More than 50 Fringe shows in the running

The ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards – the accolades set up when it appeared that the original awards might not be happening this year – have announced their longlists.

A total of 35 shows are in the running for their main award, with 19 up for best show.  They are:

BEST SHOW

• Aaron Simmons: Baby Steps - Pleasance
• Aidan Jones: Adult Adoption - Free Festival Counting House
• Andrew O'Neill: Geburah - Monkey Barrel
• Ania Magliano: I Can't Believe You've Done This - Pleasance
• Attack of the 36 Triple-G Woman - Space @ Symposium Hall
• Cheekykita: An Octopus, The Universe 'n' Stuff - Free Festival The Three Sisters
• Daniel Kitson: First Thing - Summerhall
• Dan Tiernan: Going Under - Monkey Barrel
• David McIver: Small Boy Trapped in a Wellness ​Retreat - PBH Free Fringe Banshee Labyrinth
• Ed Byrne: Tragedy Plus Time - Assembly
• Eric Rushton: Not Too Deep - Free Festival Cabaret Voltaire
• Frank Skinner: 30 Years of Dirt - Assembly
• Gareth Mutch: Belter - The Stand
• Huge Davies: Whodunnit - Pleasance
• Ian Smith: Crushing - Monkey Barrel
• Janine Harouni: Man'oushe - Pleasance
• Jody Kamali: Things We Do for Love - Assembly
• Julia Masli: ha ha ha ha ha ha ha - Monkey Barrel
• Laser Kiwi: Rise of the Olive - Assembly
• Laura Davis: Well Don't Just Stand There Dancing - Monkey Barrel
• Luke Kempner in Gritty Police Drama: A One-Man Musical - Pleasance
• Mark Nelson: Bits & Pieces - Monkey Barrel
• Marjolein Robertson: Marj - The Stand
• Max and Ivan: Life, Choices - Pleasance
• MC Hammersmith: Straight Outta Brompton - Monkey Barrel
• Milo Edwards: Sentimental - Monkey Barrel
• Paul Currie: Schtoom - Just The Tonic
• Paul Foot: Dissolve - Underbelly
• Paul Sinha: Pauly Bengali - The Stand's New Town Theatre
• Phil Ellis's Excellent Comedy Show - Monkey Barrel
• Phil Kay: Funny Walks - Just The Tonic
• Pierre Novellie - Why Are You Laughing? - Monkey Barrel
• Police Cops: The Musical - Assembly
• Seymour Mace Does Drawing - The Stand
• Sid Singh - Free Festival Cabaret Voltaire
• Stuart Goldsmith: Spoilers - Monkey Barrel

BEST NEWCOMER

• Adrian Bliss: Inside Everyone - Pleasance
• Alexandra Haddow: ​Not My Finest Hour - Pleasance
• Alice Cockayne: I Showered Before I Came - Underbelly
• Andre de Freitas: What If - Pleasance
• Annabel Marlow: Is This OK? - Pleasance
• Fiona Ridgewell - PBH Free Fringe Banshee Labyrinth
• Hannah Camilleri: Lolly Bag - Assembly
• John Tothill: The Last Living Libertine - Pleasance
• Kathy Maniura: Objectified - Gilded Balloon
• Kelly McCaughan: Catholic Guilt - Underbelly
• Krystal Evans: The Hottest Girl at Burn Camp - Monkey Barrel
• Lachlan Werner: Voices of Evil - Pleasance
• Leila Navabi: Composition - Pleasance
• Lorna Rose Treen: Skin Pigeon - Pleasance
• Louise Young: Feral - Pleasance
• Moses Storm: Perfect Cult - Pleasance
• Paddy Young: Hungry, Horny, Scared - Pleasance
• Stu Murphy - Debut - Monkey Barrel
• Tadiwa Mahlunge: Inhibition Exhibition - Pleasance

ISH stands for ‘insert sponsor here’ as organisers do not have a backer to give a cash award to match the original accolades, so winning is for bragging rights only.

Comedy producer and comedian Sarah Bowles who is running the awards said: ‘We have been blown away by the incredible support the awards have received from comedians, producers, all the amazing venues that have given the judges comps, and the Edinburgh Comedy Awards themselves who have been so supportive of the process.   

‘As we all know being judged as well as judging is hard and unscientific, but our main rule was "did the show make the audience and/or judge laugh lots on the day we saw it?" and do we think it could be judged as the best show or the best newcomer on the Fringe.

‘That's quite a high bar, of course…. [and] this list obviously does not represent by any means the definitive list of what is great at the Fringe, it's just our  judges' opinions.’

Shortlists of five shows in each category will be announced next Monday and the winners on August 26, the same day as the real Edinburgh Comedy Awards.

A collective of around 35 volunteers have seen all eligible comedy shows – defined by doing a full run and not  being a compilation show.

Published: 14 Aug 2023