Comedian Penny Ashton writes on the necessity of the arts, especially during lockdown. On March 22, everyone’s favourite fiscal bloodhounds, the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union, sent out a tweet in response to Creative New Zealand’s announcement that it will dedicate an emergency response package to helping New Zealand’s artists, in the face of all our … Read more
Yesterday, the Pop-Up Globe announced their new season of work, with #metoo and #timesup hashtags flying wild in their marketing. Penny Ashton responds. “Scarce can I speak, my choler is so great: O, I could hew up rocks and fight with flint, I am so angry.” Mate. Just like York in Shakespeare’s Henry VI right now … Read more
Penny Ashton takes time away from drinking boxed wine and crying into her Justin Bieber throw cushions to announce the recipients of the 2016 Women of The Year award. On November 8, if all is well in the world, Hillary Clinton will become the first woman to take the hitherto fully penised position of POTUS. … Read more
Penny Ashton watches gritty Scandinavian crime drama The Bridge, and finds beauty in the unabashed pile of skin, spleens and wobbly bits. It’s not every day you see a naked bottom half of a woman with intestines hanging out on the telly. Sure, the barrage of murder porn on our TV screens often alludes to gutted … Read more
Comedian and celebrant Penny Ashton pulls back the veil on Married at First Sight. “So are you going to fuck him?” was, let’s face it, the classy question on everyone’s minds. It was 25-year-old retail manager Erin’s wedding night. She was beautiful, he was hot, so why wouldn’t he march up her aisle? Sure, her … Read more
During the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, ‘Behind the LOLs’ will reveal the inner workings of some of our finest comedy talent. Today: Penny Ashton. I remember when I started my love affair with bonnets. I vividly recall sitting in the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square in 1996 and being utterly captivated by what was unfolding before … Read more
Yesterday we published a furious denunciation of slam poetry which felt like it demanded a counterweight. Comedian and performance poet Penny Ashton – the founder of Poetry Idol – offered her services, and we gladly accepted. Today I happily pulled on my bohemian attire – including a T-Shirt that says “Feminist Buzz Killing It” – and sat down … Read more