Panel Announced for 2018 Edinburgh Comedy Awards
By: Stephi Wild Aug. 01, 2018
Today Nica Burns, Director of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards revealed the judging panel for the 2018 Awards, now in its 38th year.
The panel consists of seven professionals and three comedy punters representing the public. This year the panel will be chaired by Stephen Armstrong - Comedy Critic, Sunday Times.
? Gayle Anderson - Arts Writer and Herald Comedy Critic
? Jane Dempsey - Public Panellist
? Joe Gardner - Public Panellist
? Morwenna Gordon - Commissioning Editor, Sky Comedy
? Richard Morris - Producer, BBC Studios Comedy
? Sarah Asante - Assistant Commissioner, BBC Comedy
? Saurabh Kakkar -Executive Producer (Comedy), Big Talk Productions
? Tashi Radha - Public Panellist
? Tristram Fane Saunders - Commissioning Editor/Culture Writer, The Telegraph
Nica Burns, Director of the Awards says: "Comedy remains the largest genre of entertainment at 35% of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme, promising a feast of comedy shows to suit everyone's funny bone. With nearly 700 shows eligible for the 2018 Edinburgh Comedy Awards, we look forward to discovering exciting new talent and celebrating outstanding shows from the established comics. A warm welcome to what will be a very hard working judging panel chaired by Stephen Armstrong, Comedy Critic of the Sunday Times.
Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2018 There will be no changes in regard to the judging or the Awards categories. All shows eligible will be automatically seen, this includes Comedy Cabaret shows in the Cabaret section of the programme. The shortlist will be announced on Wednesday 22 August with the winners announced at a lunchtime ceremony on Saturday 25 August.
The prize money for best comedy show is £10,000 with £5,000 each for the Best Newcomer and the Panel Prize winner.
For further information please contactAnna Arthur, anna@annarthurpr.com/07973 264373
Best comedy show
Having scooped the Barry Award at the Melbourne Comedy Festival earlier in the year, the buzz around Hannah Gadsby's was present before the Edinburgh Fringe even began. The Australian comic had been a regular at the festival for a decade, but Nanette, she promised, would be her final stand-up show - her farewell to comedy. It proved to be one of the most powerful hours of autobiographical stand-up the Fringe had seen in years, as Gadsby talked about the pain she felt growing up gay in Tasmania, and how filtering those experiences through stand-up hasn't been easy. Her swansong received rave reviews, with The Times' comedy critic, Dominic Maxwell, calling it 'one of the finest hours of stand-up I've seen at the Edinburgh Fringe,' in his five-star review.
Since her success in Edinburgh, Nanette has had a return run in Melbourne performing shows the Arts Centre, a season at the Sydney Opera House, two runs at London's Soho Theatre and an upcoming run at the New York Soho Playhouse.
In January 2018, Hannah recorded Nanette at the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House for the first Australian Netflix Original Comedy Special.
Joint Best Comedy Show winner John Robins won his first nomination for 'The Darkness of Robins' which saw the Radio X DJ at his most candid and exposed, as he dealt with the breakdown of his relationship. But this wasn't a bitter break-up show; this was dark, honest self-examination. It saw Robins at his most intense, creating moments of increasing tension before piercing them with killer punchlines. The Guardian's comedy critic, Brian Logan, wrote that, 'Not only is Robins extremely forthright about his emotional wretchedness post-break up, he's also consistently, uproariously funny.'
"The Darkness Of Robins" 2018 tour covered 68 dates including a special night at London's Eventim Apollo
Elis James and John Robins are on tour this autumn to promote their first book. The Holy Vible is based on some of the running jokes from their cult Radio X show and associated podcast, and is due to be published on October 18.
Best Newcomer
Has there been a messier Best Newcomer winning show than Natalie Palamides's 'LAID'? The American comic's solo debut - directed by 2012 Best Comedy Show winner Dr Brown - was a yolky treat, as Palamides began by hatching from a giant egg before giving birth to her own, and then posing the question: 'Do I raise my egg or eat it?' The recurring dilemma saw the Pennsylvania-born clown mourning over hastily cooked omelettes and smashed shells as she explored motherhood, femininity and, well, cooking
For Edinburgh 2018 Natalie Palamides returns as Nate. For the first time in history, it's hard to be a man. Natalie Palamides doesn't understand this... but Nate does. May include: consensual touching of boobies, non-consensual mind-blowing, and Nate's hard, stretchy cock. Co- devised and directed by Edinburgh Comedy Award winner, Doctor Brown.
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