Girls on Key Presents - Poet Genevieve McClean (NZ)

It's not often you come across a poet who stops you in your tracks in the way that Genevieve McClean can. Not only is she a gifted wordsmith, but her stage presence is arresting; her voice distinctive. She has a musicality to her readings akin to freestyle jazz. With hints of early beat poetry and slam,Genevieve has a magical way of creating memorable performances on whatever stage she happens to be on.

Here are Girls on Key, we are lucky enough to be bringing her beguiling poetics to Melbourne for a mini tour, after having her feature at our Girl Talk Launch in Auckland for National Poetry Day.

Here is a bit more about Genevieve to get you excited about coming out to her gigs:

Genevieve is well known in New Zealand for her poetry in performance and her work appears in journals, such as Landfall and Broadsheet. She holds qualifications from Auckland University and the New Zealand Drama School in literature, theatre, performance and education.

Having written for stage, screen and stage, she is remembered for fronting Dunedin bank, Mink in the nineties and for her acting roles in films, such as Kombi Nation, Toy Love and Blessed. Her most recent role was Pistol in the pop up Globe version of Henry V. Kombi Nation and SeeYd had collaborative writing teams, of which Genevieve was a part, receiving national accolades.

Genevieve also began making documentary film in 2001. She was based in Berlin and also worked with the Farm in a Cave Theatre company from the Czech Republic on their inaugural research tour in Spain. She has completed three film projects since then, including a full-length documentary film about a prominent Garden in New Zealand, Ayrlies, and a shorter poetic documentary work called Stasis.

She teaches in voice and writing, and for some years taught interdisciplinary arts at tertiary level in Auckland. In 2006 she toured America, performing poetry and investigating the burgeoning slam tournament scene. Genevieve sporadically produces and directs local theatre productions. This year she has brought together a Butoh influenced Poetry Ensemble work called Flock for the New Zealand National Poetry Day. She also relishes her new role as theatre critic.

Currently she is working on a couple of scripts ideas, and maybe a book, and possibly even a collection of poetry. She lives in Grey Lynn with her three-legged cat and her nine-year-old son.

You can catch Genevieve at these gigs:

National Poetry Day Wrap up Event - Girl Talk Launch Saturday 27th August AUCKLAND

Flock National Poetry Day Event Friday 26th August AUCKLAND

Girls on Key Triple Feature Wednesday 7th September MELBOURNE

Eltham Courthouse Feature Thursday 15th September MELBOURNE

Poetry at the Dan O'Connell Saturday 17th September MELBOURNE