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Poetry Idol - one of this country’s most popular slam poetry events – takes its final bow this weekend at the Auckland Writers Festival. As first a contestant, then volunteer assistant over the decade it’s run, I’ve watched the crowds pack in year after year. Many are repeat attenders, making it a highlight of their arts calendar. I interviewed Penny Ashton, its MC and creator.

How long have you been writing and performing poetry?

I wrote my first epic poem in 1987 about Santa getting stuck in a chimney and dying because he was wearing a stackhat cycle helmet. Everyone was traumatised so I took a break until I started again in 2000. I was frustrated with a lack of acting performance opportunities and suddenly and unexpectedly sat down and wrote a poem about it. I quite liked it and eventually that led me back to performance opportunities after writing them for two years. I booked a venue and performed a solo show of poetry, comedy and songs in November 2002. I felt like I’d come home. 

How do you make a living out of it? Any advice?

I don’t. NEXT! Ha no my main advice for surviving in any arts market is to DIVERSIFY DIVERSIFY DIVERSIFY. I don’t survive from any one thing in my career, but the sum of the parts from acting, poetry, comedy, improvising, journalism, voice work and wedding celebrancy is what keeps me in sturdy bras and lipsticks. Being a wedding celebrant is the most natural fit for a poet I think actually. I love turning people’s romantic stories into poetic narratives, and dropping poetic devices into all aspects of the ceremonies.  

Tell me about your yearly international/national circuit.

I don’t have a constant touring “route” per se but go where the wind takes me from year to year.  The most constant in the last decade being the Canadian Fringe Circuit. It is a model that means you don’t have to sell a kidney to participate unlike numerous other global fringe festivals which have become money grabs for all except the artists themselves. Two of the best fringes being Edmonton and Winnipeg whose delightful people take 10 days off and binge on shows. It’s an amazing atmosphere of support. I tour a lot within NZ too, my favourite types of touring being to regional Arts Festivals, again peopled by delightful audiences and administrators, and the Arts on Tour circuit. This is a circuit run out of a Christchurch company and has seen me perform in such metropolises as Okarito, Karamea, Stewart Island and Kaikohe. Again to delightful people proud of their communities and I have seen all of the country EXCEPT Te Anau. Come one Te Anau, BOOK ME! 

You not only make your living with poetry and acting, but you married a spoken word poet and you both perform... is poetry allowed at home?

Of course. Matthew Harvey has such wonderful word play, vocabulary, stage presence and wit that I really enjoy reading and hearing his new offerings. I did ask him out after hearing his legendary I Want to be Like Tom Jones poem after all.  I love that we met because of poetry, it was Poetic Lustiness if you will. 

You were one of the first to bring Poetry Slams to NZ. How has the form evolved in NZ since then?

I think that title goes to Michael Rudd and yourself Ms Liang. I got into Slam by picking up a book called Poetry Slam at Borders (RIP) and just falling in love with the subject matters and earthiness of what I read. Which is ironic as slam is all about the performance too of course. I think they have developed in NZ due to, as is so often the case, coverage and exposure. Events like the NZ Poetry Slam and of course Poetry Idol have increased the audience and inspired more and more people. Then came Rising Voices, Word the Front Line in schools and so on. And of course healthy scenes around the country like with another Poetry Idol that was in Christchurch. I wanted to pitch a slam to the Auckland Writers Festival as I love performance poetry. Not just slam per se, but the art itself. Often putting things into a competitive structure boosts sales, and I do wish more people would attend all performance poetry events, but the calibre of poets keeps increasing due to all these events which is amazing and I do think Poetry Idol has had a lot to do with that. And I love how I have seen individuals grow through their Poetry Idol involvement. Eg. our most recidivist offender, Tim Heath didn’t get in in his first year, but went on to eventually win. The form itself has been influenced by videos and TV shows like Def Jam Poetry, hip hop, theatre and funding sources for things like Rising Voices etc.. 

Are slams in NZ much different to the rest of the world?

Well obviously we have distinct Kiwi voices and Tangata Whenua representation and a strong Pasifika element as well. Whaitiri Mikaere’s voice slipping in and out of Te Reo is so wonderfully Kiwi and Grace Taylor and Marina Alefosio are among those who have given the islands a strong voice. We are starting to see refugee stories and the like on their perspectives on coming to NZ which is powerful and LGBTI issues from NZ as well. We have a strong comedy streak too with our Kiwi senses of humour. I love Tourettes’ vitriolic hilarity, John Carr’s colostomy raps and a certain Matthew Harvey’s rants and raves. Slam poetry at its heart reflects the culture it represents, and so the best performers are the ones with authentic voices. I hate it when people affect American accents for example. Be Kiwi, be proud.  

What have past Poetry Idol winners gone on to do?

After winning Poetry Idol in 2009 John Carr got a taste for playing the crowd like a violin and started performing at the Classic Comedy Bar and beyond. He and Tim Heath performed a show together called The Almost Dead Poet’s Society with Matthew Harvey. Zane Scarborough definitely developed through his years in Idol from a contestant who didn't make it past the first round, to two times winner and also an excellent judge. Tourettes got second in 2008 and has continued to be fiercely brilliant in his music and poetry. Miriam Barr our first ever winner is facilitating national Poetry Day in 2016 and is completing a PhD, Amanda Kennedy 2014’s winner is tearing up the Comedy Scene in the Fan Brigade and Grace Taylor went on to found the South Auckland Poet’s Collective and Rising Voices, which Jai McDonald was also involved in. Basically they’re a top bunch. 

What can we expect in the lineup this year?

As always I try to make sure we have a representation onstage of NZ. We have some hilarious content, we have vulnerability, we have fierce, men, women, trans, stroppy, mature, thoughtful, gross, Muslim, atheist, youth and a bit of pus. What more do you want. 

A recent 'critical article' accused Poetry Slams of being full of "hip hop iambics...contrived vocal mannerisms...stolen cadences", inevitably won by "a young woman of bohemian attire who delivers an anguished and heartfelt soliloquy" - what's your response?

My response is to actually come to the show and watch it, then judge it and if you still don’t like it don’t come again. There is some validity to a point of people copying other’s styles and that being inauthentic, but it’s not the norm and I look for that in the auditions. 

Why is this the last ever Poetry Idol?

I pitched this to the fabulous Jill Rawnsley a decade ago and she said “let’s do it” which I’ll forever be grateful for, and to Anne O’Brien too for continuing our wonderful run BUT ten years is a long time.  I love MCing this event and introducing a whole new group to performance poetry every year BUT it is a lot of work.  From sourcing and encouraging poets, to the auditions, to mentoring to the night it takes some doing and I think a decade isn’t a shabby run and it’s time to put my fluffy slippers up. 

Poetry/Spoken word seems to be getting more popular again...why?

I think events like Poetry Idol and the NZ Poetry Slam have helped a lot and that very thing of us reflecting back NZ.  Authentic Kiwi voices well written and well performed that have more performance outlets can only gain in popularity. 

What do you see in the future for this form?

I would like to see its wider acceptance still. Programmes like Word the Front Line are great for getting the message into schools and breaking down poetry stigmas which still exist very strongly. The amount of times people say to me incredulously after Poetry Idol; “I really enjoyed that” is diminishing but it’s definitely still a thing. Poetry is seen from a wider audience as still being naff despite all this amazing work and I want to see that shit be over and done with once and for all.  Performance Poetry isn’t tedious, it isn’t lame and it isn’t tortured. All artforms have good and bad practitioners, but many don’t give poetry a chance to begin with. I personally want to make sure that humour is never lost from the equation as well. We need a balance of stupidity, satire and hilarity along with the earnest, poignant and depth.  And if all at once well so much the better.  

What are you doing now? and what are you working on?

I am currently peddling my bonnet with Promise and Promiscuity: A New Musical by Jane Austen and Penny Ashton. I am in Wellington at Circa Theatre with it til May 21st (taking a night off to fly up for Idol), then Winnipeg, Toronto and Edinburgh. I am working on a new improvised Lounge Singer show and always beavering away on poetry and weddings and many things besides. 

• Poetry Idol is on May 14 part of Auckland Writers Festival 2016.