Poets Liz Breslin, Laura Williamson and Annabel Wilson of Poetic Justice Wanaka are putting spokes in the word this November. 

The three women will e-bike the length of the Rail Trail in a project known as ‘rail:lines’.

The trio will host spoken word shows at historic old halls in five locations along the way – Clyde, Ophir, Oturehua, Ranfurly and Middlemarch.

No two shows will be the same, so people can buy tickets for one show or a tour pass. At each stop, different local voices and stories will be added to the mix. 

“Literature and landscape have been shaped by each other in our region,” Laura said, “and this is one of the things we want to celebrate with this tour.”

rail:lines will journey from Clyde, to Ophir, Oturehua, Ranfurly and Middlemarch. Photo courtesy Poetic Justice Wānaka.

To further celebrate the region, Poetic Justice Wanaka have teamed up with The Film Crew to make a film of the tour, showcasing the histories of the old halls that we’re losing to strengthening, modernisation and the economic challenge of the post-COVID environment. 

They also hope to promote and demonstrate the viability of touring an emissions-free arts project, to highlight the strength of the poetry community in our region and to increase the visibility of women’s poetry stories documented on film. 

Among the 55 titles tagged to ‘poetry’ on the NZOnScreen online archive, only four female poets are represented.

The tour will warm up with an early show in Wānaka at b.effect brewery on November 19th, and finish in Ōtepoti at Dog with Two Tails on November 25th.

rail:lines show dates are:

Friday 20th November Clyde Memorial Hall

Saturday 21st November Ophir Peace Memorial Hall

Sunday 22nd November Oturehua Hall

Monday 23rd November Centennial Art Deco Gallery, Ranfurly

Tuesday 24th November Strath Taieri Community Centre, Middlemarch

Tickets available now through Eventfinda and there will also be cash sales on the door.

For more information: 027 622 5075 / [email protected] / https://www.facebook.com/poeticjusticewanaka/

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