The Timaru-based stand-up comedian will be performing in Timaru for the first time this weekend.
Ms Read’s first foray into comedy was almost three decades ago at the Hard Edge Club in Soho, London.
She said on the stage there were "two very big, tall microphones" set up which her — much shorter — microphone was sandwiched between.
Ms Read said she took her mic and ad-libbed, "oh well, I’m feeling very nervous, because my two very tall comedic friends couldn’t make it today".
The audience warmed up immediately.
Two decades later she started performing in Dunedin.
One of her shows had been named "Tinderella" which was a tongue-in-cheek look at life as a singleton in a time of online dating.
She said people were fond of telling each other there were "plenty more fish in the sea", to which she agreed "oh yes ... there goes a groper".
And then there had been a show teaching the audience how to survive in a small town.
Comedy was not her only creative outlet, as she has penned over 500 poems and short stories, for which she had won prizes.
"At school I struggled because I was easily distracted.
"I’m walking around with one sock on looking for my car keys."
She had taken part in New Zealand’s Got Talent and Masterchef.
In the cooking show in 2016 she was whittled down from thousands to 50.
She had been dubbed "Heidi" after hauling goat meat for her dish from the South Island to Auckland. Sadly a dicky oven had got in the way of her securing a spot in the second round. She said she had even ensured her food matched her clothing.
She said there were things you were supposed to say and there were things you were not supposed to say but that was not the case for her.
"I’ll be honest, I do like to shock people."
This weekend’s show would explore "the stupidity of the English language" as well as doling out life advice.
After the show there will be a chance for others to try their material in an open mic section.
"The Idles of March" will take place at Hector Black’s from 5pm on March 2.
Entry is a gold coin donation.
