Show Ponies makes its long-awaited debut in Tāmaki Makaurau! After smash-hit shows for Verb, Featherston Booktown, NZ Young Writers Festival, and Brisbane Writers Festival, the show finally arrives – presented by SameSame but Different and Auckland Pride in an exciting Pride Edition – with a lineup of nine LGBTQIA+ NZ poetry icons.

If you haven’t heard of Show Ponies, the concept is simple: poets are pop stars now. It’s poetry with the volume right up, more gig than reading. Aotearoa’s most engaging live poets perform their work in outrageous costumes, amongst bright lights, beats and backup dancers. This is an electrifying poetic extravaganza that you won’t want to miss.

The PRIDE edition of Show Ponies will feature Freya Daly Sadgrove, Dan Goodwin, Emma Barnes, Vanessa Mei Crofskey, Sam Duckor-Jones, essa may ranapiri, Ruby Solly, Rebecca Hawkes and our 2023 Honoured Writer Chris Tse.

“Show Ponies was something else. Freya Daly Sadgrove had a vision, and she brought it to reality in more luxury, glitter and glory than anyone could ever have hoped.” —Hannah Newport-Watson, Pantograph Punch

“Show Ponies was expressive, evocative and entertaining.” – Virag Dombay, Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane