Shay Mace
Keron Day is an actor, writer, producer and activist bringing his show You and Me (and Whoever Comes Next) to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next month. Created in collaboration with an extensive ensemble including Director Alex Howarth, a former care worker, and produced by Patch of Blue, the piece is an autobiographical exploration of how care can go both ways, with live music, inspired by Keron’s own true story. We caught up with Keron for a pixelated pint to find out what inspired him to take his story to the stage.
You can catch You and Me (and Whoever Comes Next) at Old Lab at Summerhall on August 6th – 29th (not the 12th, 18th or 25th) from 15:00 (60mins). Tickets are available through the Summerhall Online Box Office.
Shay: Hi Keron – your upcoming EdFringe piece is inspired by a true story, exploring how care can go both ways. Tell us about what’s inspired you to bring the story to the stage now and about the experience of creating autobiographical theatre.
Keron: For me, I’m really interesting in analysing and de-constructing the false binary between disabled and ‘non-disabled’ people. Something that is really important to me is challenging this binary, not just for the disabled people of today, but also for the disabled people of tomorrow, by which I mean everybody. Everyone is either disabled or pre-disabled; everyone has a stake in how we conduct care, and ultimately should care about care.
Shay: How has the creative process been of putting the show together? Give us an idea of the journey you’ve been on with it so far.
Keron: We have been lucky enough to be supported by Arts Council England and Hall for Cornwall. Their support has been vitally important through the writing of this play. Being a first time disabled writer, I am totally determined to make this show the best it can be to show other organisations the value of supporting disabled talent. It’s been a long process but I really think this has been to the benefit of the final product.
Shay: What will be the first thing the audience sees, feels, and hears as they enter the space?
Keron: I will be playing myself, in a play inspired by the true story of my experiences with working with full time PAs. The audience will meet the character Dani who is my PA, and follow us as we get to know each other, exploring the devastating impact of bad care, and the extraordinary impact of good care. There is also a brilliant original folk-infused score from the brilliant Merle Powell-Smith from the band masa performed live.
Shay: What are you hoping the audience might take away from the experience, if anything?
Keron: I really hope that the audience can see both care, and disability issues more broadly, as not a ‘us and them’ issue but instead just an ‘us’ issue.
Shay: What journey has the show been on to find itself at EdFringe 2026?
Keron: We were lucky enough to win the Summerhall Mary Dick Award, which has made it possible for us to bring the show to the Fringe. We’re going to be rehearsing and previewing the show at my local theatre Hall for Cornwall which we’re really excited about, and we can’t wait to share this story that we’ve been working on for almost two years now with an audience for the first time.
Shay: With EdFringe now just around the corner, what are you most excited for?
Keron: I am most excited to be in a space full of brilliant creatives. Outside of performing I will try and be an audience member of as many shows as I can. My aim is to become an Edinburgh Fringe 2026 expert!
Shay: Given the themes of Binge Fringe, if your show was a beverage of any kind (alcoholic, non-alcoholic – be as creative as you like!), what would it be and why?
Keron: Whilst I know that this question is meant to be light hearted, please forgive me if I give a slightly more serious answer! I’m less interested in the liquid in the beverage as I am the accessibility of the drink itself. So to answer your question directly, my beverage would be served in either a glass with a plastic straw (has to be plastic for disability rights reasons) or a water bottle with an accessible lid. Making sure all beverages are accessible to everyone is so important, so whilst I know what suits me, I always want to make sure that any person can access whatever type of beverage they would like, and the same goes for shows, so that we can all binge the fringe!
A reminder, you can catch You and Me (and Whoever Comes Next) at Old Lab at Summerhall on August 6th – 29th (not the 12th, 18th or 25th) from 15:00 (60mins). Tickets are available through the Summerhall Online Box Office.
