The (ISH) Edinburgh Comedy Awards have revealed their shortlist for 2023.
These new awards, set up as an alternative to the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, consist of three prizes: The Best show award, Best newcomer award, and the Panel Prize.
The Best Show shortlist for 2023 is:
- Ed Byrne: Tragedy Plus Time – Assembly
- Ian Smith: Crushing – Monkey Barrel
- Janine Harouni: Man’oushe – Pleasance
- Julia Masli: ha ha ha ha ha ha ha – Monkey Barrel
- Luke Kempner in Gritty Police Drama: A One-Man Musical – Pleasance
- Marjolein Robertson: Marj – The Stand
- Paul Currie: Shtoom – Just The Tonic
- Paul Foot: Dissolve – Underbelly
- Phil Ellis’s Excellent Comedy Show – Monkey Barrel
- Seymour Mace Does Drawring – The Stand
- Sid Singh: Table for One – Free Festival Cabaret Voltaire
The Best Newcomer 2023 shortlist is:
- Dan Tiernan: Going Under – Monkey Barrel
- Fiona Ridgewell: No-Nonsense – PBH Free Fringe Banshee Labyrinth
- Kelly McCaughan: Catholic Guilt – Underbelly
- Lachlan Werner: Voices of Evil – Pleasance
- Lorna Rose Treen: Skin Pigeon – Pleasance
The Panel Prize will be announced on the day of the awards, which are 26 August 2023, at the Three Sisters (Maggie’s Chamber) in Edinburgh.
The awards are judged by volunteer Panel members – there are 30 for this first year, made up of performers, producers and creatives. The panel were allocated to see all the eligible comedy shows at the Fringe – around 600 shows, before the deadline of 14 August.
The (ISH) Edinburgh Comedy Awards are still looking for a headline sponsor. Originally, they were looking for one sponsor to donate £20,000 to fund the 3 awards. If they don’t get a sponsor, there will just be the prestige of winning, a very small cash prize, and a trophy.
The official Edinburgh Comedy Awards shortlist will be announced on 23 August 2023, and the winners also revealed on 26 August 2023.
