The Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 is coming to an end for another year, and its time to highlight the winners of Edinburgh’s various annual awards.
Whilst a number of awards have dropped out this year, including The Stage Edinburgh Awards, there are still awards to be had! Here are the lucky winners of this year’s awards.
Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2023 – Winners
The Edinburgh Comedy Awards were looking in doubt this year without a headline sponsor, but West End theatre owner and Edinburgh Comedy Awards director Nica Burns rallied the industry, and sponsors were found for individual awards. The winners were announced on 26 August 2023.
Sky Best Comedy Show
Ahir Shah: Ends
DLT Entertainment Best Newcomer
Urooj Ashfaq
The Victoria Wood Award (Panel Prize)
A Show For Gareth Richards, organised by Mark Simmons and Danny Ward
Nica Burns, Director of Edinburgh Comedy Awards, said in a statement: “Two outstanding shortlists, fielding so much talent, led to very intense lively judging debates. It was nail-biting to the final votes. All our shortlisted comedians will be an important part of the comedy scene for years to come. Congratulations to Ahir whose blending of his family’s personal story is funny yet emotional, political yet positive, clever and engaging, powerful and tender. His craft as a comedian is so extraordinary that he inspires both tears and laughter. It’s the most wonderful experience. Urooj’s arrival in the UK [from Mumbai] is a breath-taking success story. Working in her second language she’s never experienced a UK audience before. Her ability to engage us immediately demonstrated her natural instinct as a comedian. She is a delightful personality who makes you smile even before she tells you the joke that will make you laugh. Bringing a fresh, new voice to our comedy scene she has a very exciting future.”
(ISH) Edinburgh Awards 2023 – Winners
This alternative to the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, set up when the Comedy Awards were looking unlikely, were announced on the same day, 26 August 2023. These awards organised by volunteers, published their shortlist on 21 August.
Best Show
Julia Masli: ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Paul Foot: Dissolve
Best Newcomer
Dan Tiernan: Going Under
Fiona Ridgewell: No-Nonsense
Panel Prize
A Show For Gareth Richards, organised by Mark Simmons and Danny Ward
Comedian Nathan Cassidy was the instigator of the awards, and said during his speech at the winners event: “This was never going to be a gimmick, much as my friends wanted me to use the ceremony to announce myself as the winner of all 3 prizes! It was a genuine attempt to see whether you could run an awards similar to the Edinburgh Comedy Awards but with volunteers, and I think we pulled it off.”
Popcorn Writing Award 2023 – Winners
Sabrina Ali for Dugsi Dayz (Underbelly, Cowgate)
Scotsman Fringe First 2023 – Winners
Lorenzo by Ben Target
Strategic Love Play by Miriam Battye
Beasts (Why Girls Shouldn’t Fear the Dark) by Mandi Chivasa
The Insider by Anna Skov Jensen
What If They Ate the Baby? by Xhloe Rice and Natasha Roland
Gunter by Dirty Hare
Club Life by Fred Deakin
Blue by June Carryl
The Last of the Soviets by Spitfire
Choo Choo! by StammerMouth
Everything Under the Sun by Jack MacGregor
Square Peg by Simeon Morris
The Grand Old Opera House Hotel by Isobel McArthur
Heaven by Eugene O’Brien
England and Son by Ed Edwards and Mark Thomas
Funeral by Ontroerend Goed
JM Coetzee’s Life and Times of Michael K by Baxter Theatre
A Funeral for My Friend Who Is Still Alive by Kasen Tsui
Holden Street Theatres Edinburgh Fringe Award 2023 – Winner
England and Son by Mark Thomas and Ed Edwards
Filipa Bragança Award 2023 – Winner
Chicken by Eva O’Connor
Mental Health Fringe Award 2023 – Winner
Choo Choo! by StammerMouth
Brighton Fringe Award for Excellence 2023 – Winner
Character Flaw by Philippa Dawson
Neurodiverse Review Awards 2023 – Winners
The Bounce emerging artist award
Mari Crawford for Bipolar Badass
Actually autistic excellence award
Don Biswas for The Revolution Will Be Disorganised
ADHD comedy award
Robin Ince for Weapons of Empathy
Neurodiversity/disability representation award
McClaine Beirne for Wheelie Funny
Outstanding visually impaired creative award
Visually Impaired Creators Scotland for Cabaret in the Dark
Birds of Paradise exceptional theatre award
Eleanor Hill for Sad-Vents
Birds of Paradise emerging artist award
Shaharah Gaznabbi for What Can Indian Look Like?
Deaf Action deaf excellence award
Jenny Sealey for Self-Raising
Disability Champions Award
Mark Nicholas and Benny Shakes for Disabled Cants
Lifetime achievement award
Paul Wady for Guerilla Autistics
