Deadline at the Fringe are interviewing performers across the month, putting 20 questions to them – both as an artist and as their stage or performance alter ego.
Australian cabaret Anarchist, Sarah Ward is taking to the stage at this year’s Fringe as her alter ego Yana Alana, in Yana Alana – Between the Cracks.
Sarah Ward
1. First impressions of our fair city and why are you here?
Strong, ancient, beautiful. I’m here to try my luck in the biggest art market in the world.
2. Does your time here bring on joy or dread?
Dread, mostly dread so far. But there will be lots of joy too because this is a unique and wonderful experience.
3. Are you a happy soul or do the occasionally dreich elements make you morose?
I was most recently described by a friend as buoyant, so yeah, I love to laugh and be happy, but I find anxiety is always there waiting for me.
4. Where will you visit on your day off and why?
Arthur’s Seat, which I often have the misfortune of calling Albert’s Seat by accident. I love nature!
5. Do you ever get jealous of other performers?
Of course, but comparison can make a person so sick. I used to get jealous a lot but I’m much better now – more balanced. I just focus on my own work and make sure I keep my integrity.
6. Did you have a happy childhood?
Mixed.
7. What does success and failure mean to you?
Success means loving and being loved, taking care of myself and others and living a balanced life.
Failure is when I get caught up in bullshit.
8. Are you superstitious when it comes to performing?
Not much, mostly just anxious, but meds help.
9. What is your biggest fear before going on stage?
I’ll forget everything and maybe shit myself.
10. What is your favourite saying?
“You change the world by being yourself.” -Yoko Ono
11. What is your worst habit?
Self-obsessing and analysing.
12. What do you love/hate about the festival?
I hate that artists lose so much money. I love the opportunity to showcase my art in a beautiful city.
13. Tell me about your most passionate embrace.
With my beautiful partner Bec all embraces are passionate
14. Do you wear knickers under your kilt?
Never.
15. Most embarrassing moment?
I always forget people’s names, even friends. Every time this happens I'm super embarrassed.
16. Where is your favourite place in the world and why?
I don’t have a favourite, but I love the Australian coastline.
17. Who would you be if you were not you?
Someone who could budget.
18. What Scottish delicacies do you enjoy and do any of them fill you with fear?
I reckon I could kill myself on the Scottish diet; cheese, bread, hot chips, whiskey… All my favourites. Ihave to be careful.
19. What is your greatest ambition?
To be OK with death.
20. How can we bring world peace?
By seeing ourselves as equal to each other and all sentient beings on Planet Earth and the Universe.
Yana Alana
1. First impressions of our fair city and why are you here?
I like castles. Being a queen, I feel I belong. I’m here to conquer.
2. Does your time here bring on joy or dread?
The joy is for me; the dread is for the producer.
3. Are you a happy soul or do the occasionally dreich elements make you morose?
Happy? I’ve never been happy in my entire life. I am who I am today because of
bitterness, resentment and blame.
4. Where will you visit on your day off and why?
Somewhere that does deep fried camembert. Do I need to tell you why?
5. Do you ever get jealous of other performers?
It’ more the other way around in my case.
6. Did you have a happy childhood?
This is a very personal question and one that needs a trigger warning.
7. What does success and failure mean to you?
I’m unfamiliar with failure, but success feels like a regular day to me.
8. Are you superstitious when it comes to performing?
No, but before my shows I religiously talk to my mini-doll replica and say things like: “You’re a good person, people love you, you’re a star.”
9. What is your biggest fear before going on stage?
That I’m not wearing any clothes.
10. What is your favourite saying?
“A cat has nine lives, but a pussy has one.” This is a little something I wrote.
11. What is your worst habit?
Asking people how they are.
12. What do you love/hate about the festival?
I love seeing my posters everywhere. I hate it when it gets covered up by someone else’s poster.
13. Tell me about your most passionate embrace.
It wasn’t so much of an embrace as it was looking at myself in the mirror.
14. Do you wear knickers under your kilt?
I’ve never worn a kilt but if I did there would be no knickers, ‘cause I never wear them.
15. Most embarrassing moment?
When I was on stage and realised I had no clothes on.
16. Where is your favourite place in the world and why?
I like caves; when I talk I can hear myself bounce back. Some people call this an echo, but I call it a friend.
17. Who would you be if you were not you?
My shadow.
18. What Scottish delicacies do you enjoy and do any of them fill you with fear?
I like whiskey. I drink it straight. Being straight fills me with fear.
19. What is your greatest ambition?
To get 10 thousand followers on Instagram.
20. How can we bring world peace?
Kill Trump.
