Jo Randerson seems to be an extremely complex being, a clever one, and a funny one to boot. She writes and performs for theatre (even has her own company, Barbarian Productions), she writes poetry, novels and short stories. She’s even a bleedin’ stand-up comedian! And apparently her skills in the latter field are legendary. Her bio page at the World Buskers Festival in Christchurch next year says ‘Reportedly some of her theatre shows can be so funny, the laughter starts before the curtain disappears’. I’m not sure I’d like that myself, but presumably it’s deliberate.

Since winning best portfolio in Bill Manhire’s creative writing course in 1996, she’s been the 2001 Burns Fellow at Otago University, she’s done a whole lot of theatre, and she’s put out a few pieces of published writing (The Knot and The Spit Children). Her most recent collection of short stories, The Keys to Hell (VUP) got a rave review from Jolisa Gracewood in the Listener. And one from Chris, but unfortunately it didn’t make it to any screen near you.

Her latest big news is that she’s a nominee for the prestigious (and pricey) Prize in Modern Letters at the IIML. If she gets it, she’ll have $65K to fool around with. Better than a poke in the eye with a dirty stick, as dad used to say. We’ve asked her ten questions, in the wake of her gig at the ‘Are Angels OK’ gig, so it’s all a bit metaphysical. (Most of this week’s events are being recorded for broadcast on National Radio early next year, and will also be anthologised for release on 31 May 2006). So, here we go:

A bit of grounding: where and when were you born, and did you have a happy childhood?

Born Auckland but moved to Wellington as a young child. Dad is a priest and we moved a few times as he was appointed different parishes. Had a busy and extremely varied, stimulating childhood. There were always people around, different groups meeting, international travelers coming through. We were thrown in the deep end of social experiences and learnt to relate to a wide range of dudes and dudesses.

Do you have any sciences in your background?

Sciences were my best topics at school, sciences and maths. Calculus and Physics. Dropped them all when I went to varsity although I did a little psychology there. Originally wanted to be a psychiatrist. Sister is a GP and I was directed away from medicine. Then I wanted to be a teacher, (one of my mothers jobs but she directed me away from this). I really didn’t want to commit to any particular discipline. Greedy perhaps, I wanted a little bit of everything.

Have you read Schrodinger’s Cat/Kittens, or A Brief History of Time?

No but I’ve watched Hawkings television series.

What about The Da Vinci Code?

I don’t often read books that are on the bestseller list, not as a matter of priniciple but it's just my areas of interest seem to be in unusual or obscure fields. But I found the subject matter compelling, and a lot of people had recommended it to me as ‘amazing’. I found it a dreadfully dull and flaccid book, and it further reinforces my theory that popularity is no definitive sign of greatness.

What’s your stand on creationist theory?

I’m into it. I’m also into the big bang. I’m into Maui fishing up the North Island, I’m into evolution, I’m into collective consciousness, I’m into Taoism and Christianity. To me it’s not mutually exclusive. I think we’re fixated on the fences at the edge of fields rather than the watering holes in the centre.

How about fate – is it all in a roll of the dice?

This is what I’ve been researching – it’s the sandpile phenomenon. As you drop grains of sand onto a pile, each individual grain has the potential to cause a great landslide. It depends on the tiny balances between the rest of the grains which grain will trigger an avalanche and how big that avalanche will be (ie. we are all inter-connected), BUT there are overall general trends – many small avalanches, moderate amount of medium sized, and a few large. There are GENERAL unavoidable outcomes, but no-one can quite predict how these outcomes will eventuate or who will initiate them. God is working his purpose out – we must be continually at the ready, continually alert and responsive to where we are needed, and where we need. Is there fate, yes and no.

Do you think it’s possible to be both a scientist and believe in God?

Yes, absolutely! And many do. Science is all about testing your theory, proving it. I’ve been testing the theory that God is love and that you should love your neighbour as yourself. My experience shows that it works. The test of religion is in the living of it – I’m interested in whatever inward philosophies or metaphors people use that create an outward persona of peacefulness, enthusiasm and generosity. The naming of it is less important to me.

Do you ever fall into black holes, when writing, or on stage? What gets you out?

The knowledge that everything has its opposite, there is matter and anti-matter, a vacuum and a fountain, the known and the unknown. Day would not be day without the night. All things will pass. I try to revel in the dark as much as the light.

What might you creatively do with $65K if you win the IIML award?

1. Pay off debts. 2. Write my novel which is burning a hole in me, and which I think will be truly brilliant however the funding bodies disagree. 3. Set up a small annual award for real artists, subversive and energetic souls who break the rules. 4. Live off it. I have most things that I need, the only thing I don’t have is some sort of living wage so I can be free to make my art. Financial stress is a virtual pressure but it does take active work to not let poverty grind you down. I would revel in the freedom of focusing solely on those projects which to me are utterly essential.

It is possible, through the power of imagination, to project ourselves into lands which promise to judge us with greater objectivity.

Thanks for those words of demonstrable wisdom Jo. And for your time in answering them. You can hear Jo’s talk from Monday night on National Radio some time early next year. But go along some time this week if you can and check out the rest of ‘Are Angels OK?’.