Who is Danny Delahunty?
I am the Festival Producer at Melbourne Fringe. Hi! I am also a director, working mostly in theatre and live art, although my creative practice has been paused while I get to grips with the rather hefty role of Festival Producer. I’ve also been a casting director, a commercial lawyer, a cinema usher, a legal policy advisor for the Federal government, and one of those people that calls you right at dinner time asking if you’d like to purchase a gym membership.
What would you do differently to what you do now?
If I wasn’t working in the arts, I’d probably have continued with my legal career, perhaps staying in policy where things were fun and interesting, or maybe going further down the soul-destroying commercial law route (and if that were the case I’d be earning about four times what any job in the arts could offer me. Regular holidays. Weekends off. A car that works. Ooh, that sounds nice. Wait, what was the question?)
Who inspires you and why?
Anyone I meet who found what they love to do, and have just gone ahead and done it – true passion, commitment and enthusiasm are the most inspiring things when you come across them.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
Help make amazing art happen – as silly as it sounds, the way that artistic work can bring a community together and help shape social change is phenomenal, and I’m really happy with the small part I can play in helping this happen. Or I guess I could come into billions of dollars and buy one of the major news outlets in Australia and help shape social change that way. Whichever is easier I guess!
Favourite holiday destination and why?
Hampi, which is just a random ancient city in central Karnataka, but for some reason every time I’ve been to India it’s been this chaotic fast-paced race against the progress of time, then I reach Hampi and it’s like everything in the world just pauses for a week or two. It’s ended up being that place in the world I associate with stillness and tranquility.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
Ugh, I had this happen recently – an old friend from when I lived in the UK came to Melbourne for the first time, after 15 years of saying he’d come visit. And when he got here I had no idea what a tourist would want to do here. I just ended up taking him out to eat a lot of food, and went to a heap of gigs.
What are you currently reading?
Right now I’m reading Born a Crime, Trevor Noah’s autobiography. It’s alright I guess. Slow reading.
What are you currently listening to?
A heap of stuff. The most recent band I’ve got into is These New Puritans – a UK group that do post-punk / neo-classical / experimental art rock. It’s actually much more palatable than it sounds.
Happiness is?
Understanding that you can’t have things working to your favour 100% of the time, and being okay with that.
What does the future hold for you?
85+ amazing shows and events (and a heap of late night parties) over 18 days of the Fringe, followed by falling into a catatonic state for the first half of October. Beyond that… your guess is as good as mine!
Danny is the Festival Producer at Melbourne Fringe – which kicks off this Thursday 13 September 2018. For more information, visit: www.melbournefringe.com.au for details.
Image: Danny Delahunty