s use of the bird metaphor to touch on a number of deep-seated issues on postcolonial landscapes, all to a backdrop of a live drum beat to that of a marching procession, was a powerful and confronting experience.
Tayi Tibble partnered with renown beatboxer Hope One to share stories of her upbringing, likening in to that of selecting beef noodles. It was a touching tribute that navigated the complex relationship many of us have with our past.
Chris Tse was joined by two back-up dancers wearing neon high vis outfits as they shared a narrative about being a gay man in New Zealand. This piece ended with a dance feature that brought the heat and the fire.
After a brief interlude, we’re back with poet Freya Daly Sadgrove who, wearing her crop top and slacks told us about her up and down headspace through a sporadic and loud, punk rock infused slam poem. Then, the audience went wild for poet Rebecca Hawkes with her funky pangs, saucy word play and hilarious parody of ‘incel’ culture. Their poem was on the nose, brutally honest and it was refreshing to see someone take a jab at this toxic corner of the internet.
Image: Markus Ravik
essa may ranapiri was the final one to take the stage, delivering an intoxicating and hypnotic poem threaded with the personification of an echidna as a woman who has no choice but to be violent for their voice to be heard. Accompanied by a beautiful score from their homeland, it was a poem that will stay with me for some time. Utterly striking.
This review was co-written with writer Harry Fritsch.
