INTERVIEW: FIRE&DUST MEETS ANDREW MANYIKA
Bacon!
We never knew you
Yours was the sweet savour of a Saturday morning,
Scintillating scent transcending space, and perhaps time,
Titillating taste teasing tongue and perhaps mind,
Placed on plates while I cleared the palate,
Among taste-buds you had pride of place,
my mouth was your palace
Oh, Bacon
You, who moved from forbidden fruit, to breakfast staple
Oh, the hopeless emptiness when you are absent from the breakfast table,
Devoured in a flurry of gobbledygook,
We chowed and munched and gobbled now look,
All that remains,
is a plate marked with grease stains,
And the unspeakable question,
still lingering in our brains,
“Does it really come from a pig’s rear end?”
Oh, my dear dear friend,
Bacon
we never knew you
(and perhaps that was for the best)
_____________________________-‘Ode to Bacon’ by Andrew Manyika
Andrew Manyika is a poet, comedian and renowned MC based in Zimbabwe, who likes using his unique combination of poetry and comedy to query and poke fun at the world we live in. His deft touch with both pen and voice has made him a stand-out act in both his country and continent, where he is a 2020 nominee for the NAMA Outstanding Comedian Award and a Slam champion. He has performed on stages across the world, including at several top tier festivals like HIFA, Shoko, Poetry Africa and Time of the Writer; he was also a star attraction at Egypt’s ‘Tanta International Poetry Festival’, where Zimbabwe was represented for the first time. Career highlights include performing at the 2019 PERMICAN Gospel awards, where he was the first comedy and poetry act to perform to a sold out 4000-seater City Sports Centre, and twice representing Zimbabwe as a Top 10 finalist in the Pan-African Ultimate Storyteller Contest.
In 2017, Andrew took his one-man show Love & Laughter on a tour of America, becoming the first Zimbabwean to perform at venues such as The Golden Pony, the Bridgewater International Poetry Festival and The Backdoor Comedy Club in Dallas, Texas. Then, in 2019, he returned to the stage with a new show called ‘Just Married?!’ and published his debut poetry collection Man of Letters. His new show, The Colo(g)niser, debuted in January 2022 and is about to go on a nationwide tour.
In 2022, Andrew was our third virtual Fire & Dust headliner on 10th March. We caught up with him after the gig, to ask a few questions…
HCE: Tell us a little about your background and journey as a writer so far. What inspired you to start creating and performing poetry?
AM: Well, I’ve been writing poetry since I was 12 years old, but started performing in 2010 in South Africa. The Jo’burg slam poetry scene is one of the toughest I’ve seen so it was a real privilege to be able to hone my skills there. What got me started in creating and performing poetry is a love for storytelling. I grew up on those cartoons that tell you that imagination sets you free and I bought into the hype haha. Seriously, I love the creation of a new world or perspective.
HCE: What type of topics do you explore in your collection ‘Man of Letters’? Are there themes or motifs that you tend to gravitate to in your work?
AM: The book is split into three sections. Letters on Love, Life & Legacy; and the topics I explore are more-or-less the same that feed into my stand-up comedy: observations about everyday life and really trying to understand different points of view.
HCE: Is there a particular message you’re hoping that readers take away from the book?
AM: Yes, absolutely. The message is – we have more in common than what separates us, no matter where we come from in the world.
HCE: Did you enjoy the process of putting together a collection?
AM: Well, like most other artists, I’m pretty precious about my work. So, writing the poems was a delight, creating their order of presentation was a fun challenge, and then subjecting them to editing was probably the least enjoyable part of the process. But on the whole, having the book out there is amazing.
HCE: In your own words, what can people expect if they are lucky enough to attend an Andrew Manyika show?
AM: Laughter and reflection in (almost) equal measure. I strive to create a family friendly atmosphere that turns a room full of strangers into a room full of friends.
HCE: Who is your work aimed at – do you have an ideal audience in mind when you’re putting a poem together?
AM: Well, there are poems that I write for myself and those that I write as commissioned work for clients. When I’m writing for me, I generally let the poem take the lead. My shows, however, do have audiences in mind. Love & Laughter for instance is a love-themed show and The Colo(g)niser, will likely be most enjoyed by citizens of any country with an Independence Day.
HCE: Do you enjoy competing in poetry slam events? Is there a difference, in your opinion, between poems that are good candidates for slams and poems that work well on the page?
AM: I love competing in slam, but having your fate in the hands of a panel of judges comes with an emotional cost that isn’t for everybody. But when you’re vibing with the audience, and the stakes are high, and you clinch a ‘W’ – that feeling’s hard to describe (and I put feelings into words for a living haha).
I’m definitely of the view that some poems are better for the stage and others for the page, and the distinction lies in how much they lend themselves to performance and delivery.
HCE: In your experience, is Zimbabwe a good place to be a poet and comedian, and does your local area have a thriving literary scene?
AM: In recent times there has been a real growth in the number and quality of performance spaces that Zimbabwe has to offer. I would still call it a fledgeling scene and COVID-19 hasn’t been great for its growth, but the scene is resilient. Special mention to ‘Page Poetry Alive’ and ‘Simuka Comedy’ as two hubs that have been really consistent and availed lots of opportunities.
HCE: Have you always been a confident performer, or were you nervous when you first started out?
AM: I still get nervous to this day, haha. Seriously, it’s been my experience that confidence on stage is a function of rehearsal and familiarity with the material. So, I try to absorb the performance before I deliver it to the audience.
HCE: There’s often humour in your poems. How important a device do you think humour is, and what role do you believe it plays in poetry?
AM: I think humour is important, but not more so than any other device. It just has to fit within the context of the poem. Probably my most firmly favoured and frequently featured poetic device is alliteration (see what I did there?).
HCE: What type of poetry do you seek out for personal enjoyment? As a reader/listener, when you engage with a poet’s work, what are you hoping to get out of it?
AM: Well, it starts with good writing; it’s just the bare minimum and I’m talking here specifically about style. An application of devices like rhyme, rhythm, alliteration; allusion, personification and extended metaphors that shows an understanding of the craft – I just love seeing the masterful use of language. But most of all, tell me a good, compelling story and I’m hooked. I’ve been very fortunate to be able to befriend many of the poets I admire – poets like Modise Sekgothe, Stan Galloway and Mutle Mothibe. I also enjoy the work of Buddy Wakefield and Shane Koyczan.
HCE: What’s next on the horizon for you? Are you already working on projects/booked for upcoming performances?
AM: I am actually working on my next book and preparing a tour of my live show “The Colo(g)niser” so it’s an interesting time. Also – I’m working on getting my first collection “Man of Letters” available online. Finally, I’m creating new content for my YouTube channel.
HCE: What’s the best way for people to keep connected with you and your work, or contact you for bookings?
AM: Instagram; Twitter; Tiktok: @drewmannshow
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