Edinburgh Comedy Award nominations
Who's up for the Fringe's top prize?
The name may be up for debate, but what isn't in doubt is the prestige of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards and the impact it can have on a comic's career. Known in its most memorable form as the Perrier Award from 1981 to 2005, followed by a brief stint sponsored by Intelligent Finance (if.comedy), the 'Eddies' are an honour that have been bestowed upon the likes of Daniel Kitson, Demetri Martin, Dylan Moran and five-star favourite of 2009, Phil Nichol.
This year's nominees will be hoping for similar success as they battle for the prize. Though it will be a particularly testosterone fueled fight with a distinct lack of woman in the running. From the six acts up for Best Comedy Show and the five acts looking to be Best Newcomer, there isn't a single female to pick from, something that fans of Shappi Khorsandi and Helen Arney might disagree with.
From the acts that are nominated though, there's a strong mixture of sketch, stand-up and comic poetry in the Best Comedy Show stakes. Idiots of Ants will be hoping to become the first sketch troupe to win since The League of Gentlemen, though Russell Kane, nominated last year, may like to think its second time lucky. And don't discount Tom Wrigglesworth whose 'Open Return Letter to Richard Branson' became a word of mouth success thanks to its combination of humor and empathy.
The Best Newcomer award includes List five-star rated Jonny Sweet, whose portrayal of sibling loss was a bittersweet success. E4 regular, Jack Whitehall too must be in with a shout, though don't discount Scotland's very own Kevin Bridges, who'll be looking to become our very first home-grown Best Newcomer.
The full list of nominees for the 29th Edinburgh Comedy Award:
For Best Comedy Show
- Idiots of Ants: This Is War
- John Bishop: Elvis Has Left The Building
- Jon Richardson: This Guy At Night
- Russell Kane: Human Dressage
- Tim Key – The Slutcracker
- Tom Wrigglesworth’s Open Return Letter to Richard Branson