ED2017 Quick Quiz ED2017 Theatre

Quick Quiz: Daniel Cainer

By | Published on Friday 25 August 2017

This August the Edinburgh Festival celebrates its 70th anniversary. To mark the occasion, we have asked a plethora of performers about their personal Fringe experiences. Today we hear from another of our past ThreeWeeks Editors’ Award winners, musician and storyteller Daniel Cainer.

TW: What was your first ever experience of the Edinburgh Fringe?
DC: I came up to do my first Fringe in 2005 having never been before and knowing very little about it. I chose a venue at random and brought a children’s and an adult’s show plus a ridiculous amount of props and tech. After 24 hours I was in a state of shock but still stupidly optimistic (and then there were only 2000 shows to compete with). After 48 hours the shock was panic and the optimism was delusion. But the show(s) must go on, and I thought I learned a lot: 1. keep it simple 2: Don’t stay out late (and all the rest of it) when you have a 10 am children’s show.

TW: What’s the best thing you’ve ever seen performed at the Fringe?
DC: It has to be that Daniel Kitson one with the lightbulbs.

TW: What’s the worst thing you’ve ever seen performed at the Fringe – so bad it was good? (you don’t have to name and shame, just describe)
DC: Me performing my children’s show after the aforementioned late night.

TW: Which of the Fringe shows you performed in do you most fondly remember – and why?
DC: I really enjoyed being asked to play a solo guitar accompaniment for the singer Kiki Dee as she sang ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ on BBC presenter Johnnie Walker’s Fringe Chat show. It was also the same day that I’d been presented with the Three Weeks Editors’ Award.

TW: Name a Fringe performer – past or present – who you’d like to join on stage?
DC: The Beyond the Fringe Team.

TW: Other than performing and seeing shows, what is your favourite thing to do in Edinburgh during August?
DC: Sleep!

Daniel performed ‘More Gefilte Fish and Chips’ at Underbelly George Square  at Edinburgh Festival 2017.

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