Chris Cantrill is a comedian and writer from the north west. He’s one half of critically acclaimed sketch duo, The Delightful Sausage along with comedy partner Amy Gledhill. As part of a short series of blog posts about performing at this year's Edinburgh Fringe we asked Chris to sum up the experience and pass on any advice for anyone who is thinking of giving it a try.
The Delightful Sausage (Amy Gledhill and Chris Cantrill) in Ginster's Paradise
How many times have you done the Fringe?
Ginster’s Paradise is the third show which Amy and I have taken to as .
When were you first involved and why did you decide to do it?
I did my first Edinburgh run in 2015 with a show called ‘Welcome to Tiddleminster’. I’d been performing stand up for a few years at that point and have always wanted to work on longer-form projects. A handily timed redundancy gave me the time and capital to finally take the plunge.
Amy first went to Edinburgh in 2014. She did a two-hander* in the back of a sports bar, separated from the rest of the pub by a curtain. When she was performing the staff would crank up the volume on the telly!
What considerations do you have to make before taking it on?
The biggest consideration is undoubtedly the money. Even if you’re doing it on the ‘cheap’, you’ve still got to consider accommodation, food, drink and production costs. The reality is that most performers don’t make money from their shows, especially when they’re starting out. That means you have to brace yourself for a tough September.
I’m also a dad to a young lad. We’ve been doing Sausage shows ever since he was born and each time it gets a wee bit harder to leave him for the month. My partner becomes a single parent. I really couldn’t do this without her support.**
What are the positives and negatives?
The fringe is an amazing experience. The best bit is getting to perform, learn and hone your act every day. You’re also surrounded by fantastically talented friends and there’s always some mind-bending show to catch. There’s also a chance it can open up exciting opportunities for the future.
That said, at times it can all be incredibly overwhelming. You’ll experience extreme highs and lows, often in quick succession. I find you can often feel very lonely, even if you’re surrounded by people. There’s also no guarantee that you’ll have a good time. You can work hard and plan but at the end of the day you could end up playing to nobody for the month.
Chris Cantrill (credit: Andy Hollingworth)
Would you recommend it to new writers and performers?
For me personally, doing the fringe has been one of the most valuable experiences I’ve had as a writer and a performer. My 2015 solo show was on almost every level, a failure. However, the lessons I learnt have been invaluable and the first Sausage show benefited from that experience.
It’s also one of the best ways to improve at what you do rapidly. You get to do 20+ shows (plus all the extra spots and stuff) which really helps you develop.
That said, I do think an hour-long show is something you should work towards before committing the investment. I think broadly, most acts do their debut after they’ve been performing a few years.
Any advice for first-timers?
If it’s your first Edinburgh then you’re most likely inexperienced, lacking a reputation or any sort of following. You’ll be up against people who’ve been doing it for years and big-name celebs.
That probably sounds incredibly depressing. But the question you should be asking is; what do you got?
When we did our first Sausage show we realised that what we had was:
- Time
- Organisation
- Lots of jokes
So, if you don’t have thousands of pounds for PR and production companies you need to take responsibility for that stuff yourself. Research who’s best to contact and do it in good time.
The festival is a huge gamble. The main thing you have direct control over is the show itself so make sure you’re not going up there half-cocked. When the festival is finished, you just want to know you did everything that was within your power to do.
Amy Gledhill
Do you make any money from it or is it more about profile?
After three consecutive years, we’re now in a position where we’re probably breaking even. That said, we do have a penchant for waxing anything which looks even vaguely like a profit on nightmarish costumes.
Overall, we view it like a trade expo. You’re there to showcase yourself, so often the financial opportunities come later in the year, if you play your cards right.
What has your experience been like this year and how did you decide on your show?
We’ve had a pretty wild year. Following last year’s fringe, we’ve been selected for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ’s Comedy Room scheme and experienced writing for broadcast for the first time. Amy has also won the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Caroline Aherne bursary.
The truth is, we’ve just not bloody stopped. It’s amazing and we’re incredibly grateful but it has been very full on. This gave us an idea for our show which has oddly made it the most personal one yet .
Has your experience of the Fringe changed over time?
Absolutely! Over the last few years of playing the fringe we’ve gone from playing to single-figure audiences in a venue that was almost certainly just a corridor with a lamp in it to playing Edinburgh’s coolest venue (Monkey Barrel comedy).
Putting bums on seats isn’t the challenge it used to be but each year we’ve tried to scale up the production which comes with its own challenges. We’ve got costumes, videos, animations and sound design all going on which means we’re working with a larger team than ever before.
We’ve also been doing it long enough that we know all the hiding places where you can get away from the crowds!
The Delightful Sausage (Image Credit Andy Hollingworth)
Do you think the Fringe itself has evolved?
It feels like it gets bigger and bigger every year. It’s a huge commercial juggernaut and it feels increasingly hard to have a good fringe without pulling out all the stops.
What are your other top tips for getting your work out there and noticed?
Here are the lessons we’ve learnt over the last three years***:
- Ask people for things! I think this might be the secret of the universe. If you want something, ask for it clearly and professionally. This is probably incredibly obvious to people but it’s taken me a long time to figure it out.
- Work hard! There are tons of talented people out there but it’s the ones who consistently work hard that gain traction.
- Get another pair of eyes on it! Standup is often a solitary affair which you figure out in front of an audience. With a show, it’s really useful to get an outside perspective. This involves trusting someone with your half-baked ideas and being ready to receive notes.
- Research! Don’t fire off emails to busy people without knowing they’re the right person to contact and what you want to say. I would argue that it’s more valuable to target people than sending out blanket emails.
*Most shows at Edinburgh are an hour. Newer comedians often split this time doing a half hour each.
**And let’s be honest, money.
***Distilled to save you thousands!
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