Barry award shortlist announced

Chris Addison and Stewart Lee have been nominated for the top prize in Australian comedy.

They are the only British acts to make the shortlist for the Barry Award, the Melbourne comedy festival’s equivalent to the Perrier award, which was annonced last night

The 2003 Barry winner, Canada’s Mike Wilmot, was also nominated, as was 2004 Perrier-winner Demetri Martin

And the list is completed by local acts Denise Scott, who was also nominated last year, and Gerard McCulloch, whose show Just A Few Notes is about his role a barber’s  shop quartet.

Named after comedy festival patron Barry Humphries, the award carries plenty of kudos, but is not the subject of the same single-minded fervour that the Perrier attracts in Edinburgh.

There is also a best newcomer award , a critics’ award, The Piece of Wood award fpr the  comics’  comics and a new The Golden Gibbo Award in memory of comic Lynda Gibson who died in 2004. These will be announced next weekend

Previous Barry winners are:

2004: Maria Bamford

2003: Mike Wilmot

2002: Ross Noble

2001: Brian Munich & Friends With Ray Matsen & Jason Marion

2000: The Boosh

1999: Sue-Ann Post

1998: Miss Itchy

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Published: 10 Apr 2005