Melbourne Comedy Festival's biggest award

Shenoah Allen and Mark Chavez beat acts including Otis Lee Crenshaw, Tim Minchin, Sarah Millican and Henning Wehn and Otto Kuhlne to the Melbourne Comedy Festival’s major award.

Festival director Susan Provan said: 'All the way from Albuquerque New Mexico The Pajama Men quickly became the buzz of the festival. They wonover the Barry judges with an outstanding and utterly hilarious performance that combined music, character, sketch and physical comedy in a high energy hour of belly laughs.'Melbourne's best newcomer was Tom Ballard, a 19-year-old Australian, for his show What He Is, about his coming out as gay, while The Age critics' award for the best local act went to Celia Pacquola's debut show Am I Strange?

In a joint statement, the newspapers' reviewers said: 'It's always a difficult task to pick just one of the many excellent local shows at the festival, but Celia Pacquola's show, Am I Strange?, was one all Age critics could agree on. A charming, self-deprecating journey into Pacquola's psyche, Am I Strange? was outstanding'

The Golden Gibbo award for artistic endeavour in a local independent production went to The List Operators, while the Director’s Award went to The Bedroom Philosopher.

The Piece Of Wood award, handed down from comedian to comedian down the years, whent to Lawrence Mooney, while Greg Fleet won a special award for his 21st festival show.

Last year the Barry – named after Dame Edna Everage's Melbourne-born creator Barry Humphries – was shared for the first time, between Nina Conti and Kristen Schaal. Previous winners have included Daniel Kitson, Ross Noble, The Boosh and Demetri Martin.

Published: 25 Apr 2009