Who's in the running for the big Fringe prizes?

This year’s shortlist for the Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Awards have been announced, with a total of 17 shows in the running.

Producers of the awards have hailed the diversity of the list which includes he first solo transgender comic to be nominated, Jordan Gray, as well as partially deaf Lara Ricole and partially sighted Josh Pugh. 

They also point to a geographic spread and a range of genres including character comedy, stand-up, confessional story-telling, observational comedy and musical comedy.

Among the nominees Amy Gledhill is up for both categories – as a solo newcomer and as half The Delightful Sausage act with  Chris Cantrill and guest performer Paul Dunphy, which is up for the main award.

Nominated for Best Comedy Show are:

• Alfie Brown: Sensitive Man @ Monkey Barrel Comedy
• Colin Hoult: The Death of Anna Mann @ Pleasance Courtyard, Beneath
• Jordan Gray: Is It a Bird? @ Assembly, George Square
• Josh Pugh: Sausage, Egg, Josh Pugh, Chips and Beans @ Monkey Barrel Comedy
• Larry Dean: Fudnut Monkey Barrel Comedy
• Lauren Pattison: It Is What It Is @ Monkey Barrel Comedy
• Liz Kingsman: One-Woman Show @ Traverse Theatre
• Sam Campbell: Comedy Show @ Monkey Barrel Comedy
• Seann Walsh: Is Dead. Happy Now? @ The Stand Comedy Club
• The Delightful Sausage: Nowt but Sea - Amy Gledhill and Chris Cantrill with Paul Dunphy @ Monkey Barrel 4

This year’s nominees for Best Newcomer are:

• Amy Gledhill: The Girl Before The Girl You Marry @ Monkey Barrel Comedy - Carnivore
• Emily Wilson: Fixed @ Pleasance Courtyard – Beneath
• Emmanuel Sonubi: Emancipated @ Underbelly, Bristol Square
• Josh Jones: Waste of Space @ Pleasance Courtyard - Bunker Three
• Lara Ricote: GRL/LATNX/DEF @ Monkey Barrel Comedy – The Hive
• Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares?! @ Pleasance Courtyard – Baby Grand
• Vittorio Angelone: Translations @ Monkey Barrel Comedy – Carnivore

Nica Burns, director of Dave’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards, said: '2022 has indeed been a bumper year with a high standard of comedy across the Fringe. Dave’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards’ nominees represent a wide-range of comedy genres created by comedians whose material is drawn from their rich range of backgrounds and experiences. The Fringe has bounced back with a bang, with audiences clearly enjoying laughing together, live.'

Dave channel director Cherie Cunningham, who was also one of the judges, said:  'Spending two weeks immersed in a whirlwind of fantastic comedy at the Fringe has been a magical experience. It is inspiring to find so much great talent that is our comedy future.'

Here is panel chair Adnan Ahmed revealing the shortlists:

We are pleased to announce the nominees for Best Comedy Show and Best Newcomer for @davechannel's @edfringe Comedy Awards 2022. pic.twitter.com/zSbkJtqQzS

— Dave's Ed Comedy Awards (@ComedyAwards) August 24, 2022

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Edinburgh on Saturday lunchtime.

This year’s panel is chaired by Sky Studios comedy producer Adnan Ahmed and comprises Dave channel director Cherie Cunningham, Channel 4 commissioning executive Joe Hullait, BBC Studios Audio executive Pete Strauss; arts journalists Ashley Davies, Isobel Lewis and Dominic Maxwell and public competition winners Paul Abbey, Jo Kinsella and Monique Munroe.

Published: 24 Aug 2022